Starting a Private School in Georgia
Regulations, Resources, & Support
Georgia State Regulations
General Regulations
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There are no requirements for accreditation, registration, licensing, or approval of private schools in the state of Georgia, other than those who choose to participate in the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship or Georgia Private School Tax Credit. More information is in the next section.
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The Georgia Department of Education has assembled a page of detailed requirements for private schools.
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The US Office of Innovation & Improvement has assembled a summary of regulations for private schools operating in Georgia.
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Georgia requires home schooling be completed a parent or tutor, take standardized tests every 3 years, and submit annual progress reports to the state.
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The Georgia DOE has no published requirements for school insurance -- consult a professional for guidance in this area.
State Funding Sources & Support
Curriculum Requirements
The state requires that private school students receive instruction in reading, language arts, math, social studies, and science.
Teacher Certification & Hiring
Teacher certification is optional for nonpublic schools but schools that enroll students under the GSNS must employ teachers who hold at least a bachelor’s degree or 3 years of teaching experience.
Food Services / Lunch
In Georgia, school lunch requirements, including funding for schools offering the National School Lunch Program, are managed by the Department of Education.
Length of School Year
In order to meet the state’s compulsory school attendance law, students must attend 180 days of instruction every 12 months. A school day must be a minimum of 4.5 hours.
Recordkeeping & Reports
Private school administrators must report their enrollment to the local public school superintendent where the student resides within 30 days of the beginning of each school year. The reports must include the name, age, and residence of each student. Notice must be given monthly of any student’s admission or withdrawal from the school.
Healthy & Safety Requirements
The Department of Motor Vehicles will provide driving records of potential bus drivers to private schools at no cost.
Transportation
County superintendents can choose to provide transportation to private school students if they wish.
Testing
Students participating in the GSNS program may be asked to take part in state testing.
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Georgia State Resources
State & Regional Associations
Government Websites
Helping Educators Do the Work That Matters
Quick Guide Nav
We gathered so much information that we had to break it down into 10 chapters. This free information is well-researched- we even hunted down the rules and regulations for each state! If you're thinking about starting a private school, you will find this guide very handy!
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