Georgia Special Needs Scholarship for School Choice
If you are the parent or legal guardian of a child that receives special education services, please refer to the school choice privilege options under state law (SB 10) and the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship. Bulloch County Board of Education Policy JBCCA: Student Assignment to Schools allows for any students in grades Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade, including those students with disabilities, to request a transfer to another school within their school district of residence with available space, provided the stipulations of the policy are met.
- If your child has an active individualized education plan, and you wish to be considered for a transfer to another Bulloch County school, you will follow the same school choice privilege request process explained in this notification as students not served under a plan.
- The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship does, however, include additional options for transferring your special needs child to a state school, participating Georgia private school, or participating Georgia public school district. In order for any of these options to be exercised, the participating school must offer the programs required by the child’s active Individual Education Plan. Students enrolled at a school operated by the Department of Juvenile Justice are not eligible for the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship.
- State Schools Option: You may request a transfer to one of the state schools for the deaf and/or blind operated by the Georgia State Board of Education. Acceptance into the state school will be contingent on the appropriateness of the setting for your student. If you choose this option, you will be responsible for transportation to the state school. Please contact the Georgia State Department of Education, 2034 Twin Towers East, Atlanta, GA 30334 (800-311-3627) for more information about transferring to a state school.
- Private School Option: If you are interested in transferring your student to a private school in Georgia, you may be able to take advantage of a Georgia Special Needs Scholarship. These state scholarships provide funding that can be used to help pay for tuition costs at participating private schools in the state of Georgia. For additional information on the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship and the parent application process, please call the Georgia Department of Education at (404) 656-2800 or visit the Special Needs Scholarship website.
- Transfer to Another Georgia School District Option: A school district considering a request for a transfer into its school system has the authority to approve or deny a public school transfer request for any reason. A school district considering a transfer can deny a request even if there is capacity and a program available that is aligned to the student’s individualized education plan within its system. If a request is approved, a school district can charge parent(s) / guardian(s) for the costs of educating a student from outside its school district. The Bulloch County Board of Education does not approve applications submitted for students who reside outside of Bulloch County pursuant to the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship. If you are a Bulloch county resident, however, and are interested in transferring your child to another Georgia public school district, it is your responsibility to contact that school district to inquire about their acceptance of non-resident students pursuant to the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship.
