Main Neighborhood School Transfer Options

Students standing in a group making funny faces in class.

Everything you need to know about student transfers!

Atlanta Public Schools (APS) and the state of Georgia support the concept of neighborhood schools and community involvement. During the 2012-2013 school year, APS began operating according to a cluster model. APS uses the cluster model to build alignment and collaboration across schools that feed into a neighborhood high school. All students will have access to music, arts, foreign language, and core academic programs that are high-quality and well-coordinated from kindergarten through Grade 12.

APS allows families (residents and non-residents) to transfer to an APS school using one of four transfer varieties: General Administrative Transfers, Children of APS Employees, Mid-Year Transfer, and Hardship Transfer.

For more information on each type of transfer, select the transfer type from the options provided.

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JBCCA-R(4) Student Assignments to Schools- Student Transfers

To learn which schools your address is zoned for, please use the school zone locator tool:

School Zone Locator

TRANSFER TYPES

General Administrative Transfers (GAT)

Pursuant to House Bill 251 (Public School Choice) (2009), students in Georgia have the option to enroll their child in any school with space within their local school district.

Guidelines for General Administrative Transfers

Parents may submit an application during the annual General Administrative Transfer window for the upcoming school year for any school with available capacity.
Any school/grade level that receives more applications than spaces available will be subjected to a random lottery.
Parent must provide transportation and students are expected to adhere to APS attendance and behavior requirements at the approved transfer school.
General Administrative transfers are valid through the highest grade level of the school as long as the student remains continuously enrolled and/or the transfer is not revoked. General Administrative transfers do not apply to feeder patterns.

Application Dates: January 12 - January 30, 2026

Georgia Special Needs Scholarship (GSNS)

The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program (GSNS) allows parents of eligible special needs students to transfer their children to another public school, public school system, state school, or autohrized participating private school within Georgia.

Atlanta Public Schools has streamlined the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program with the General Administrative Transfer application process. Parents who wish to apply for GSNS need to indicate within their General Administrative Transfer application.

For more information on the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship, please visit the Georgia Department of Education Website.

Application Dates: January 12 - January 30, 2026

Georgia Department of Education Website

Children of Employees

APS board policy and regulation offers children of full-time APS employees (custodial parents or legal guardians with whom a child lives) the choice of attending an APS school. Temporary (including part-time) and substitute employees are not eligible. Out-of-district tuition is waived for full-time employees residing outside of the city of Atlanta.

Aside from the General Administrative Transfer option, APS offers 2 additional types of transfer options for children of employees:

1. Student-of-Employee Worksite Transfers - permits fill-time employees assigned to a school worksite to apply for their child to attend school at the same worksite, regardless of capacity.

2. Student-of-Employee Cluster Transfers - Children of full-time APS or partner school-based employees, as well as bus operators (FT drivers and monitors), may attend the school in the vertical feeder pattern at which the parent or legal guardian is employed, provided that the school has sufficient capacity.

Please note: Your employment status will not be validated until 24 hours after your initial starte date provided by Atlanta Public Schools Human Resources Department.

Application Dates: January 12 - January 30, 2026

Request to Continue Enrollment

Guidelines for Request to Continue Enrollment:

Parents/guardians shall inform the school and provide updated proof of residency infomration within 10 business days of a move that occurs during the school year.

APS Board Policy allows students who move during the school year to continue at their school for at least the semester, if the parent provides transportation and the student maintains regular and timely attendance.

Application Window: Whenever A Move Has Occured

Regulation JBC-R(3): School Admissions - Students Who Move During the School Year

Hardship Transfer

Guidelines for APS Hardship Transfers:

Hardship transfers are valid for one school year unless revoked. Hardship renewals must be submitted annually during the application window in April.
Hardship transfers will be approved or denied by the Office of Student Assignment after review from the hardship committee. Any approved hardships will be to the receiving school that is closest in proximity to the student's zoned school with available classroom space that offers the needed programs and/or services, ideally within the same cluster.
Parents must provide transportation and students are expected to adhere to APS attendance and behavior requirements at the approved transfer school.

Application Dates: April 6 - April 17, 2026

Foreign Exchange Students

Foreign exchange organizations wishing to place students in Atlanta Public Schools must be approved by the Council on Standards for Education Travel (CSIET). Applications should be submitted by May.

Additionally, organizations must receive approval from the Atlanta Public Schools’ Office of Student Assignment prior to submitting an application for acceptance of a foreign exchange student.

Application Dates: January 26 - May 1, 2026

Student athletic eligibility may be impacted by an approved out-of-zone transfer. Please read the athletic eligibility rules carefully before applying.

Athletic Eligibility Rules