Enacted 2007 • Launched 2007 • Voucher
The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program allows any student with a disability whose
parents are unhappy with their assigned public school to receive a voucher to attend private
school.
Latest Stats (2012-13)
- Students participating: 3,227
- Schools participating: 233
- Average voucher value: $5,917
Program Details
Average voucher value as a percentage of
Georgia’s total per-student spending ($9,432)
Student Funding
Vouchers are worth up to the cost of the educational program a student would have received
in public school, as calculated by existing state funding formulas. That includes most of the
funding that would have been spent on the student in public schools; it excludes only such
things as capital costs and federal subsidy programs. The voucher may not exceed the private
school’s tuition and fees.
Student Eligibility
Students statewide with disabilities are eligible to receive vouchers. Children must have an
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) in place for one year. Also, students must be previously
enrolled in public school.
Legal Developments
No legal challenges have been filed against the program.
Rules & Regulations
- Income Limit: None
- Geographic Limit: Statewide
- Enrollment Cap: None
- Voucher Cap: Conditional
- Testing Mandates: None
Governing Statutes
Georgia Code, 20-2-2110 through 20-2-2118.
Friedman Contact
Robbie Rhinesmith | robbie@edchoice.org
Additional Links
Program page on Georgia's DOE website
