by Michelle Wirth
Georgia’s ranking for state charter laws has improved. According to the National Alliance of Charter Schools’ 2016 ranking of state charter laws, Georgia moved up five spots from 23 to 18 to because state lawmakers approved regulations to strengthen authorizer accountability, charter school autonomy and the processes for monitoring charter schools.
- Georgia added 11 new charter schools this year. In addition, charter schools throughout the state enrolled an additional 7,000 students.
- The first state chartered school in Fayette County will open its doors for the 2016-2017 school year. Liberty Tech will be housed in the former Brooks Elementary School.
- Parents at Peachtree Charter Middle School have voted to renew the school’s charter.
- Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent, Meria Carstarphen, has laid out more detailed plans for turning around a number of the city’s struggling schools. The plans include closing one school, merging another four and hiring charter school groups to manage five others.
- Members of a panel that spoke during the 2016 Georgia Charter Schools Conference say, if approved by state lawmakers next year, the recent recommendations from the Education Reform Commission would benefit charter and traditional schools in the state.
- The Heartland Institute says recommendations made by the Education Reform Commission could lead to more equitable funding for charter schools if approved by state lawmakers next year.
- Entertainer and actor Ludacris spoke during a rally held at the Georgia Capitol during National School Choice Week.
- Benita Dodd with the Georgia Public Policy Foundation wrote an opinion piece for the Columbia County News-Times during National School Choice Week. She says Georgia’s education system has seen improvements in recent years due to school choice, but there’s still room for improvement.
- The governing board for Elite Scholars Academy, one of the best performing schools in Clayton County, has announced it will not seek a charter renewal. Clayton County officials plan to operate Elite Scholars Academy as a traditional school.
- The Alliance Academy for Innovation of Cumming-Forsyth County Inc. has switched from a charter school to a traditional school. The school system made the change after becoming an IE2 district.
- The Washington D.C. based Brookings Institution gave the DeKalb County School System a D for educational choice and competition in its annual Education Choice and Competition index.
- The governing board for Macon Charter Academy has approved a contract with Prestige Charter School Solutions.
Michelle Wirth
Michelle, GCSA's Director of Communications, is an award-winning journalist with a background in strategic communications. She has a Master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism and a Bachelor’s in Communications from the University of Denver.
