GA SB440

Establishes the Accelerated Career Diploma Program, authorizing local boards of education to award high school diplomas to students who complete specified high school coursework and earn an associate's degree in applied science, a technical college diploma, or at least two technical college certificates of credit from the Technical College System of Georgia in fields on the High-demand Career List.

Creates the ACE (Accelerated Career Education) Grants program, administered by the Georgia Student Finance Commission, to provide state-appropriated grant funds to students pursuing degrees, diplomas, or certificates through the Accelerated Career Diploma Program.

Specifies required high school coursework for the program, including English, math (with a new foundations of algebra option), science, social studies, and health/physical education courses with associated end-of-course assessments, and directs the State Board of Education to adopt content standards for the foundations of algebra course.

Removes previous dual enrollment credit hour caps and sets a uniform 30-semester-hour limit on eligible dual credit courses funded under the Dual Enrollment Act, with authority to waive the cap for Accelerated Career Diploma Program participants subject to appropriations; dual credit hours do not count against HOPE scholarship or grant caps.

Extends the automatic repeal date for the HOPE dual enrollment funding provision from June 30, 2026, to June 30, 2027, and moves the final reporting deadline from September 1, 2026, to December 1, 2027; the Act takes effect July 1, 2024.