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Gwinnett County Public Schools

Georgia Special Needs Scholarship (GSNS)

The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program (GSNS) is a school choice program available for special needs students attending Georgia public schools who are served under an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan.

If a student meets the eligibility criteria for the GSNS, a parent/guardian has the right to request a transfer from the student’s current public school to:

  • another public school within their district of residence; or
  • another public school district outside their district of residence; or
  • one of the state schools for the blind or deaf; or
  • a private school authorized to participate in the GSNS Program

Funds received through the GSNS Program only can be used to pay for tuition and fees at a private school authorized by the State Board of Education to participate in the program.

Students with an IEP (Senate Bill 10)

Students with an IEP (Senate Bill 10)… To qualify for the Georgia Special Scholarship award with an IEP, the student must meet the following requirements:

  1. The student's parent currently resides within Georgia and has been a Georgia resident for at least one calendar year however, that 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; AND
     
  2. The student had an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) in effect during the previous school year; AND
     
  3. The student spent the prior school year in attendance* at a Georgia public school.
    *Prior school year in attendance - the student was enrolled and reported by a public school system or school systems for funding purposes at the time of both FTE program counts, conducted each school year in October and March.
  • Prior school year in attendance shall not apply if:
    • The student's parent is an active-duty military service member stationed in Georgia within the previous year; OR
    • The student has been adopted or placed in a permanent guardianship from foster care pursuant to an order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction within the previous year; OR
    • The student previously qualified for a scholarship as provided in state law.
      • Please note that previously qualified only waives the prior school year in attendance provision, all other requirements including having an IEP in the previous school year and enrollment in a public school are still in effect.

Students with a 504 Plan (Senate Bill 47)

To qualify for the Georgia Special Scholarship award with a 504 Plan, the student must meet all three requirements:

  1.  The student's parent currently resides within Georgia and has been a Georgia resident for at least one calendar year however, that 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; AND
    ​​
  2. 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) Emotional or behavioral disorder
    Autism spectrum disorder Epilepsy
    Bipolar disorder Hearing impairment
    Cancer Intellectual disability
    Cerebral palsy Muscular dystrophy
    Cystic fibrosis Specific learning disability
    Deafness Spina bifida
    Down syndrome Traumatic brain injury
    Drug or alcohol abuse Visual impairment
    Dual sensory impairment Any rare disease identified by the National Institutes of Health's Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center's list of rare disease disorders.
    Dyslexia

 

AND

 

  1. The student spent the prior school year in attendance* at a Georgia public school.

    *Prior school year in attendance - the student was enrolled and reported by a public school system or school systems for funding purposes at the time of both FTE program counts, conducted each school year in October and March.

  • Prior school year in attendance shall not apply if:

    • The student's parent is an active-duty military service member stationed in Georgia within the previous year; OR

    • The student has been adopted or placed in a permanent guardianship from foster care pursuant to an order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction within the previous year; OR

    • The student previously qualified for a scholarship as provided in state law.

      • Please note that previously qualified only waives the prior school year in attendance provision, all other requirements including having a 504 in the previous school year and enrollment in a public school are still in effect.