Short answer: In Evans and Columbia County, your home address picks your child's school, so settle on a neighborhood first. Georgia law lets you enroll before you move if you have a copy of your orders. The Interstate Compact makes the new school honor your child's records, classes, shots timeline and IEP. And the Fort Gordon School Liaison Office will walk you through it for free: call 706-791-7270 or 706-791-4168.
The orders came. You're headed to Fort Gordon. Before boxes, BAH or the drive to post, one question keeps you up at night.
Where will my kids go to school?
You're not just moving a house. You're moving a seventh grader who just made the team. You want them to land softly.
We're the Fairey Team, based in Evans. Our Team Lead, Ehrin Fairey, moved 19 times as a military kid, served on active duty in the Air Force, and still serves in the Air Force Reserve. Starting over is something she understands. Here's the plan we'd hand any military family heading to Columbia County.
First, a Quick Note on the Name
It's Fort Gordon. The Army renamed the post Fort Eisenhower in 2023. In June 2025, it restored the Fort Gordon name, honoring Medal of Honor recipient Master Sgt. Gary I. Gordon. Some school and state web pages still say "Fort Eisenhower," so don't let it throw you.
What's at Stake
Here's the trap. Most families pick a house first and learn about school zones later. In 2021, a Fort Gordon school liaison told the Army many families don't connect housing and schools until it's too late.
Get it right, and your child walks into a classroom that's ready for them. Get it wrong, and you could be re-enrolling or missing a start date over one form.
The good news: military kids have real protections. You just have to know them.
Step 1: Let the Address Pick the School
Around Fort Gordon, families end up in one of three school systems: Columbia County and Richmond County in Georgia, or Aiken County in South Carolina. Where you live decides which one.
Inside Columbia County, the district tells you to use its "Find Your Bus Stop" tool to see which school your address is zoned for. For other zoning questions, call the district office at (706) 541-0650.
Our guide on how to find which schools serve a home shows how to check before you fall in love with a house.
A common myth: "Military kids can go to any school." Not quite. Georgia's House Bill 224 lets a military student attend any public school in the school system where the family's base or off-base military housing sits, if the school has space. The parent also pays for transportation. The law defines a "military student" as a child who lives on a military base or in off-base military housing.
If you buy or rent a regular home in Evans, plan on your zoned school. Ask the district before you count on a transfer.
Step 2: Enroll Before You Even Arrive
This one surprises people. Under Georgia law, a student whose parent is on active duty and has official orders to transfer into Georgia can enroll before the family physically moves in. You show a copy of the orders to the school system. A Fort Gordon school liaison told the Army the same in 2021: not having moved in yet doesn't stop you from enrolling.
Columbia County enrolls new students online. Gather these first, saved as a JPEG or PDF:
- Two proofs of residency. Choices include a Georgia driver's license or voter card, a property tax receipt, a power or gas bill (water bills aren't accepted), a mortgage note, or a lease.
- Your child's certified birth certificate (or hospital-issued birth record, or passport).
- Social Security card.
- Georgia Certificate of Immunization (Form 3231).
- Georgia vision, hearing, dental and nutrition screening (the "four-point screening").
- A report card, or the address and phone number of the old school. Helpful, not required.
Don't have a lease or mortgage yet? Call the district and ask what it will accept with your orders. Don't guess.
One more date: kindergartners must be five, and first graders six, on or before September 1. The Compact softens that for military kids, as you'll see next.
Step 3: Know Your Child's Rights Under the Interstate Compact
The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children was built for this moment. Military OneSource says all 50 states, D.C. and the Department of War Education Activity have signed on. Its job is to remove school hurdles caused by frequent moves.
Here's what it means for your family:
- Records. Bring unofficial records from the old school. The new school must enroll and place your child based on those records while the official ones are on the way. The old school has 10 days to send the official records.
- Shots. You get 30 days from enrollment to obtain any new required immunizations.
- Kindergarten and first grade. Your child can stay at their grade level, even if the new school's age rule is different.
- Classes and programs. The new school should honor your child's current placement, such as honors, IB, AP, career pathway courses and gifted programs, if it offers them. It can test later to confirm the fit.
- Activities. Schools should help your child join extracurriculars even if tryouts or deadlines have passed.
- Graduation. Schools should waive required courses when a student has done similar work, can accept exit exams from the old state, and, if a senior moves, the two districts work together toward on-time graduation.
- Deployment. Students can get extra excused absences when a parent is called up for, on leave from, or just back from a combat zone deployment, at the superintendent's discretion.
Who's covered? Children of active-duty members, including Guard and Reserve members on active-duty orders. It also covers kids of severely injured members who were medically discharged or retired, for one year. It doesn't cover children of inactive Guard and Reserve members, retirees, other veterans, or DoD civilians.
The Compact isn't a magic wand. Schools can still evaluate your child to confirm placement. But it gives you firm footing. If something goes sideways, call the School Liaison Office.
Step 4: Handle Shots and Screenings the Georgia Way
Georgia has its own forms, and this is where families lose days. Here's what the district says:
- Form 3231. Required for K-12. A licensed Georgia provider can sign it. Licensed military physicians can sign too, and they must enter the shots into the state's GRITS registry.
- Out-of-state records. The Columbia County Public Health Department will copy them onto a Georgia Form 3231 for a nominal fee.
- 30-day waiver. Students new to Georgia can be granted 30 days to get the proper form to the school.
- Form 3300. The vision, hearing, dental and nutrition screening must be on file within three months of enrollment.
- Older students. New Georgia students in grades 7-12 need Tdap and the meningococcal vaccine (MCV4).
Rules change. Check the district's immunization page before your first appointment.
Step 5: Call Your School Liaison Early
At Fort Gordon, School Support Services runs the School Liaison Office at Building 44401 on 44th Street. Call 706-791-7270 or 706-791-4168. It's open weekdays, so check hours before you drive over.
Liaisons help with school options, registration, credits, special education questions and youth sponsorship. They know the Compact well. The Army's page says services are free to ID cardholders. Reach out as soon as you get orders.
Want another voice? Military OneSource education consultants are free and confidential: 800-342-9647.
Look for Schools That Already Speak "Military"
Georgia gives its Military Flagship School Award to schools that go the extra mile for military-connected students. In the 2025-2026 awards, announced June 15, 2026, four Columbia County schools made the list:
- Baker Place Elementary, with two on-site Military Family Life Counselors
- Evans Middle, with a dedicated military family liaison
- Grovetown Middle, with a Military Student Support Club
- Harlem High, with JROTC, dual enrollment and personalized graduation planning
The 2024-2025 list included Cedar Ridge Elementary, Greenbrier Middle, Grovetown Elementary and Riverside Middle. Schools apply, and the award isn't a ranking, so a school without it may still be great. But it shows who has thought hard about military kids.
To compare towns, start with our guides to Evans versus Grovetown and how Riverwood Plantation fits military families. You can also browse our neighborhoods.
If Your Child Has Special Needs
Moving with an IEP feels heavy. Under the Compact, if the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act covers your child, the new school should provide comparable services based on the most recent IEP. The new district may reevaluate to set a new one.
Your school liaison can connect you with the Exceptional Family Member Program and the district's special education team. Start before you move.
Your Simple 3-Step Plan With Us
- Tell us your report date and your kids' grades. We'll map the neighborhoods that fit your BAH and your commute. See our Highland Lakes BAH breakdown and the commute guide.
- Check the zone before you write an offer. We'll help you confirm which school each home on your list is zoned for with the district.
- Enroll early and stay ahead of the paperwork. Our PCS timeline and checklist shows where school forms fit in your move.
Skip this, and you could be hunting for forms from a hotel room. Do it right, and your kids hop on the bus knowing where they're going.
Frequently Asked Questions
What school will my child attend if we live in Evans?
It depends on your address. Columbia County assigns students to a zoned school, and the district offers a "Find Your Bus Stop" tool to look up your zone. For other zoning questions, call (706) 541-0650. Check before you sign a contract or lease.
Can I enroll my child before we move to Georgia?
Yes, if you're on active duty with official orders to transfer into Georgia. State law lets your child enroll before you physically move when you give the school system a copy of your orders. Ask the district what proof of residency it will accept.
What do I need to enroll my child in Columbia County schools?
Two proofs of residency, a certified birth certificate (or passport), a Social Security card, a Georgia Certificate of Immunization (Form 3231), and the four-point vision, hearing, dental and nutrition screening. A report card or old school contact information helps. Kindergartners must be five and first graders six by September 1, though the Compact lets military kids stay at their grade level.
What is the Interstate Compact for military kids, and who does it cover?
It's an agreement among all 50 states and D.C. that helps military children change schools, covering enrollment, records, class placement, activities and graduation. It applies to children of active-duty members, including Guard and Reserve members on active-duty orders, and for one year to children of severely injured members who were medically discharged or retired. It does not cover children of retirees, other veterans, inactive Guard and Reserve members, or DoD civilians.
Can military kids attend any public school in Georgia they want?
Not exactly. Georgia House Bill 224 lets children who live on a military base or in off-base military housing attend any public school in that school system, if there's space and the parent provides transportation. Families who live in regular homes generally attend their zoned school.
How long do I have to get my child's immunizations?
The Interstate Compact gives military families 30 days from enrollment to get new required immunizations. Columbia County's district says students new to Georgia can be granted a 30-day waiver to get a Georgia Form 3231 to the school. The Georgia screening Form 3300 must be on file within three months of enrollment.
Does my child's IEP transfer when we PCS?
For the most part. If the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act covers your child, the Compact says the new school should provide comparable services based on the most recent IEP. The new school may reevaluate and write a new IEP. Your school liaison and the Exceptional Family Member Program can help.
Will my child get in-state tuition at a Georgia public college?
Possibly. The University System of Georgia lets schools waive the out-of-state tuition difference for active-duty members, spouses and dependent children when the service member is stationed in or assigned to Georgia. Students generally apply with documents such as orders and ID, and conditions apply. Ask the college's registrar.
Let's Make Your Next Move Simple
Tell us your report date and your kids' grades. We'll help you find the right home in Evans and Columbia County.
- Call: (706) 480-5203
- Email: [email protected]
- Visit: 2580 Evans Trade Center, Evans, GA 30809
- Next step: Military relocation help · Explore neighborhoods · Get your home value
Leaving Fort Gordon instead? See sell, rent or keep your home when you PCS. Deciding whether to buy? See rent or buy when you PCS to Fort Gordon, and what VA loans and 2026 BAH mean for Fort Gordon families.
Data notes: Compact details from Military OneSource, the Compact text and MIC3. Georgia law: O.C.G.A. 20-2-150 and 20-2-295. Enrollment and immunization rules from the Columbia County School District. Liaison details from Fort Gordon MWR, Military OneSource and Army.mil (2021). Flagship schools from the Georgia Department of Education. Tuition waivers from the University System of Georgia and Georgia Tech's catalog. Post news at home.army.mil/gordon. Rules change. General information, not legal advice. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Fairey Team | eXp Realty. Equal Housing Opportunity.
