ATLANTA (AP) – More Georgia special education students would be eligible for subsidies to attend private schools and home-schooled students could play on their local public school team under laws that Gov. Brian Kemp signed Thursday.
The Republican governor signed the bills into law at a ceremony aimed at Christian conservatives, also signing several other bills in Atlanta.
Georgia’s existing special needs scholarship program grants money to about 5,000 students who have individualized education plans and have left public schools. Senate Bill 47 expands eligibility to public school students who have accommodation plans under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act. Students with 504 plans may be performing on grade level but need some kind of help.
Supporters say public schools aren’t a good fit for every child and that Georgia should help pay for specialized learning environments for students with disabilities.
“Parents and students, children, will be able to gain access to the services and to the educational track that will best fit their needs and their disabilities,” Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, a top supporter, said at the ceremony.