Consistent with the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act (SB 10), Cobb County School District (District) allows opportunities for the District’s disabled students to attend schools outside the attendance zone in which they live. The District also allows disabled students who attend approved private schools pursuant to a scholarship obtained through SB 10 to access the District for statewide assessments.

RULE:

A. GENERAL PROVISIONS:
Pursuant to SB 10, parents/guardians of students with disabilities may choose for their child to attend another school within the District, provided that the school has:
    1. A program with the services agreed to in the child’s (Individualized Educational Plan)
        IEP; and
    2. Available space (both in the school and in the program with the services agreed to in
        the child’s IEP). A listing of schools that currently have available space is

        available here. Please note that, even if a school has space, the school may not have

        the program with the services agreed to in a child’s IEP.

B. PROCEDURES:
    1. In order to request such a transfer, parents/guardians must complete and submit
        Form JFBC-1 (Application for Special Education Scholarship Transfer) to the District’s
        Office of Special Student Services.
    2. All such transfer requests must be received by Cobb County School District no later
        than thirty (30) calendar days after the start of the school year for which the transfer
        is requested. Additionally, only one special needs transfer per student will be
        considered during the school year.
    3. All requests for transfers shall be approved, provided the school into which the child
        wishes to transfer has a program with the services agreed to in the child’s IEP and has
        available space (both in the school and in the program with the services agreed to in
        the child’s IEP).
    4. The student shall be allowed to attend the requested school until he/she completes all
        grades of the school, graduates, or reaches the age of 21, whichever occurs first, in
        accordance with federal and state requirements for disabled students.
    5. The parent/guardian shall be responsible for transportation to the school.

C. OUT-OF-DISTRICT STUDENTS:
    The District will not accept any students with disabilities who request a transfer pursuant
    to SB 10 to a District school but who reside outside of the District’s boundaries.

D. PRIVATE SCHOOLS:
    1. Eligibility:
        A student with a disability may apply for a scholarship to an approved private school
        pursuant to SB 10 by applying directly to the State Department of Education. An
        application for such scholarship is available at www.doe.k12.ga.us.
    2. Statewide Assessments:
        Students with disabilities who attend an approved private school pursuant to a

        scholarship obtained through SB 10 may elect to take statewide assessments as

        described in O.C.G.A. §20-2-281 through the State Department of Education. Further

        information may be obtained online at www.doe.k12.ga.us

Approved: 8/8/07; 11/14/07