The GAEPS describe what Georgia’s alternative education programs (AEP) and schools need to know, understand, and be able to do beyond the Georgia School Performance Standard (GSPS).

Board of Education Rule provides details on definitions, requirements for the LEA, reporting requirements, and school improvement plans related to Alternative/non-traditional education programs.

(1) Definitions.

• (a) Alternative Education Program (AEP)- an educational program that serves students who are eligible to remain in the regular classroom but are more likely to succeed in a nontraditional setting such as that provided in an alternative education program, as well as students who are excluded from the regular classroom because of disciplinary reasons. [...]

(2) Requirements.

• (a) Each local school system shall develop a Student Services Plan that prescribes and identifies programs and services that incorporate school climate improvement and management processes.
• (b) Each Student Services Plan must minimally include guidelines for the systematic provision of the following components:
• 1. Alternative education programs [...]
• (g) The LBOE shall provide an Alternative Education Program in accordance with state and federal laws, State Board of Education rules, and department guidelines.

(2) REQUIREMENTS

• (a) Each LEA shall provide an Alternative/Non-traditional Education Program/School to serve students in grades 6-12 with appropriate due process, who have been suspended from his or her regular classroom.
• (j) Each LEA shall ensure that all Alternative/Non-traditional Education Programs/Schools provide teachers that meet the requirements of the Georgia Professional Standard Commission in all classes. Paraprofessionals may be used to staff In-school Suspension programs as provided by law or regulation.

(a) It is the policy of this state that the alternative education program shall provide a learning environment that includes the objectives of the content Standard and that the instruction in an alternative education program shall enable students to return to a general or career education program as quickly as possible. Course credit shall be earned in an alternative education program in the same manner as in other education programs. It is the policy of this state that it is preferable to reassign disruptive students to an alternative education program rather than suspending or expelling such students from school.

(b) Alternative education programs are intended to meet the education needs of a student who is suspended from his or her regular classroom and also of a student who is eligible to remain in his or her regular classroom but is more likely to succeed in a nontraditional setting such as that provided in an alternative education program.

(c) As part of the process of assigning a student to an alternative education program for academic or nondisciplinary reasons, the school shall assess, through policies and procedures promulgated by the local board of education, the needs of the student and consider options for addressing those needs.

(d) Each local school system shall provide an alternative education program that:

• (1) Is provided in a setting other than a student's regular classroom;
• (2) Is located on or off of a regular school campus and may include in-school suspension that provides continued progress on regular classroom assignments;
• (3) Provides for disruptive students who are assigned to the alternative education program to be separated from nondisruptive students who are assigned to the program;
• (4) Focuses on English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and self-discipline;
• (5) Provides for students' educational and behavioral needs; and
• (6) Provides supervision and counseling.

(f) It is the policy of this state that it is preferable to reassign disruptive students to alternative educational settings rather than to suspend or expel such students from school.

(b) No later than August 1, 2011:

• (2) Each local board policy shall require that, upon a finding by the disciplinary hearing officer, panel, or tribunal of school officials provided for in this subpart that a student in grades six through 12 has committed the offense of bullying for the third time in a school year, such student shall be assigned to an alternative school.

(d) Local board policies relating to student codes of conduct shall provide that each local school superintendent shall fully support the authority of principals and teachers in the school system to remove a student from the classroom pursuant to Code Section 20-2-738, including establishing and disseminating procedures. It is the policy of this state that it is preferable to reassign disruptive students to alternative educational settings rather than to suspend or expel such students from school.

(c) It is the policy of this state that it is preferable to reassign disruptive students to alternative educational settings rather than to suspend or expel such students from school.