Georgia counties scrambling to find last-minute school transfers

ATLANTA - Hundreds of low-performing schools around the state scrambled to make last-minute accommodations for students wanting to attend a better performing one -- a choice made available to them under a new federal law. <br> <br> But Monday -- the first day of school in several counties -- confusion and frustration grew as education officials, teachers, parents and students remained in the dark about the law and its implementation. <br> <br> Cobb County Deputy Superintendent Don Beers said schools were flying by the seat of their pants trying to do what&#39;s right. <br> <br> Other than the basic framework, school officials say they have received little guidance from the state. In turn, the state blames the federal Department of Education for not providing them with details. <br> <br> Schools began in Henry County on August fifth. The county has about 27,000 students, of which 5,000 are eligible for Title One transfers. As of Monday, not a single student had been transferred. <br> <br> Under the ``No Child Left Behind Act&#39;&#39; signed by President Bush in January, students at schools receiving Title One federal dollars must be allowed to transfer if the school underperforms two straight years. <br> <br> All the schools receive federal money targeted to poor areas -- so called Title One funds -- and thus must meet certain standards, based mostly on standardized test scores, or face sanctions. <br> <br> Most parts of Bush&#39;s bill don&#39;t go into effect for a few years, allowing states time to set up standardized testing and transfer programs. Since Georgia already has a school accountability system, the law went into effect immediately. <br> <br> State School Superintendent Linda Schrenko, a Republican who is running for governor, sent a statewide letter about the law last week, just six days before most schools were to start. <br> <br> The letter states that low-performing schools that receive federal money must comply with the law beginning no later than the 2002-2003 school year.

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