GEORGIA

In 2004, Georgia sought to better understand the scope of its dropout issue.  In support of this effort, the state passed HB 1190 that same year. This legislation improved the state's data reporting by requiring the Georgia Department of Education to develop (and the State Board of Education to adopt) a uniform definition of "dropout" that all districts and schools will use in their respective report cards. Two years later, Georgia adopted HB 1027, launching a statewide initiative placing graduation coaches in low-performing high schools across the state. Georgia first rolled out the graduation coaches program via a competitive grant process; but by fall 2009, it had proved successful enough that the state folded its funding for it under its basic education funding program.

Georgia's compulsory attendance age remains unchanged at 16, and the maximum public school attendance age is set at 20.