Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Understanding the Program 2014 – 2015 School Year

Acronyms Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program- GSNS Georgia Department of Education- GaDOE Georgia Testing Identifier Number- GTID I.D.E.A.- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act IEP- Individualized Education Program Parent- refers to parent(s) or guardian(s) SB10- refers to the original state legislation Senate Bill 10 which created the program.

What is the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program? It is a parental choice program for special needs students attending Georgia public schools who are served under an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

How do I learn about the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program? The GSNS web page http://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/Policy/Pages/Special-Needs-Scholarship-Program.aspx has all information regarding the program. Parents are encouraged to bookmark the page on a computer because it is the primary way information regarding the program is shared.

Who Is Eligible? A student must: Have a parent who currently lives in Georgia and has been a resident for at least one calendar year, and Have been enrolled and attended a Georgia public school (grades K – 12) the entire 2013 – 2014 school year, and  

Who Is Eligible? A student must: Have been reported by a school district(s) during mandatory student counts conducted in October 2013 AND March 2014 by public schools, and Have received special education services at some point during the 2013 – 2014 school year under an IEP. A student must be reported by a school district(s) in either the October 2013 OR March 2014 student counts OR in final student record as a student receiving special education services by the end of the school year.  

Who Is Eligible?

Who Is Eligible?

Exceptions? For students that do not meet these eligibility requirements, a parent can complete an application to Request Waiver of Prior School Year Attendance Requirements for Medical Reasons. The waiver request must include documentation that specifies the medical need(s) of the student and how that need rises to the level of hardship or disability to waive the prior year requirement in the statute. This application form is available on the GSNS web page. Parents must send this application to the GaDOE following the instructions provided.

Who Is Not Eligible? Pre-school students, Home school students, Students privately placed in residential treatment facilities, Students attending a Department of Juvenile Justice School, Students in the Early Intervention Program (EIP) Students with an Individualized Accommodation Plan (IAP, Section 504 plan); and/or Students otherwise not eligible per Official Code of Georgia Annotated §20-2-2114.  

What are a Parent’s Choices? Another public school within a school system; or Another public school outside a school system; or A private school authorized to participate in the GSNS Program; or One of the three state schools for the blind or deaf. (Special conditions for this option must be met).

Things to Note Transportation is not provided under the private or public school choice options, so it becomes the responsibility of a parent. Funds cannot be used to pay for out of district tuition, charter schools, or other options available under public school choice.

Public School Choice The authority to allow or deny public school transfer requests belongs to a school system NOT the Georgia Department of Education. A parent must contact a school system directly regarding public school choice options.

Public School Choice Transfers Within a School System A school system reviewing a transfer request must evaluate the request based on: Availability of space and/or Availability of a special education program at the requested public school that can meet the services outlined in a student’s IEP.

Public School Choice Transfers Within a School System The school system can deny the transfer request: If there is no space available at a requested public school and/or The public school requested cannot provide the special education services outlined in a student’s IEP.

Public School Choice Transfers Outside a School System A school system reviewing a transfer request from a student outside its system can deny a request for any reason even if: There is space at a requested public school and The availability of a special education program at the requested public school that can meet the services outlined in a student’s IEP.

Public School Choice If a transfer request is granted by a school system, the student must be allowed to complete all grades at a school. For example, if a student is granted a transfer request to a middle school that serves grades 6 - 8, the transfer request would apply to the student’s attendance through grade 8.

Public School Choice Transfers Outside a School System If a school system approves an out of system transfer request, it can charge a parent for the costs of educating a student; also known as “out of district tuition.“ Funds received through the GSNS Program cannot be used to offset the costs of out of district tuition.

Private School Choice There are no application or income restrictions for eligibility in the GSNS Program because eligibility is based on information already reported by public schools.

Private School Choice Scholarship Calculator A scholarship calculator is available on the web page for parents annually to see how much a student would be eligible to receive through the GSNS Program.  The calculator currently on the website will be updated in May 2014 with a student’s potential scholarship amount for the 2014 - 2015 school year.   In the past the calculator has been posted no later than mid- May. 

Private School Choice Scholarship Calculator Scholarship estimates cannot be issued since the data used in this determination is collected in October and March of each school year.  This is simply due to the way scholarships are funded under the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship law.  Scholarships generally range from $2,500 - $13,500. $5,400 is the average scholarship amount.

Private School Choice Scholarship Calculator The scholarship calculator will only work if a student is eligible for the GSNS Program. The award sheet generated by the scholarship calculator is the only proof needed of a student's eligibility for the GSNS Program.

Private School Choice Sample of Award Sheet

Private School Choice Enrolling in a School If a private school grants admission to a student, a parent must provide a copy of the student’s scholarship award sheet to the private school.

Private School Choice Scholarship Calculator The award sheet notifies a private school that a student is eligible for the GSNS Program. Authorized private schools use an electronic system to report eligible students enrolled at their schools. This lets the GaDOE know which students are participating in the private school choice option and where they are enrolled.

Private School Choice Enrolling in a School Without notification of a student’s eligibility, the private school will not report the student as enrolled in the GSNS Program to the GaDOE. This will affect the scholarship payments for a student and could affect his/her eligibility for the GSNS Program.

Private School Choice Enrolling in a School The scholarship can only be used at a private school authorized to participate in the GSNS Program. The list of authorized private schools is on the GSNS web page.

Private School Choice Enrolling in a School If there is a school a parent is interested in that is not on the current school list, a parent is encouraged to ask the school to apply. The application with instructions and eligibility requirements for private schools for the 2014 - 2015 school year is available on the webpage.

Private School Choice Things to Note Through state law, a private school participating in the GSNS Program is not required to follow a student’s IEP and is not required to provide special education services to a student. A parent must ask a private school directly regarding the specific special education it may be able to provide for students.

Private School Choice Enrolling in a School Parents have three opportunities during a school year to transfer an eligible student from a public school to an authorized private school by the following dates for the 2014 – 2015 school year:

Private School Choice Enrolling in a School September 15, 2014- no filing of intent form required. December 15, 2014- filing of intent form required. March 4, 2015- - filing of intent form required.

Private School Choice Enrolling in a School For the December and March dates parents must complete an Intent to File form which will be posted on the web page in October 2014.

Private School Choice Enrolling in a School The multiple enrollment dates only apply for students that completed the 2013 - 2014 school year in a Georgia public school. It DOES NOT apply to students that used the private school choice option during the 2013- 2014 school year.

Private School Choice Payments for Students Enrollment Deadline # of Scholarship Payments issued %age of Scholarship Issued Students enrolling from August 1 through Sept. 14 4 100% Students enrolling from September 16 through Dec. 15 2 50% Students enrolling from Dec. 16 through March 4 1 25%

Private School Choice Payments for Students The prorating of a scholarship would only apply to the first year the student began in the GSNS Program. If a student continues in the GSNS Program for the upcoming new school year and completes the school year in an authorized private school, then full scholarship amount for a student would be paid.

Private School Choice Enrolling in a School A private school participating in the GSNS Program is not required to: Accept a student who is eligible for the GSNS Program or Change any of its admission procedure or school policies under the GSNS Program.

Private School Choice Enrolling in a School Treat choosing a private school like any other business transaction.

Private School Choice Enrolling in a School If a private school participating in the GSNS Program accepts a student a parent must: Read and understand any contracts/agreements entered into with a private school Get written copies of any contracts/agreements entered with the school (e.g. tuition reimbursement, fee schedules).

Private School Choice Enrolling in a School On the webpage there is a document entitled Choosing a School to assist parents in choosing private schools for their children. Please take the time to read it.

Private School Choice Enrolling in a School Once accepted into a private school a parent must withdraw a student from the public school following the procedures in place at the public school. A student cannot be dually enrolled at a public and private school and participate in the GSNS Program.

Private School Choice Costs not Covered Transportation Before or after school care Meals Tutoring Field trip fees Athletic fees School supplies Summer school/camp programs Other fees as determined by the GaDOE.

Private School Choice Continuing in Program A student may continue to participate in the GSNS Program in subsequent school years as long as: Student remains a resident of Georgia; and Student’s parents remain residents of Georgia; and Student has continual enrollment and attendance in a private school participating in the GSNS Program; and Parent/guardian complies with GSNS law and rule.

Private School Choice Continuing in Program Scholarship payments for returning GSNS students are calculated using the data from the last year a student was in a Georgia public school. The data is entered into the State public education funding formula that applies to the upcoming school year.

Private School Choice Continuing in Program Promotion or retention of a student does not affect eligibility for the GSNS Program. An IEP does not need to be kept current to continue a student’s participation in the Special Needs Scholarship Program.

Private School Choice Continuing in Program If a parent transfers a student back into public school or decides to home school (does not include online public charter school options) the student during the school year, the scholarship for a student will end. A student will need to regain eligibility for the GSNS Program by meeting all eligibility requirements again.

Private School Choice Continuing in Program Eligibility for the GSNS Program ends once a student graduates from high school and receives a high school diploma or if the student turns 21 years old and has not yet received a high school diploma.

Thank you for participating Thank you for participating! Please contact us with any questions you have: Linda Dunn, Ph.D. ldunn@doe.k12.ga.us