Muscogee County School District announces deadline for eligible ex-students to receive free diploma

If you are a former Muscogee County School District student but were denied a high school diploma because you failed one of the state's now-defunct standardized tests, you have until March 4 to apply for one at no cost this year.

After the deadline, it will cost $25, according to the school district's news release.

Georgia House Bill 91, which Gov. Nathan Deal signed March 30, 2015, officially eliminated the Georgia High School Graduation Test, the Georgia High School Writing Test and the Basic Skills Test. HB 91 allows former students who enrolled in ninth grade for the first time on or after July 1, 1981, and meet credit requirements to receive a high school diploma.

HB 91 petition forms are available on the school district's website, www.muscogee.k12.ga.us, at the "For Students" and "For Parents" links.

Approved HB 91 petitioners may participate in a summer graduation ceremony. Such a request must be indicated on the HB 91 petition, and it must be submitted by June 10.

In 2015, the first year under the new law, the school district received 619 HB 91 petitions, 562 were approved, and 80 were confirmed to participate in the summer graduation ceremony, MCSD communications director Valerie Fuller said at the time.

For more information about HB 91, applicants may call the school district's records department at 706-748-2383 or the curriculum and instruction department at 706-748-2121.

Mark Rice, 706-576-6272. Follow him on Twitter@MarkRiceLE.

This story was originally published January 8, 2016 at 10:57 AM with the headline "Muscogee County School District announces deadline for eligible ex-students to receive free diploma."