Skip To Main Content

District Home

Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program

The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship (GSNS) Program for school choice is 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 by 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 School District released in 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.

Application Window

The application window will be announced yearly in January and will reflect the School Choice Window.

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