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 Policy


The Georgia Department of Education Policy Division performs duties and functions as follows:

  • Coordinating the development of policy, research, and evaluation projects for the Department
  • Receiving and processing State Board of Education rule waiver requests from local school systems
  • Providing assistance and support in the State Board of Education rule promulgation process
  • Providing timely and accurate policy related information to the State Superintendent, and State Board of Education
  • Providing support, information, and assistance related to Georgia’s Residential Treatment Facilities (RTF) and the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program (GSNSP)
  • Collaborating with other agencies and organizations to identify and address educational policy issues and concerns

UPDATE APRIL 2021:

LUA Appeals Policy Required ​in O.C.G.A. 20-2-989.7 

O.C.G.A. 20-2-989.7 requires, among other things, that each local unit of administration shall submit a copy of its appeals polic​y established pursuant to this law to the Georgia Department of Education no later than July 1, 2021, and any time thereafter if material changes are made to such policy.

​These policies may be submitted by email to policy@doe.k12.ga.us. Please include 20-2-989.7 - LUA Appeals Policy in the subject of the email. Any questions may also be directed to this email address ​as well.


Education Guidance

Related Information

Best Practices

Student Attendance Improvement

Data indicates that missing more than five days of school each year, regardless of the cause, begins to impact student academic performance and starts shaping attitudes about school.

Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program (GSNS)

The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program is a parental choice program for special needs students attending Georgia public schools who are served under an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The GSNSP web page contains pertinent and useful information for parents, public school administrators, and private school administrators with regard to the program.

Georgia Residential Treatment Facilities (RTF)

All Georgia students in state custody from other state agencies are entitled to a free public education consistent with the Constitution n of Georgia, and in conformity with the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals With Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA). Additional information and guidance pertaining to RTF may be obtained from the Georgia Department of Education RTF website.

Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) Student Waivers

O.C.G.A. § 20-2-281.1, which became law in 2015, provides that students shall no longer be required to earn a passing score on any graduation tests to earn a high school diploma.  The law also contains additional details and requirements regarding the ability of students no longer enrolled to petition the local board of education for a diploma for students whose sole reason for not receiving a high school diploma was due to not passing any part of the graduation tests.

Georgia Tax Credit Program

The Georgia Private School Tax Credit law allows eligible private citizens and corporations to receive tax credits for donations to Georgia Student Scholarship Organizations (SSO’s). Potential donors and private school administrators may obtain useful and beneficial information related to this program from the Georgia Tax Credit website.


​​Date page was last reviewed: 4/7/2017​

 Contact Information

​Susan Walker​​​
Director, Policy
​Fax: 404-463-2393
Email: policy@doe.k12.ga.us