Parents of students who receive special education services in the Newton County School System may be able to choose between a public school or private school for school choice.

According to a press release from the Newton County School System, a new state law passed in 2007 allow parents to choose to transfer their special needs child to another public or private school in Georgia if they receive the special needs scholarship.

However students must meet certain criteria in order to qualify for the scholarship for private school. The parent/guardian must have been a resident of Georgia for at least a year and currently live in Georgia; the student must meet the eligibility criteria for one or more disability areas; and the student must have spent the prior year attending a Georgia public school and have an Individual Education Program written by the school in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations.

For parents who want to transfer their child to a public school not zoned to their student, they must request that transfer and, as long as there is room at the school and the school has a program available that meets the students needs, that student can transfer. However, transportation must be provided for that student.

Parents can also request transfer to one the of state's schools for the deaf or blind that is operated by the State Board of Education, but once again, transportation must be provided for the student.

If all the criteria is met then the student may qualify for a scholarship for private school. The scholarships are designed to provide funding that will offset the tuition costs of private school.