For Parents of Students Receiving Special Education Services

Dear Parent/Guardian:

As the parent of a student who receives special education services or has a Section 504 Individual Accommodation Plan in our school district, we would like to inform you about your option to exercise public and private school choice. Under a state law passed by the Georgia State Legislature, parents of students who receive special education services or 504 accommodations may request to transfer their child to another public or private school in Georgia if their child has an IEP/504 and has been enrolled for a full academic year in a Georgia public school. Three options are described below.

Public School Choice Option

A parent can request their child to transfer to another public school within their school district if there is available space at that school and the school has a program with the services that are in the student’s existing IEP/504 Plan. If the parent chooses this option, then the parent shall be responsible for transportation.

A parent residing outside of Gwinnett County can request for their child to transfer to a Gwinnett County Public School if there is available space, and the system/school has the program with the services in the student’s existing IEP/504 Plan. If the parent chooses this option, then the parent shall be responsible for transportation. Parents who wish to consider this option must have a recent copy of the IEP/504 Plan along with the application to be considered. If the IEP/504 Plan is not accompanied with the application, the student will not be considered.

Consult the GCPS website for a list of schools that are eligible to accept student transfers: https://www.gcpsk12.org/schools/permissive-transfers/gwinnett-schools-accepting-permissive-transfers

Request forms are located on the GCPS website: https://www.gcpsk12.org/about-us/divisions-and-teams/teaching-and-learning/special-education-and-psychological-services/georgia-special-scholarship-sb10sb47 . All requests will be reviewed simultaneously, and parents will be notified of the decision the week of July 1, 2026, via U.S. Mail and Email. If the parent chooses this option and the request is approved, then the parent shall be responsible for transportation.

Private School Choice Option

Parents who are interested in transferring their child to a private school in Georgia may be able to take advantage of a Georgia Special Needs Scholarship. These scholarships provide funding that can be used to offset tuition costs at participating private schools in the state of Georgia. For more information involving this option, please visit the Georgia Department of Education's website.

Inter-District Transfers (Outside of School System) Option

Parents may request a transfer to a school in another school district if there is available space and the system/school has the program with the services in the student’s existing IEP/504 Plan. If the parent chooses this option and the school district accepts the child, then the parent shall be responsible for transportation. If you are interested in your child attending a school in another system, please contact that system directly.

A parent may also request a transfer to one of the state schools for the deaf and/or blind operated by the State Board of Education. Acceptance into a state school will depend on whether the setting is appropriate for the student’s needs. If the parent chooses this option, then the parent shall be responsible for transportation For more information involving this option, please visit the Georgia Department of Education's website.

If you are interested in the any of the options listed above, please visit the Georgia DOE website at https://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/Policy/Pages/Special-Needs-Scholarship-Program.aspx regarding eligibility criteria, scholarship calculator, and additional information.

Gwinnett County Public Schools long and successful history of providing exceptional services to our students and their families is a legacy we are proud to share with you. We look forward to the opportunity to continue serving your child to the best of our ability both now and in the future.

Sincerely,

Dr. Nicole White, Department of Special Education and Psychological Services