Code:  IDCG

GOVERNOR’S HONORS PROGRAM.

1. PURPOSE. 
   
   The Governor’s Honors Program shall provide differentiated instructional experiences designed to encourage selected students to meet their full academic and artistic potential.
    
2. DEFINITIONS.
    
   1. Governor’s Honors Program (GHP) - a state-funded, six-week-long summer residential program designed to provide intellectual and artistic high school students differentiated educational opportunities not usually available during the regular school year.
       
   2. Governor’s Honors Program alternate - a student who has been nominated by his or her local public high school, private high school, or home school and has participated in the statewide interview but has not been selected to attend the program.
       
   3. Governor’s Honors Program finalist - a student who has been selected to attend the program.
       
   4. Governor’s Honors Program nominee - a student recommended by his or her local public high school, private high school, or home school to attend the statewide GHP interviews.
       
   5. Nomination quota - the number of students who may be recommended for the Governor’s Honors Program.  Each school system and private school shall receive one nomination for every 100 students or major fraction thereof enrolled in the 10^th and 11^th grades during the previous academic year.  For public schools, this quota is based on the full-time equivalent (FTE) count of the 10th and 11th grades in the local school system.  The nomination quota is assigned by the Georgia Department of Education, is separated into three categories:  academic, fine arts and technology/career preparatory (vocational education), and is included in the memorandum Nomination Guidelines. 
       
3. REQUIREMENTS.
    
   1. The local system, private high school, or home school annually shall follow the student nomination process for GHP which includes the following criteria.
       
      1. Student nominees shall be rising juniors and seniors.
          
      2. Student nominees shall be nominated in only one subject area, by the subject-area teacher, with approval of the student and parent/guardian.
          
      3. Student nominees shall be required to participate in the statewide interview to be eligible for participation in the program.
          
      4. Students nominated but not participating in the 10th grade shall be eligible for renomination in the 11th grade.
          
      5. Students shall participate in the GHP summer residential program one time only.
          
      6. All nominees from public schools and home schools shall be endorsed by the principal, counselor, local GHP coordinator and superintendent of the local school system.  All nominees from private schools shall be endorsed by the head of the school.  Home school nominees must demonstrate compliance with Georgia’s Home Study Law O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690.  Applications and information on local alternate nominees shall be forwarded to the Georgia Department of Education only when an alternate nominee is replacing an original nominee.
          
      7. A transcript of high school grades and records shall accompany each nomination form, including endorsements and other information pertinent to student nominations, as stated in the document Instructional Descriptions, and Criteria for Selection in All Areas.
          
      8. A score on the PSAT or SAT shall be required for selection and participation in the program.
          
      9. Students shall be required to demonstrate high aptitude and high interest in their area of nomination, as stated in the document Instructional Descriptions, and Criteria for Selection in All Areas.
          
   2. The school system, private school, or home school shall obtain written parent/guardian permission for nominated students to participate and to allow the school to release student records in support of the nomination.
       
   3. The school system, private school, or home school shall annually submit applications to the department postmarked no later than December 10. 
       
   4. Students shall return acceptance material to the program director by the specified deadline.  Failure to return acceptance material by the specified deadline will result in disqualification from the program.
       
   5. All students participating shall be required to agree to:
       
      1. Enter in all scheduled activities, including special events, seminars and support areas;
          
      2. Attend the program for the entire period as stated in the student handbook, including the opening and closing dates of the program;
          
      3. Concentrate in their major areas of nomination/study and to select additional, minor and/or interest areas of pursuit;
          
      4. Abide by program rules and regulations as included in the student handbook.
          
      5. Students selected to participate in the program shall notify the department of health conditions requiring extraordinary attention.
          
   6. The State Board of Education authorizes the state school superintendent to approve waivers of this rule when, in the judgment of the state school superintendent, such requests are consistent with the goals and objectives of this program.
       

Authority O.C.G.A. § 20-2-306(a).

Adopted:  August 13, 2009                            Effective:  September 2, 2009