May 18, 2022 – Governor Brian P. Kemp and the Georgia Department of Education have opened reimbursement applications for families of children with special needs to now include private school and home school programs through July 31, 2022.
“In my State of the State Address in 2021, I announced that Georgia would set aside $10 million in Governor's Emergency Education Relief funds to offset costs that parents of students with special needs faced due to COVID-19. By now including private and home school programs, we have the ability to serve even more families," said Governor Kemp. “I am proud of the partnership between my office, State School Superintendent Richard Woods, the Georgia Department of Education, and state leaders for working to improve the lives of Georgia's most vulnerable students. These reimbursements will help families overcome financial challenges faced during school years that were disrupted by the pandemic."
The Governor's Office, the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, and the Georgia Department of Education have worked in recent months to determine the best way to help those most severely impacted in a population that attended private schools or were homeschooled during the pandemic. Expenses that have been identified as eligible for reimbursement are those that are necessary to meet the challenges these students face regarding educational achievement, personal development, and emotional wellbeing. The link to the application is available here through July 31, 2022.