Frequently Asked Questions About the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship (SB10)

If you are researching the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship also known as SB10, you may be carrying a long list of questions: Does your child qualify? What does the funding cover? When should you apply?What happens if you are still deciding whether a different school is the right next step?

You deserve clear answers before making a decision for your child. At MDE School in Marietta, families often come to us at different points in the process—some are just hearing about SB10, while others are ready to compare school options and timelines. This page is designed to be a calm, practical reference you can return to as you explore your choices.

SB10 rules, deadlines, and award amounts can change. Your child’s current records and the program’s current requirements will guide the final determination, but these frequently asked questions can help you understand the path ahead.

What is the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship (SB10)?

SB10 is Georgia’s Special Needs Scholarship Program. It gives eligible students an opportunity to use state scholarship funding toward tuition at a participating private school of their family’s choice.

For many families, the program creates another educational option when their child may benefit from a smaller, more individualized setting. It is not a diagnosis-based award or a promise that one school will fit every learner. Instead, it is a funding pathway that may help you consider schools designed around your child’s learning profile, communication needs, social-emotional growth, and goals for independence.

At MDE School, the scholarship conversation is always part of a larger one: What environment will help your child feel known, supported, and ready to grow?

Who may be eligible for SB10?

Eligibility is generally connected to your child’s participation in Georgia public school special education services and the presence of an Individualized Education Program, commonly called an IEP. An IEP is a written plan that describes the supports and educational services your child receives through public school.

Because eligibility details include enrollment history, current documentation, and program-specific exceptions, it is important to review the current SB10 criteria carefully before relying on an assumption. The Georgia Department of Education administers the program and makes the final eligibility determination.
As you begin, gather the documents that help tell your child’s educational story:

• Your child’s current IEP and any recent amendments
• Recent progress reports or report cards
• Educational evaluations or relevant therapy reports, if you choose to share them with a prospective school
• Public school enrollment information
• Any communications you have received about the SB10 application process

These records can also make a school conversation more productive. They help educators understand what has supported your child so far and where you are hoping to see a better fit.

Does my child need an IEP, or is a 504 plan enough?

SB10 eligibility is generally tied to an IEP, rather than a Section 504 plan. Both documents can be meaningful supports for a child, but they serve different purposes. A 504 plan outlines accommodations that help a student access learning. An IEP is developed for a student receiving special education services and includes more individualized educational planning.

If your child has a 504 plan and you are wondering about eligibility, start by reviewing your child’s current school records and asking the program administrator for current guidance. You may also want to speak with your child’s school team about the support plan already in place. That conversation can give you a clearer picture of your options without rushing you toward any single decision.

Do I have to withdraw my child from public school before I apply?

Do not make a quick enrollment change simply because you are exploring SB10. Families often feel pressure to act before they have all the details, especially when a school year is approaching. A more steady approach is to confirm the current application steps, understand the timing, and speak with any prospective private school about its admissions process before making a final enrollment decision.

SB10 and school admission are related, but they are not the same process. Your child may need to meet the scholarship requirements and be accepted by the school you select. Keeping those two tracks separate in your planning can prevent unpleasant surprises.

How much scholarship funding will my child receive?

The scholarship amount is not one flat number for every child. It is based on factors set by the program, including the public-school funding associated with your child’s educational placement and services. The amount may be different from one student to another and may change from year to year.

That is why it is wise to ask for your child’s specific award information rather than planning around an estimate you heard from another family. Once you know the award amount, you can compare it with tuition and discuss the remaining family responsibility, if any, directly with the school.

A practical way to compare costs

When you are reviewing options, look beyond a single tuition figure. Ask each school what is included, what is separate, and when payments are due. At MDE School, transparent conversations matter because you need a full picture to make a thoughtful family decision.

• Is tuition billed annually, by semester, or monthly?
• How is the SB10 award applied to the account?
• Are there enrollment, technology, activity, or supply fees?
• Which services are part of the school day, and which may have separate costs?
• What is the school’s policy if the scholarship amount changes?

What does SB10 funding pay for?

For an eligible student enrolled at a participating private school, SB10 funding is applied toward tuition. The exact way funds are handled and which school charges are covered depend on current program rules and the school’s policies.

Before enrolling, ask for written clarity about how the award will be credited and what costs remain your responsibility. Clear financial information is not a minor detail; it gives you room to focus on what matters most—whether the school can support your child’s next stage of learning and growth.

When should I apply for SB10?

Begin earlier than you think you need to. Scholarship windows and school admissions timelines may not line up perfectly, and gathering records takes time. Starting early gives you space to ask questions, tour schools, and make decisions without treating a meaningful choice like an emergency.

A helpful planning sequence is:

• Review your child’s records. Confirm that you have the current IEP and public-school enrollment information.
• Check the current SB10 application timeline. Note opening dates, document requirements, and any renewal steps.
• Talk with prospective schools. Ask whether they participate in SB10 and what their admissions timeline looks like.
• Apply to the school. Scholarship eligibility does not automatically create an available school placement.
• Make enrollment decisions with the full picture. Consider educational fit, finances, transportation, daily schedule, and your child’s transition needs.

If you are already partway through the process, you have not missed your opportunity to ask for help. A clear next step is still a next step.

Can I use SB10 at any private school in Marietta or metro Atlanta?

No. You may use SB10 only at a private school that participates in the program. Participation alone also does not mean a school serves every learning profile or has space at every grade level.

As you compare schools, move beyond the question, “Do you accept SB10?” Ask the questions that reveal what your child’s day could actually feel like:

• Who will know my child well enough to adjust instruction when needed?
• How do teachers communicate with families about progress and concerns?
• What support is available for communication, reading, executive functioning, and social-emotional development?
• How do you help a new student become part of the classroom community?
• What does a typical day look like at my child’s age and grade level?

A scholarship can open a door. The right school is the place where your child feels safe enough to walk through it with confidence.

How does MDE School use an individualized approach?

At MDE School, individualized education is not a binder that sits on a shelf. It shapes daily decisions: how a teacher introduces a skill, when a student benefits from a visual support, what kind of reading instruction is appropriate, and how adults help a child practice communicating needs and building relationships.

Our educators and therapists work in close proximity on one campus, so families do not have to carry every detail from one disconnected provider to another. A student may move from a classroom lesson into speech, occupational, or behavioral therapy support as part of a coordinated day, depending on the services in their plan. That shared understanding helps adults respond to the whole child—not only one subject or one moment.

Our team includes professionals with specialized training in education, speech-language pathology, and reading intervention. MDE School is accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission Inc. and uses evidence-based instructional methodologies, including Max Scholar reading intervention. Those credentials matter because expertise should show up in the practical details of your child’s day: instruction that meets them where they are, goals that are meaningful, and adults who notice progress worth celebrating.

“Families need more than a list of requirements. They need a place to ask honest questions about what will help their child feel understood and move forward.” — Mindy Elkan, MA, CCC-SLP, Director of MDE School

Will my child receive the same services listed in a public-school IEP?

A private school does not simply take over and duplicate a public-school IEP. That distinction can feel confusing at first, particularly when you have worked hard with your public-school team to document your child’s needs and goals.

Your child’s IEP remains valuable information for a prospective private school, but private schools develop their own plans, schedules, and service models. During admissions conversations, ask how the school reviews records, sets goals, tracks progress, and coordinates therapies. Ask specifically which services are included in tuition and which supports may be arranged separately.

The goal is not to find a carbon copy of what came before. It is to understand whether the school’s approach is thoughtfully designed for your child now.

What happens after my child is approved for SB10?

Approval is an important step, but it is not the whole transition. You will still work through enrollment tasks with your selected school, confirm financial details, and help your child prepare for a new routine.

At MDE, a transition conversation may include what helps your child arrive calmly, how they communicate best, favorite interests that can build connection, and situations that call for extra preparation. Families often tell us the little details matter: seeing the classroom before the first day, knowing where to park, meeting a teacher, or having a simple visual plan for the morning.

That preparation is not about making your child fit a system. It is about helping the system welcome your child well.

Can I apply if my child is already at a private school?

Enrollment history is an important part of SB10 eligibility, and a student already attending a private school may not meet the same requirements as a student currently enrolled in public school. Some circumstances have specific rules or exceptions. Review the current program requirements before making a plan based on a prior year’s information.

If your child is currently at a private school, you can still contact the school and the program administrator to clarify what applies to your family. Asking early is always better than discovering a requirement after an enrollment deadline has passed.

What if I am not sure MDE School is the right fit yet?

You do not have to decide from a website or a funding question alone. A school visit gives you a chance to observe the environment, ask about the rhythm of the day, and picture your child in the community.

Bring the questions that are hardest to ask. You may be wondering about friendships, transitions, communication, academic expectations, transportation, or whether adults will truly see your child’s strengths.

Those are the right questions. A school search is personal, and you deserve direct, respectful answers.

Take the next clear step

The SB10 process may have several moving parts, but you do not need to solve every one today. Start with the next clear action: locate your child’s IEP, confirm the current program timeline, or schedule a conversation with a school you are considering.

Since founding MDE School in 2009, Mindy Elkan, MA, CCC-SLP, has walked alongside families seeking more individualized support for their children. MDE began with three students and has grown into a community serving more than 100 learners, while holding close to the belief that every child deserves to be understood, celebrated, and prepared for what comes next.

If SB10 may be part of your family’s path, our Marietta team is ready to help you think through the questions behind the paperwork. Where Potential Finds Its Path.