•               Georgia Special Needs Student Scholarship Program for Section 504

    Dear Parents:

    This notification is to inform you of the Special Needs Scholarship (GSNS) Program for school choice available for students attending Georgia public schools and having a Section 504 plan.

    Option 1:  Private School Choice

    To qualify for the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship (GSNS) Program for the school year, a student must meet all three requirements listed below:

    Requirement 1:  The parent currently resides within Georgia and has been a Georgia resident for at least one calendar year.  However, the one-year requirement shall not apply if the student's parent is an active duty military service member stationed in Georgia within the previous year.

    Requirement 2:  A student was enrolled and reported as attending a Georgia public school by a district(s) in the student count for October or March during the previous school year.  However, the student may meet requirement two (2) if any of the criteria apply below.

    • The student's parent is an active duty military service member stationed in Georgia within the previous year.
    • ​The student has been adopted or placed in permanent guardianship from foster care according to an order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction within the previous year.
    • The student previously qualified for a scholarship as provided in state law.

    Requirement 3: The student had a 504 plan in effect during the previous school year relating to one or more of these conditions: ​

    Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Attention deficit disorder (ADD)

    Autism spectrum disorder

    Bipolar disorder

    Cancer

    Cerebral palsy

    Cystic fibrosis

    Deafness

    Down syndrome

    Drug or alcohol abuse

    Dual sensory impairment

    Dyslexia

    Emotional or behavioral disorder

    Epilepsy

    Hearing impairment

    Intellectual disability

    Muscular dystrophy

    Specific learning disability

    Spina bifida

    Traumatic brain injury

    Visual Impairment

    Any rare disease identified by the          National Institutes of Health's              Genetic and Rare Diseases                    Information Center lists rare disease disorders.

    Option 2- Public School Choice

    Eligible students may request a transfer to another public school within their district of residence (see additional School Choice information specific to Henry County Schools released January each year), another public school district outside of Henry County, or one of the state schools for the deaf and/or blind operated by the State Board of Education.  

     

    You may visit the Georgia Department of Education website for additional information regarding the Special Needs Scholarship Program, including the Scholarship Calculator,  a list of authorized private schools, and Section 504 Plan Qualification https://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/Policy/Pages/Special-Needs-Scholarship-Program.aspx.

     

    If you have further questions, you may contact the Director of Psychological Services, Wanda Williams, at (770) 957-3945.