What should an Atlanta family check first?
Check the Promise zone list first, then any IEP or 504 plan. A family zoned to a listed school can use $6,500 a year, and a child with an IEP or qualifying 504 plan from public school may get a GSNS award instead. Those two answers decide which state layer you can build on.
What if we don't qualify for Promise or GSNS?
Then a tax-credit scholarship is the main outside source. Twenty-eight SSOs are approved statewide, each with its own rules, and the most any one can give a student in 2026 is $15,980. Apply early in the calendar year, because donor money is committed by early January.
Where does school-based aid fit?
School aid comes after every outside award. Most schools calculate their aid on what you still owe after scholarships, and Catholic schools add parish and archdiocesan funds.
What helps with younger children and aftercare?
Georgia's Pre-K is free for four-year-olds, and CAPS helps qualifying working families with child care and aftercare. Neither one depends on the K-12 programs.
How do I see my own stack?
Use the two-minute funding check. A School Funding Advisor matches your child's grade, your county and the type of school you want to each source that applies, with its deadline.
| What it is | What it isn't |
|---|---|
| A combination of state, SSO and school money | One application that covers everything |
| Ordered: state program, SSO, school aid | The same for every family |
What's the next step?
Take the two-minute funding check. A School Funding Advisor will check your address and your child against each program and send you the dates.