Application Window for Hardship and Open Seat Tranfers

Columbus, GA- The Muscogee County School District has set the window for the school year 2023-2024 Hardship and Open Seat Transfer requests in accordance with Georgia House Bill 251 (HB 251). Applications will be available online from 12:00 a.m. to May 15, 2023 to May 23, 2023. Application submissions for Open Seat Transfers will close at 11:59 p.m. on May 23, 2023; late submissions will not be considered for selection. Exceptions to the deadline include parents or legal guardians of students who are new to the district. Approvals and/or denials statuses will be emailed to the parent and/or legal guardian by June 30, 2023.

*NOTE: An Online Registration application for the 2023-2024 school year MUST be completed in order to be considered for a Hardship or Open-Seat Transfer.

Parents and/or legal guardians should note the following information if preparing to apply for Open Seat Transfers in accordance with HB 251.

• HB 251 allows parents or guardians of students enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school in Georgia to elect to enroll their student in a public school that is located within the school district in which the student resides, other than the one to which the student has been assigned if such school has permanent classroom space available after its assigned students have been enrolled.
• The parent/guardian shall assume the responsibility and cost of transportation of the student to and from the school.
• If the student receives Special Education services, the school being applied to must already have the Special Education services in place, as required by the student's current Individual Education Plan (IEP), or the transfer request will be denied.
• Students eligible for transfer under the unsafe school choice option will receive first priority for any available seats.
• If the number of requests exceeds the number of spaces available at a school, the requests will be selected via a lottery. There will be no appeals.
• The parent and/or legal guardian will have 14 days from the receipt of approval to confirm enrollment. Failure to confirm enrollment by the deadline will forfeit the transfer approval.
• Any change of school placement not resulting from a bona fide change of residence, such as transfers under HB 251, may impact a student's eligibility to participate in Georgia High School Association (GHSA) sanctioned varsity activities and events for a period of one calendar year. The parent and/or legal guardian are responsible for investigating and determining the impact of such a transfer.
• There will be no sibling priority, with the exception of a student with simultaneous multiple births (e.g. twins, triplets, etc.) who are selected for a seat. Siblings of that exception will be drawn simultaneously during the lottery, with the other sibling(s) of that set receiving placement if a seat is available.

Please note, the following schools are not available for Open Seat Transfers due to seat availability:

• Britt David Elementary
• Columbus High School
• Rainey-McCullers Magnet
• Downtown Elementary
• Northside High School
• Clubview Elementary
• Eagle Ridge Elementary
• Mathews Elementary
• North Columbus Elementary
• Veterans Memorial Middle

Please click on the following link to complete your Hardship or Open-Seat Transfer application:

https://apps.muscogee.k12.ga.us/transfers

The Muscogee County School District maintains attendance zones for school assignments. Parents are encouraged to register students at the school of assignment based on their legal residence. For more information related to transfer requests or assignments, parents and guardians should contact the zoned school of assignment or Central Registration at centralregistration@muscogee.k12.ga.us.



The mission of the Muscogee County School District is to inspire and equip all students to achieve unlimited potential. For more information, please contact the Office of Central Registration at 706.748.2219 or centralregistration@muscogee.k12.ga.us .