School Choice HB 251

Dawson County Schools
A Charter System of Georgia
School Choice Framework

Out-of-Zone Request Window for FY23 opens on 4/29/2022 and closes on 5/31/2022

As a parent or guardian, you can request to have your child transferred to another public school within your school district of residence as long as the school district has determined that there is available classroom space at the school after all assigned students have been enrolled.

Features of School Choice - House Bill 251

• A parent/guardian can elect to send a child to another public school in the same school system as long as there is classroom space available at the school after its assigned students have been enrolled;
• If a parent elects to exercise this choice option, the parent assumes all costs associated with transporting the child to and from the selected school;
• A student who transfers to another school pursuant to this law may continue to attend such school until the student completes all grades of the school;
• If a parent requests a transfer to a school that does not have the services required by the current Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or Individualized Accommodation Plan (IAP), nothing in the law requires the school to develop those services as long as they are available within the local school district;

B. Dawson County Charter System General Guidelines

• Out of Zone Transfer Request Forms and Out of Zone Continuation Request Forms must be submitted annually. The district will open a window in the spring each year. Parents will be notified of the window via letter and on the district's website.  The window to submit Out-of-Zone Requests and Continuation forms is April 29, 2022 - May 31, 2022. 
• Out of Zone Transfer Request Forms and Out of Zone Continuation Request Forms will be available online and at schools' front offices.
• Parents will receive notification of available space in schools on or before July 1 of each year. Parents will be notified of approval for requests submitted for the 2022-2023 school year on or before July 1, 2022. 
• If a particular school has available space and the number of transfer requests exceeds the remaining available capacity, the school will conduct a random lottery that provides each interested student with an equal chance of admission.
• With the approval of the Superintendent or his/her designee, the principal may request that out-of-zone attendance be revoked based on one or more of the following reasons: excessive unexcused absences, repeated tardies, late pick-up of student, or other just cause.

C. Defining Capacity at the School Level

• Classroom space may be available at certain grade levels in elementary schools. If transfer requests exceed the available space, then a lottery selection process will be utilized after the following criteria are satisfied: 
  • Students who are attending a school that is at any level of Needs Improvement
  • Students who have a disability whose IEP or IAP requires placement at a particular school
  • Students who are homeless
  • Students who have programmatic needs that are only available at a certain school
  • Students entitled to attend a certain school as a result of being children of employees

Out of Zone Transfer Continuation Request Form

School Choice HB251Questions and Answers:

HB251 FAQs