Houston County School District - House Bill 224 for Military Families (image)

HB224 School Transfer Option Based on Space Availability

The 2017 Georgia General Assembly approved House Bill 224 (HB224) giving active military service members who live on a military base the option to request any school within the school district for their school-aged child, based on space availability.  School districts determine available classroom space based on projections.

Information for the 2024-2025 School Year

In accordance with the law, the Houston County School District created a process for parents to exercise this school transfer option and a process to determine space availability.  Additional information about HB224 will be posted online by July 1, 2024. Openings are grade-specific within schools.  

Applications will be accepted from July 1, 2024, through July 31, 2024.  Applications must be postmarked between these dates to be accepted.

If an active military service member moves to Houston County and lives on Robins Air Force Base, he/she must submit the application within 10 school days of registering his/her child(ren) at Central Registration.   

Applications will be approved based on the order in which they were received.  Families that request a transfer will be notified of approval or denial before school begins.  If the application is submitted on or after the first day of school, families will be notified as soon as possible.   

The schools with classroom space availability will be finalized based on school and grade level projections.  

Approved transfers will be effective with the approval letter.  Parents who transfer their children under HB224 are required by law to assume all costs and responsibilities related to the transportation of the student to and from school as long as the child remains at that school. 

Once approved at a school, the student may attend for the rest of the grade band (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12).

For more information, contact School Operations at 478-988-6395.

2024-2025 Information and Documents

  1. Parents of Houston County School District students will be notified of HB224 by July 1st of each year.
  2. Active military service members who live on Robins Air Force Base may get an “Application to Request HB224 Public School Transfer” from their zoned school or may download a copy from www.hcbe.net beginning on July 1st.
  3. Applications for transfer must be mailed to the Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Cheryl Thomas. The address is Houston County School District, 1100 Main Street, Perry, GA, 31069.
  4. Applications for transfer will be available online July 1, 2024. Applications will be accepted July 1, 2024 until July 30, 2024. After the July 30th deadline, applications will be accepted as a military service member moves on the military base.
  5. After the July 30th deadline, applications must be received within ten school days of a military service member, who lives on Robins Air Force Base, enrolling his/her child(ren) at Central Registration.
  6. In the event the number of transfer requests exceeds the available capacity in the particular school, requests will be approved based on the order in which they were received.
  7. Once a request is approved, the parent assumes all costs and responsibilities related to the transportation of their child to and from school so long as the child remains at that assigned school.
  8. Once approved at a school, the student may attend for the rest of the grade band (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12).

Click here to view nd print a PDF version of the Implementation Procedures.