1. Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program Preparing for 2011-2012 School year

2. Acronyms Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program- GSNS Georgia Department of Education- GaDOE Georgia Testing Identifier Number- GTID I.D.E.A.- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act IEP- Individualized Education Program Parent- refers to parent(s) or guardian(s) 7/29/20112

3. Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program Looking Ahead to 2011 - 2012 School Year

4. Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Web Page

5. GSNS Web Page The web page for the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program is http://www.gadoe.org/sb10.aspx. http://www.gadoe.org/sb10.aspx Staff is very limited, so private schools need to read what is provided to parents and schools on the web page. If you have yet not done so add this web page to your favorites list. 7/29/20115

6. GSNS Web Page Parents are always instructed to go to the website http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/sb10.aspx. Parents must first read the Understanding the Program document found under the For Parents box. This document explains their choice options under the GSNS Program and how they exercise those options. 7/29/20116

7. GSNS Web Page Refer to the web page often since new information is placed on it regularly for parents and private schools. It is the responsibility of private schools participating in the GSNS Program to keep up to date on programmatic requirements. 7/29/20117

8. 2011 – 2012 GSNS Private School List The final GSNS Private School List for the 2011 – 2012 school year is available on the web page. The private school list contains location information and phone numbers for parents to contact schools regarding possible enrollment. 7/29/20118

9. 2011 – 2012 GSNS Private School List If the contact or mailing information for your school changes at any point during the school year, make sure you forward me the changes via email. The GSNS Program relies heavily on communication through email, so if you don’t keep me updated on your school’s contact information your school will miss important program information. 7/29/20119

10. Scholarship Calculator & Award Sheets

11. GSNS Scholarship Calculator There are two kinds of GSNS students: A.Students entering the GSNS Program for the first time for the 2011 – 2012 school year. B.Students returning to the GSNS Program who completed the 2010 - 2011 school year in a participating private school. 7/29/201111

12. GSNS Scholarship Calculator The scholarship calculator is posted on the GSNS web page. The calculator contains a database of only the students eligible (new and returning) to participate in the GSNS Program for the 2011 – 2012 school year. The information contained in the database comes from data public schools already report to the GaDOE. 7/29/201112

13. GSNS Scholarship Calculator An award sheet is generated by the calculator. A parent will only have an award sheet if a child is eligible. This is why there is no application process for parents to have their children participate in the GSNS Program. 7/29/201113

14. Scholarship Award Sheets A scholarship award sheet is the only proof a parent will have of a student’s eligibility for the GSNS Program. The award sheet notifies a private school that a student is eligible for the GSNS Program. 7/29/201114

15. Sample of a Scholarship Award Sheet 7/29/201115

16. Scholarship Award Sheets It is the parent’s responsibility to always keep a copy of a student’s award sheet. It is also a private school’s responsibility to keep a copy of a student’s award sheet in its records. 7/29/201116

17. GSNS Eligibility Notification

18. Students Returning to GSNS Program The only returning students eligible for the GSNS Program for the 2011 – 2012 school year are those GSNS students that completed the 2010 – 2011 school year in a participating private school. If a student has participated in the GSNS Program during the 2010 - 2011 school year, but is new to your school, then the parent must provide a copy of the scholarship award sheet to your school. 7/29/201118

19. Reporting GSNS Students Private schools report electronically to the GaDOE the students enrolled at their schools who are eligible to receive funding through the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program. This lets the GaDOE know which students are participating in the private school choice option and where they are enrolled. 7/29/201119

20. GSNS Eligibility Notification Without notification of a student’s eligibility by a parent, a private school will not know to report a student as enrolled under the GSNS Program to the GaDOE. 7/29/201120

21. GSNS Eligibility Notification Failure by a private school to report a student will affect the scholarship payments for the student and could affect his/her eligibility for the GSNS Program. 7/29/201121

22. GSNS Eligibility Notification While GSNS eligibility notification is the responsibility of a parent, a private school should consider having a policy that asks a parent directly if a student is eligible for the GSNS Program. Schools may also want to keep documentation that a parent was asked about a student’s GSNS eligibility. 7/29/201122

23. Admissions Procedures

24. Admissions Procedures for GSNS Students A private school participating in the GSNS Program is not obligated to accept students eligible for the GSNS Program. Parents and students must comply with all the admissions policies in place at a private school. A private school participating in the GSNS Program is not required to alter any of its business practices. 7/29/201124

25. Admissions Procedures for GSNS Students A parent must read and understand any contracts/agreements entered into with a private school. A private school must provide a parent with written copies of any contracts/agreements entered into with the school (e.g. tuition reimbursement, fee schedules). 7/29/201125

26. Admissions Procedures for GSNS Students In order to be eligible to receive the scholarship for the 2011 – 2012 school year, a student must be in attendance at an authorized private school by September 16, 2011. No exceptions. Upon acceptance of a scholarship, a parent assumes full financial responsibility for the education of the scholarship student, including transportation to and from the participating private school. 7/29/201126

27. Admissions Procedures for GSNS Students Once accepted into a private school a parent/guardian must withdraw a student from the public school prior to the beginning of the new school year following the procedures of the public school. A student cannot be dually enrolled at a public and private school and receive a scholarship. 7/29/201127

28. I.D.E.A.

29. IDEA Acceptance of scholarship shall have the same effect as a parental refusal to consent to services pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C.A. Section 1400, et seq. O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2114(3)(f) When parents/guardians accept funds received through the GSNS Program for their children they are refusing parental consent to services under IDEA. 7/29/201129

30. IDEA What this basically means is: A participating private school is not required to follow a student’s IEP. While a student is attending a private school using a scholarship under the GSNS Program, a school district is no longer obligated to provide special needs services to a student. 7/29/201130

31. IDEA While a participating private school is not required to follow a student’s IEP, the GaDOE encourages parents/guardians to ask a private school directly regarding the specific special education or other services it provides for students. The GaDOE also recommends that parents/guardians talk to the private school about a child’s learning disability(ies) and to ask the private school how it could accommodate those needs. 7/29/201131

32. IDEA The GaDOE encourages private schools to put services in writing as a plan for a student’s education. A written plan can avoid confusion between a parent and a private school. 7/29/201132

33. Tuition and Fees

34. Scholarship funds received through the GSNS Program are only intended to offset, not completely pay for the tuition and fees at a private school. 7/29/201134

35. Tuition and Fees Under the GSNS Program, if tuition and fees charged by a private school are higher than the scholarship award, a parent/guardian is responsible for paying the additional tuition. There are also costs not covered by the GSNS Program such as after school care and meals. 7/29/201135

36. Tuition and Fees Example: Tuition & Fees= $12,000 Less Student Scholarship = $5,000 Parent Financial Responsibility= $7,000 7/29/201136

37. Tuition and Fees Under the GSNS Program, if tuition and fees charged by a private school are less than the scholarship award, the GaDOE will pay the lesser amount. 7/29/201137

38. Tuition and Fees Example: Tuition & Fees= $7,000 Student Scholarship = $8,000 GaDOE Financial Responsibility= $7,000 7/29/201138

39. Tuition and Fees As with all state funded programs, scholarships actually paid through the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program are dependent on appropriations made by the Georgia General Assembly. 7/29/201139

40. Tuition and Fees A private school participating in the GSNS Program is not required to alter any of its tuition or fees policies. Any fees charged by a private school not covered by the GSNS Program e.g., are the financial responsibility of a parent and can be charged by the private school. 7/29/201140

41. Tuition and Fees A private school cannot charge higher tuition or unique fees to only GSNS students in order to obtain the full amount a student qualifies for under the GSNS Program. Any school found doing the above will be in violation of the GSNS Program and could lose its eligibility to participate. 7/29/201141

42. Tuition and Fees The previous slide does not mean a private school cannot have varying tuition plans for its students. Private schools participating in the GSNS Program can use a differentiated tuition and fee schedule (e.g. by grade level). 7/29/201142

43. Tuition and Fees The differentiated tuition and fee schedule established by a private school must be clearly defined in writing for parents and equitably applied to all students attending the school. 7/29/201143

44. Tuition and Fees For example, a participating private school could have a tuition plan for its special needs students that is $2,000 above the tuition plan for its non special needs students. This would be permissible because all families with special needs students attending the private school are charged under the same tuition plan, not just the GSNS students at the school. 7/29/201144

45. Tuition and Fees This example would not be permissible if only families of GSNS students were charged under the costlier tuition plan, but not other families of special needs students attending the private school. 7/29/201145

46. Uniforms The GSNS Program will pay for uniforms only if a student’s scholarship is sufficient to cover these costs. Parents must submit receipts to a school for uniform costs by September 12, 2011, so schools will have sufficient time to include this fee in its student data submission. 12/5/201546

47. Uniforms The only clothing items covered are:  Uniforms Pants (not jeans)  Uniform Shirts (e.g. polos, shirts with a school’s logo)  Uniform Skirts  Sweaters with a school’s logo  Blazers with a school’s logo 12/5/201547

48. Tuition and Fees GSNS funds cannot be used to pay for the following: Before or after school care Meals Tutoring Transportation Fees associated with field trips Athletic fees School supplies Summer school programs Other fees as determined by the GaDOE 7/29/201148

49. Tuition and Fees Fees not covered by GSNS funds cannot be submitted to the GaDOE for payment, but can be charged by private schools. A parent would be financially responsible for payment of these types of fees to the private school. 7/29/201149

50. Tuition and Fees Private schools must also refer to the Private School Responsibilities document available on the GSNS web page for all allowable uses of funds paid through the GSNS Program. 7/29/201150

51. 2011 - 2012 School Year Submitting Georgia Special Needs Scholarship (GSNS) Student Data How it gets done.

52. Submitting GSNS Data to the GaDOE It is a parent’s responsibility to notify a private school that a student is eligible for the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program by providing a copy of the scholarship award sheet to the private school. 527/29/2011

53. Deadline for Student Enrollment The deadline for a student to be enrolled in a private school under the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program for the 2011 – 2012 school year is September 16, 2011. There are no exceptions to this deadline. 537/29/2011

54. GSNS Portal Private schools submit student data to the Georgia Department of Education using a secure portal. URL for portal is posted on GSNS web page. 547/29/2011

55. GSNS Portal The portal is now ready for schools to enter new student information and to edit information of returning students for the 2011 - 2012 school year. 557/29/2011

56. GSNS Portal Student information from the 2010 - 2011 school year has rolled forward, so schools will not need to re-enter returning student information. 567/29/2011

57. GSNS Portal Schools will need to update the following: – Update enrollment date to reflect the start of the 2011 - 2012 school year. (Use the yellow pencil icon) – Update tuition and fee information if needed for the 2011 - 2012 school year. (Use the yellow pencil icon) 577/29/2011

58. GSNS Portal – Delete students who are not returning to a school for the 2011 - 2012 school year. (Use red X icon) – Add students who are eligible for the GSNS Program and are new to your school. – You will need to obtain a student's GTID number from a parent/guardian to add new students. 587/29/2011

59. GSNS Portal Private schools whose participation is new for the 2011 – 2012 school year have been issued a username and temporary password. When a user logs in for the first time, he/she will establish a new password. 597/29/2011

60. GSNS Portal Log-in information comes in an e-mail from Portal Support to the login e-mail address. If your school did not receive this email, check the Spam folder. If its not there, contact me immediately via email, so I can follow up with the IT office. 607/29/2011

61. GSNS Portal Private schools are responsible for knowing their passwords. Use the “I forgot my passphrase” link on the GSNS Portal log-in page if a school needs to reset its password. 617/29/2011

62. GSNS Portal For security and privacy purposes, all schools should restrict who has access to a school’s log-in information. 627/29/2011

63. Tips on Portal Use Navigation- The navigation menu is always on the left. Also, be careful about using the browser back button, sometimes it does not have the desired effect while in the Portal. 7/29/201163

64. Tips on Portal Use Timing Out- There is a 30 minute activity time out. Just ensure you click around on the various menus to remain active. If you are within an application, save work often if possible so you don't loose data. – Users should receive a warning if the portal is going to log you out due to inactivity. 7/29/201164

65. Tips on Portal Use Web Browsers- The portal is only approved for use with Internet Explorer 7.0 or above. IE 9.0 is still not fully tested or approved. – Users may experience difficulty with any other browser. 7/29/201165

66. Tips on Portal Use After editing or adding a student, clicking update or add saves the information. Submitting data is the last step in the submission process. Do not use the submit button until a school is completely done with its student updates and added all its new GSNS students. 7/29/201166

67. Tips on Portal Use Submitting Data- Once a school submits its information, no changes can be made. The editing icons will disappear from the school’s student enrollment page. 7/29/201167

68. GSNS Portal The GaDOE strongly recommends that two people at the private school be responsible for submitting enrolled GSNS students to the GaDOE. This allows for completion of a submission even if a staff person is unavailable. 687/29/2011

69. GSNS Portal When there are staff changes at the school, contact the GSNS office via email, so the new user can be given access to the portal and the access of the former can be discontinued. 697/29/2011

70. Submitting GSNS Data to the GaDOE 707/29/2011

71. 2011 – 2012 Submission Dates Four times during the school year private schools will submit the roster of eligible GSNS students enrolled at their schools. 717/29/2011

72. 2011 – 2012 Submission Dates July 5 – September 16 Portal is opened for schools to enter GSNS students for the 2011 - 2012 school year. This data will set student enrollment information for all schools for the 2011 - 2012 school year. 727/29/2011

73. 2011 – 2012 Submission Dates Portal will close at 11:59 pm on September 16, 2011. Schools will not be able to enroll students in the GSNS Program for the 2011 – 2012 school year from a public school past the September 16, 2011 deadline. 737/29/2011

74. Submitting GSNS Data to the GaDOE The following submission dates are also on the Fiscal Year 2012 Payment Calendar posted on the GSNS web page. The payment calendar outlines data submission deadlines, education periods covered by each payment, and the mail out dates for payments. 747/29/2011

75. 2011 – 2012 Submission Dates Payment Cycle 1 Submission Private schools submit student enrollment data July 5 - September 16, 2011. Payment Cycle 2 Submission Private schools submit student enrollment data November 28 – December 2, 2011. 757/29/2011

76. 2011 – 2012 Submission Dates Payment Cycle 3 Submission Private schools submit student enrollment data February 27 - March 2, 2012. Payment Cycle 4 Submission Private schools submit student enrollment data April 2 - 6, 2012. 767/29/2011

77. Submitting GSNS Data to the GaDOE Once a data submission window has closed all data submitted is locked and cannot be changed. If enrollment data is not submitted by a private school, payments will not be mailed to it during that payment cycle. 777/29/2011

78. Screen Shots for Entering Student Enrollment Data into GSNS Portal

79. GSNS web address Login link

80. Log-in with school’s username and password. Portal web address Username Password Click here if password is forgotten or needs to be reset.

81. Select Scholarship Application.

82. Select Student Enrollment.

83. Select 2012 for School Year. Your school’s name will appear here. 2012

84. Enter student GTID Here. 2012

85. Once GTID is entered student information self populates. 2012

86. School will fill in remaining fields. Enter 0 for a fee not charged by the school. 2012 08/03/2012

87. Click Add once information is entered. 08/03/2012 2012

88. Student will appear on enrollment roster. 08/03/2012

89. Click on the yellow pencil icon to edit student information. The red x deletes student records. Use this to delete students who did not return to your school for the 11-12 school year. Editing and Deleting Student Information.

90. When you click the pencil the student’s record will open for editing.

91. Withdrawing students is done during submissions 2 through 4. To withdraw a student, enter the withdrawal date and the withdrawal reason. Then click update to save. Update

92. The student’s record will have the updated withdrawal information.

93. Georgia Testing Identifier (GTID)

94. What is a GTID? The GaDOE uses a Georgia Testing Identifier (GTID) to track student information. 947/29/2011

95. What is a GTID? To streamline verification of student eligibility for the GSNS Program, private schools must submit a GTID for each GSNS student submitted on their enrollment rosters through the portal. The portal will not allow a private school to add a student without a valid GTID. 957/29/2011

96. How Does a Private School Obtain a New Student’s GTID? GTID information can be found directly on a student’s assessment report such as the Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) report. (see screen shot on next slide). 967/29/2011

97. GTID

98. How Does a Private School Obtain a New Student’s GTID? Private schools enrolling new GSNS students must get the GTID from a student’s parent(s). Only contact the GSNS Office if a parent has made every attempt to find the GTID. 987/29/2011

99. Data Entry- Points to Remember Only the legal guardian of a student can be entered for a student. The parent /guardian entered will be the person to whom the GSNS check is issued. That parent must endorse the check over to the school, so make sure the parent can come to the school fairly easily. 997/29/2011

100. Data Entry- Points to Remember In divorce situations, it is the school’s responsibility to verify to whom payments must be issued. Changing parent names from one payment cycle to another can cause problems with a scholarship check printing. 1007/29/2011

101. Please contact me with any questions you have: Carmen Hernandez-Freemire, cfreemir@doe.k12.ga.us 404-463-5546 cfreemir@doe.k12.ga.us 1017/29/2011