How I Secured Georgia Special Needs (SB-10) Funds for my Child Who Did NOT Attend Public School K-12

Sending my child with learning differences to a private school tailored for his needs is expensive, but how could my husband and I do less for him, when his whole future (and ours) depends on extensive and early intervention? The criteria for qualifying for the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship (SB-10) are clear, and since my child had never attended public school in Georgia during kindergarten through twelfth grades, I thought that our family could not qualify for SB-10 funding to help cover his private school tuition. However, a few years ago another mom at ClearWater Academy told me that their family was able to secure SB-10 funds because of a “Medical Waiver.” I assumed (incorrectly) that this waiver could not help us because my child’s diagnoses and challenges are more psychological than medical in nature. However, this mom encouraged me to apply, and I am happy to report that the process was easy, and SB-10 funds are now helping us tremendously to afford our child’s education.  Here are the steps:

1. Secure a medical evaluation from a licensed physician of medicine or licensed clinical psychologist (The evaluation must be less than a year old.)
   We used Dr. Megan Diquattro at Pediatric Neuro-Behavioral Center.
2. Fill out this form, and turn it in as specified in the document.
3. After the next State Board of Education meeting, you will receive an email letting you know if the Board approved your medical waiver. If so, you will need to provide the Board of Education with some specific information and then work with ClearWater Academy to get officially registered for receiving these funds.

For answers to your questions, visit Georgia Department of Education.

Wishing you all the best! -ClearWater Academy Parent