ATLANTA — Georgia fine arts students could have an easier path to qualifying for the HOPE Scholarship under a new law signed this week.

Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship currently requires students to complete four rigorous courses in math, science, social studies, English or foreign language.

Under the new law, advanced fine arts courses will now be included in HOPE Scholarship calculations for students taking rigorous classes in music, dance, theatre and visual arts.

Georgia Music Educators Association President Andy Esserwein says the change is a major victory for fine arts students.

“So it’s a really big win for art kids to allow them to stay in these fine arts pathways,” Esserwein said.

Students taking rigorous fine arts courses will also receive a half-point bump in their representative grade point averages.

“Now they get a .5 bump for any grade, B, C, D, or E,” Esserwein said.

Esserwein says some students previously left fine arts programs because they needed to take advanced academic courses in other subjects to qualify for HOPE Scholarship tuition assistance.

“It’s really a win for the arts because they are intelligent and they’re talented,” Esserwein said.

WSB Radio’s Lisa Nicholas contributed to this story.