Georgia Senate approves bill counting college work toward high school

Georgia high school students could jump-start their future by completing college courses and having the credit count toward their high school diploma, under a bill passed unanimously Tuesday by the state Senate.

Senate Bill 2 would allow certain high school students to enroll in a college or university if they can pass a college entrance exam and have completed freshman- and sophomore-level high school course work. When they complete a degree or certificate program, their college-level courses would satisfy 11th- and 12th-grade requirements and allow them to also receive a high school diploma.

The bill, which was part of the Senate majority agenda, has been championed by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and has the support of university and technical colleges leaders, as well as state schools Superintendent Richard Woods.