Private Schools - Equitable Services

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), reauthorized as Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA), provides benefits to private school students, teachers, and other education personnel, including those in religiously affiliated schools. Section 1120 of the Title I, Part A guidelines requires Glynn County to provide eligible children attending private schools, their teachers, and their families with Title I services or other benefits that are equitable to those provided to eligible public school children, their teachers, and their families. According to law, the Glynn County School System must maintain control of Title I funds and Title I materials, equipment, and property purchased. The school system is responsible for the consultation process, teacher hiring and supervision, student selection process, delivery of instruction, end-of-year program evaluation, providing equitable services, spending and obligating Title I funds, and ensuring that the Title I program complies with Title I requirements.  

The process of consultation spans two years and begins annually in October, at which time notifications are sent to all private schools that serve Glynn County students inviting them to participate in the Title I program.  If the private school chooses to participate in the Title I program for the following year, the Director of Federal Programs provides ongoing consultation throughout the year. The Director of Federal Programs and private school officials assess the progress of the Title I program toward enabling private school Title I participants to meet the agreed-upon goals and standards. An assessment report is written and provided to the Georgia Department of Education at the end of the school year. Title I currently serves St. Francis Xavier Catholic School and Heritage Christian Academy. 

Private School Enrollment Reporting

Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690) provides that “within 30 days after the beginning of each school year, it shall be the duty of the administrator of each private school to provide to the school superintendent of each local public school district which has residents enrolled in the private school a list of the name, age, and residence of each resident so enrolled. At the end of each school month, it shall be the duty of the administrator of each private school to notify the school superintendent of each local public school district of the name, age, and residence of each student residing in the public school district who enrolls or terminates enrollment at the private school during the immediately preceding school month."

Statewide Initial Consultation Meetings for Equitable Services FAQs

For questions regarding equitable services for private schools, please visit the Georgia Department of Education's Private School State Ombudsman webpage or access the FAQs.