COVINGTON, Ga. — After reviewing guidelines provided by the Georgia Department of Education, the Newton County School System has identified five schools as potentially eligible to receive students whose parents wish to transfer their child under the provisions of House Bill 251. 

Those schools are: Flint Hill Elementary, Livingston Elementary, Porterdale Elementary, Rocky Plains Elementary and Alcovy High.
The statute allows Georgia parents to request to transfer their students to other schools in the district as long as there is classroom space available at the school after its assigned students have been enrolled. A student who transfers to another school pursuant to this law may elect to continue to attend such school until the student completes all grades of the school. Newton County Schools has determined the tentative seats available per grade level at each of the potential transfer schools as listed below:

Flint Hill — five seats available in first grade; eight in second grade; five in third grade.

Livingston — eight in first grade; six in fourth grade.

Porterdale — 10 in first grade; 10 in second grade; 10 in third grade; 10 in  fourth grade; 10 in fifth grade.

Rocky Plains — five in third grade; five in fourth grade.

Alcovy — 25 total seats are available.
Parents electing to exercise the choice option under HB 251 will assume all costs and responsibilities associated with transporting the child to and from the selected school, if the request is granted. 

Each application is considered individually and approvals will not include future or current sibling enrollment. Excessive absences and/or tardies may jeopardize this approval. Parents must complete an NCSS HB 251 Transfer Request Form and submit either by hand delivery to the receptionist at the Newton County Board of Education, located at 2109 Newton Drive NE, Covington OR by email to NCSS_HB251@newton.k12.ga.us. 

The deadline for submission is 5 p.m., Friday, July 31. No HB 251 transfer requests will be accepted for the 2020-2021 school year after deadline. Transfer Request Forms will be accepted only for those tentatively eligible schools/grades listed. If the number of transfer requests received exceeds the remaining available capacity, openings will be filled by a public random lottery. Letters will be mailed to parents/guardians regarding acceptance or denial of HB 251 transfer request no later than Aug. 5. The HB 251 Transfer Request Form is posted and available for download on the Newton County School System website homepage at newtoncountyschools.org. 

For more information, contact the Newton County School System Department of Student Services at 770-787-1330, ext. 1212.