Bill would create adult workforce diploma program for ages 21–40 with outcome-based payments

Senator Brass presented Senate Bill 193, a measure to create a Georgia adult workforce diploma program that would allow adults ages 21 to 40 to earn an accredited high-school diploma while developing employability and career-technical skills.

"It creates a framework for an adult workforce diploma program. It provides adults aged 21 to 40 the opportunity to complete their accredited high school diploma and develop critical employability and career and technical skills to prepare for employment," Brass said. He described the proposal as similar to a program considered last year and said the bill is designed to work alongside existing Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) offerings, which typically serve younger learners through age 21.

Committee members focused on accountability and the bill’s vendor model. Staff and the sponsor said approved third‑party program providers would receive tiered, outcome‑based payments: providers would receive modest initial payments but the bulk of funding as students reached completion milestones. Brass described this structure as the primary accountability mechanism: "We're not just giving them a blank check... the power of the purse is probably the biggest accountability we can have in a situation like this."

Members asked whether TCSG supported the bill; the sponsor said TCSG does support it. On costs, Brass said lawmakers were seeking appropriations "about $5,000,000." Committee members also asked about reporting requirements; the sponsor said approved programs would be required to report annually on outcomes.

The item was heard as a committee-only matter; no vote was taken. Sponsors and members described the program as potentially serving several thousand adults seeking to complete a diploma, with the program designed to coordinate with existing TCSG services and use reporting and phased payments to promote program integrity.