By D. Aileen Dodd
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Metro Atlanta/State News
August 1, 2010
A notice to private schools delaying payment of state special needs scholarships was met with criticism recently from lawmakers who said the move was a bureaucratic attempt to "kill" the voucher program.
The Georgia Department of Education's new payment structure could mean that children with Down syndrome, autism, dyslexia and attention deficit disorder will be shut of the schools of their choice. The state DOE has asked that campuses accepting Georgia Special Needs Scholarships now wait until Nov. 29 for their first tuition installment after services are rendered, as the statute requires. Some parents who have to pay up front for their tuition will be asked to foot a larger chunk of the bill and get reimbursed even later. If they can afford it.
"My daughter already needs additional assistance in the classroom," said Clayton County mom Michelle Outlaw, whose child has both dyslexia and ADD. "I can't afford any additional fees. This is going to hurt the schools providing services for our kids."
The last scholarship payment will be sent to private schools on June 27, when most campuses are on summer break and parents aren't around to endorse checks. Public schools, however, receive state allocations monthly.
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© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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