Department of Special Services
and Educational Support
The Department of Special Services (DSS) 
is home to several programs, projects and services designed to meet the unique needs of our diverse student population. Our primary goal involves the use of system, school, grade level, and student specific data to meet the needs of all learners. Benchmark assessments measure the progress of all children to ensure adequate progress, and early intervention services offer additional support as warranted. The Student Support Team (SST) at each school tracks the results of targeted assistance in the event that students continue to demonstrate academic or behavior difficulties. A comprehensive evaluation process is available for students if screening results indicate their inability to demonstrate progress may be due to a disability.
Georgia Special Needs Scholarship and SB10
The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship provides eligible special education students with the opportunity to attend another public or an approved private school. To apply for a Georgia Special Needs Scholarship, click here.
Special Education
Marietta City Schools provides a free, appropriate public education, in the least restrictive environment, to each student with a disability. This includes individualized instruction to meet a student’s educational and social needs in an effort to prepare the student for post-secondary education and/or employment and independent living. A full continuum of special education placement and related service options are available.
For additional information contact:
Jody Drum, Director of Special Education
Preschool Special Education (Marietta KEY)
Special education and related services are provided for children with identified disabilities beginning at the age of three years. The Marietta KEY program is housed at the Allgood School Head Start Center.
For additional information contact:
Marietta KEY at (770) 429-3123, or
Jody Drum, Director of Special Education
School Psychology Services
Marietta City Schools employs four full-time school psychologists who are skilled practitioners in the areas of psycho-educational assessment, special education
procedures, childhood and adolescent development, behavior management, intervention planning, crisis counseling, and consultation. They use their knowledge of psychology, reinforced by familiarity with the latest research regarding school psychological practice, to assess students and intervene in a variety of mental health, developmental, learning, and behavior problems and disabilities. In addition to certification by the Department of Education, one of our school psychologists is licensed by the State Board of Psychology and two are Nationally Certified School
Psychologists.
Student Support Teams (SSTs)
Student Support Teams (SSTs), required in every Georgia public school, are teams of educators who meet to solve the academic and behavioral problems that students sometimes have. For information about the SST in a particular school, contact that school.