House Bill 91 Passes, Former Students May Qualify for High School Diploma

Former Dalton Public Schools students who did not earn a diploma due to failing portions of the Georgia High School Graduation test or the Georgia High School Writing Test now have the opportunity to petition the Dalton Board of Education to receive their high school diploma.

The Georgia General Assembly passed House Bill 91, retroactively eliminating the required graduation tests for students who enrolled for the first time in ninth grade on or after July 1, 1981 to the present.

Students interested in petitioning for a diploma must complete the House Bill 91 Petition for Diploma form and return it to the high school from which the student would have graduated along with a valid, government-issued photo identification. The student’s transcript will be reviewed to determine if the student is eligible to receive a high school diploma. Eligibility will be based on course work and credit requirements for graduation in effect when the petitioning student entered the ninth grade.

If eligible, the student will then be considered a graduate of his or her cohort class and will receive a high school diploma and official transcript. Those who qualify for a diploma should be notified of its availability within four weeks after approval.

“I believe House Bill 91 is the best piece of legislation to come out of this year’s session,” said Jennifer Phinney, director of school support for Dalton Public Schools. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for former students to improve their lives and it could serve as an economic driver for our state.”

For additional information you may contact Jennifer Phinney, director of school support, at (706) 876-4094, or the Enrollment Center at (706) 876-4000. For the House Bill 91 Petition for Diploma form, click here.