How school and adult education help works in AtlantaA short guide: who to call first and what to expect.
To finish high school as an adult, take GED classes at a technical college or an adult education center. The classes are free. The test has a fee, and many programs can cover it. See GED and adult education.
To read better, adult reading programs teach one to one or in small classes. They are free and private. See reading help.
For college or a trade, fill out the federal student aid form, called the FAFSA, at studentaid.gov. It is free, and it is how you get a Pell Grant, which you do not pay back. In Georgia, the HOPE Grant pays part of the tuition for certificate and diploma programs at technical colleges. The HOPE Career Grant covers the rest in fields that need workers, such as welding, nursing and truck driving. Apply at gafutures.org. See trade school, college help and scholarships.
For your child, a public school must enroll a child who has no fixed address or is missing papers. Ask for the district's homeless liaison. If your child struggles in school, ask in writing for a special education evaluation. It is free, and Parent to Parent of Georgia, 800-229-2038, helps parents through it. Libraries have free homework help. See tutoring.
Before you sign up for a class, ask when the next one starts, whether there is child care, and whether there is help with bus fare.
Rosaleana's is a nonprofit in Georgia that helps people with housing, food, jobs, and learning. It also supports people with developmental disabilities and young adults leaving foster care. Adults can get help with transportation vouchers, job training, reading and GED classes, and a food pantry.
The Atlanta Botanical Garden is a large garden in Atlanta where people can walk through plant collections, art and seasonal shows. It also offers classes, kids programs, camps, school tours and volunteer jobs. Its scientists work to protect rare and endangered plants.
Georgia PTA is the state group for parent-teacher associations. It speaks up for children and youth at the state level and helps local school PTAs with training and support. It also runs the Reflections student arts program and shares guides for families.
J. Perkerson Elementary is an Atlanta Public Schools elementary school. It offers classroom learning, counseling, nurse and health services, after-school tutoring, and free meals for all students. Families can register at their zoned school.
Communities In Schools of Georgia helps students stay in school and graduate. It puts a staff member inside schools to find out what each student needs and connect them and their families to help. It also runs tutoring, small high schools called Performance Learning Centers, and guides for parents and teachers.
City of Refuge is a faith-based campus on Atlanta's Westside that helps people and families move out of crisis. It offers housing for women, children, and men, free job training, youth programs, a school, a campus kitchen, and an on-site health clinic. For housing, call and leave a message, because walk-ins are not taken.
The King Center in Atlanta is a living memorial to Dr., started by Coretta Scott King in 1968. You can visit the grounds and exhibits for free, use its archive, take nonviolence training, and join youth, school and volunteer programs.
The Metropolitan Library is a branch of the Fulton County Library System at 1332 Metropolitan Parkway. You can borrow books and movies, use computers and Wi-Fi, print and copy, and use study rooms. Staff can also point you to community help, voter registration, and classes and events for kids and adults.
Educare Atlanta is an early learning school inside Dunbar Elementary School in the Mechanicsville neighborhood. It is one of the centers run by Sheltering Arms, a nonprofit. It offers early education for young children and support for their families.
Frazer Center is a nonprofit on a 39-acre forest in Atlanta. It runs an inclusive school for children from six weeks to five years old, with and without disabilities. It also has a day program and job support for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and the forest is open to visitors.
William M. Boyd Elementary School is a public elementary school in Atlanta Public Schools. Families can register students, ask about gifted testing, apply for the free Wings for Kids after-school program, and sign up to volunteer. The main office phone is (404) 802-8150.
H. Slater Elementary is a public elementary school in Atlanta Public Schools. Families can register children, get school meals, and use counselors and school nurses. The school's website also points families to YMCA Head Start early learning at Slater.
L. Clinic, a free student-run clinic for patients of all ages. Medical students work with doctors to give medical care, dental care, lab work, lower-cost medicine and referrals to specialists. Visits are by appointment only, on Saturday mornings at two Atlanta sites and on Wednesday evenings by video.
Georgia Pathways is a state website and set of programs for deaf and hard of hearing children and their families. It includes Georgia PINES, which gives free home visits to families of babies and toddlers with hearing or vision loss, and Georgia Mobile Audiology, which gives free hearing tests for children.
The YMCA of Metro Atlanta is a nonprofit with many locations around the metro area. It offers after-school care for grades K-5, day camps, early learning for kids from birth to age 5, swim lessons, youth sports, teen programs, and wellness programs. Help paying is available for families who need it, but it is limited.
The YMCA of Metro Atlanta runs programs for kids, teens, families and adults at many branches across the metro area. These include afterschool care for grades K-5, day and school-break camps, early learning, swim lessons, youth sports, and wellness classes. Financial help is available for families who need it.
M. Agnes Jones Elementary is a public elementary school in Atlanta Public Schools. Students zoned to the school can enroll, get free school meals, and use nurse, counselor and learning-support services. Families can also volunteer and come to school events.
Finch Elementary is a public elementary school in Atlanta Public Schools. It teaches students and runs clubs and teams. It also has a school pantry and a parent center, and it holds family events through the year.
APEX is a museum in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood of Atlanta. It tells the history of African and African American people through exhibits, talks, films, and workshops. It also offers guided group tours, school field trips, traveling exhibits, and space to rent for events.
Agape is a nonprofit center on the west side of Atlanta that helps children, teens, families, and seniors. Kids from K-12 get tutoring, mentoring, dinner, and a ride home after school, plus summer camps. Older teens get college and career help, and seniors can join a daytime program.
