1. Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program

2.  What is it?  Parental choice program for students with special needs who attend Georgia public schools.  What is it?  Parental choice program for students with special needs who attend Georgia public schools.

3. Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program  Who is eligible?

4. Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program  Eligibility Requirements  Student’s parent(s) currently reside in Georgia and have resided in Georgia for at least 1 year.  Student spent the entire immediate previous year (2009- 2010) enrolled in a Georgia public school.  Student was included in the October and March FTE counts as having received Special Ed services.  Student was served in the immediate previous year under and IEP.  Student was reported by a school district for funding purposes during the preceding October or March (FTE) program counts as a student receiving special education services.  Eligibility Requirements  Student’s parent(s) currently reside in Georgia and have resided in Georgia for at least 1 year.  Student spent the entire immediate previous year (2009- 2010) enrolled in a Georgia public school.  Student was included in the October and March FTE counts as having received Special Ed services.  Student was served in the immediate previous year under and IEP.  Student was reported by a school district for funding purposes during the preceding October or March (FTE) program counts as a student receiving special education services.

5. Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program  Public School Options  Once student & parent(s) meet all the eligibility requirements, the parents have the right to request a transfer to:  Another public school within their district of residence; or  Another public school system outside their district of residence; or  To one of the three state schools for the blind or deaf; or  A private school authorized to participate in the GSNS Program  Public School Options  Once student & parent(s) meet all the eligibility requirements, the parents have the right to request a transfer to:  Another public school within their district of residence; or  Another public school system outside their district of residence; or  To one of the three state schools for the blind or deaf; or  A private school authorized to participate in the GSNS Program

6. Intra-District Transfers  A school system considering a transfer request between schools in its system may deny a parental request back on lack of capacity and/or the lack of a program available which is aligned with the student’s IEP. Capacity is defined as:  Capacity of the school building based on established health and safety provisions; and  Class-size capacity by grade and subject, based on state law and rule.  A school system considering a transfer request between schools in its system may deny a parental request back on lack of capacity and/or the lack of a program available which is aligned with the student’s IEP. Capacity is defined as:  Capacity of the school building based on established health and safety provisions; and  Class-size capacity by grade and subject, based on state law and rule.

7. Inter-District Transfers  A school system considering a request for a transfer to its school system from another school system can deny the request:  Even if there is capacity  Even if there is a program available that is aligned to the student’s IEP  If the district approves the request, it can charge a parent/guardian for the costs of educating a student during the first year of transfer.  A school system considering a request for a transfer to its school system from another school system can deny the request:  Even if there is capacity  Even if there is a program available that is aligned to the student’s IEP  If the district approves the request, it can charge a parent/guardian for the costs of educating a student during the first year of transfer.

8. Transfer Information (cont.)  For both inter and intra-district transfers, if an eligible student attended a private school through the GSNS Program during the 2009-10 school year, a parent can make a request for a public school transfer for the 2010-2011 school year.  Once a transfer request has been authorized by a school district the student must be allowed to complete all grades a a school.  For example, if a student was granted a transfer request to a middle school (grades 6-8), his transfer request would apply to his attendance through grade 8.  For both inter and intra-district transfers, if an eligible student attended a private school through the GSNS Program during the 2009-10 school year, a parent can make a request for a public school transfer for the 2010-2011 school year.  Once a transfer request has been authorized by a school district the student must be allowed to complete all grades a a school.  For example, if a student was granted a transfer request to a middle school (grades 6-8), his transfer request would apply to his attendance through grade 8.

9. Transfer Information (cont.)  A parent /guardian who wishes to used the public school choice transfer option must complete the transfer request form on the GSNS web page  The form must be sent to the school district by the parent.  It is the parent’s responsibility to contact the school district to find out to whom the form should be sent and any deadlines involved in making the request.  A parent /guardian who wishes to used the public school choice transfer option must complete the transfer request form on the GSNS web page  The form must be sent to the school district by the parent.  It is the parent’s responsibility to contact the school district to find out to whom the form should be sent and any deadlines involved in making the request.