Parents/guardians of a student zoned to attend a District school may apply for a School Choice transfer under Georgia law (HB 251) and the District Administrative Rule JBCD-R to request placement at a school other than the one to which the student is zoned. Available space at a school is based on permanent classroom space. If the number of transfer requests exceeds available capacity, the District will conduct a random lottery.

Important 2026–2027 Application Windows

HB 251 School Choice Transfer Applications 

📌Application Window: January 22 – February 13, 2026

The application window for HB 251 School Choice Transfers for the 2026–2027 school year is scheduled from January 22 to February 13, 2026. No late applications will be accepted after these established dates. 

For more information about this program, including instructions on how to apply, please visit our School Choice Transfers page. 

Sibling Transfer Applications

📌Application Window: January 5 – January 16, 2026

Parents/guardians of a student who has a sibling already enrolled in a District school through an approved transfer may apply for the younger sibling to attend the same school in accordance with District Administrative Rule JBCD-R. This provision attempts to address siblings enrolled in different schools at the same time due to an approved transfer. The application window for siblings of currently enrolled transfer students for the 2026–2027 school year is scheduled from January 5 to January 16, 2026. 

Children of Employees Transfer

📌Application Window: December 1, 2025 – January 16, 2026

Cobb County School District employees may apply for a Children of Employees Transfer for the 2026–2027 school year in accordance with District Administrative Rule JBCD-R. The application window is scheduled from December 1, 2025, to January 16, 2026. Students currently attending their school of choice through this option are not required to reapply unless they are changing school levels (elementary to middle or middle to high). Applications submitted after January 16, 2026, will only be accepted for qualifying events, such as new employment or a job location change, and available school options may be limited based on space.

Learn More: Understanding School Choice