On Monday, March 30, 2015, Governor Nathan Deal signed House Bill 91 into law. The bill retroactively eliminates the Georgia High School Graduation Test as a requirement for graduation. This means students that did not receive a diploma based solely on not passing all required graduation tests can now petition the Paulding County Board of Education to determine their eligibility to obtain a diploma.

To petition for a diploma, individuals must:

• Have entered 9th grade on or after July 1, 1981

• Click this link to Open the Petition for Diploma Form

• Provide the information requested in the form

• Submit the form 

• A confirmation will be returned once an individual’s petition is received 

*** Incomplete forms may encounter processing delays. ***

Once the petition is processed: 

• A local school counselor will notify the petitioner if they meet or do not meet graduation requirements. 

• If it is determined the petitioner meets those requirements, he or she will be able to receive an official transcript with their graduation date. 

• The petitioner will be provided an opportunity to order a diploma at the cost of the petitioner.  

***Please be aware that May is the busiest time of year for our school counselors as they are processing information for our current students in regard to graduation. This, coupled with the high volume of House Bill 91 requests, may lead to a delay in the processing of petitions. The Paulding County School District is working as quickly as it can to process your petition.

FAQ on House Bill 91