by Georgia Charter Schools Association
[This report covers three weeks of news stories.] In the quiet of summer, July ends with a somewhat negative bang as the AJC takes aim at charter schools, Richmond County charters appear on the state’s low performing list, and Macon Charter Academy experiences a facilities setback that could derail its opening days.
- Charter advocate and education economist Jarod Apperson issues a call for strong accountability in all charters. It runs in the AJC’s Get Schooled column, and also on CharterConfidential.com
- Dougherty’s decision to become a charter system is covered in the Albany Herald
- Continued coverage of Fulton County schools being named Charter System of the year: http://bit.ly/1RgWkH, http://bit.ly/1JMcgNJ
- Terry Ryan’s work on GA rural charter schools featured in EdExcellence
- Tony Robert’s tribute to former GCSA Board member and charter school advocate, Ben Jakes, who died earlier this month.
- Popularity of virtual education in Glynn County and other parts of GA, discussed in Brunswick News
- Low performing charter schools in Richmond County covered in Augusta and Columbus, GA media: WRDW, WTVM
- Good press for new Foothills Charter School in Milledgville’s Union Recorder
- Construction delays threaten the on-time opening of Macon Charter Academy, school founder tries to allay fears, backup plan discussed.
- ATL blog Curbed.com extolls the architectural design and goals of Drew Charter School
- AJC reporter Ty Tagami has a front page story that chronicles the story of troubled Intown Charter Academy (now closed) and alleges that low performing charter schools are not fulfilling their promise of higher student achievement
- Maureen Downey comments on the Tagami story in her Get Schooled blog, suggests that low achieving charters could become part of the state’s Opportunity School District if passed by voters.
- In dueling Op Eds by Governor Deal and Grassroots teacher advocacy group TRAGIC (Teachers Rally to Advocate for Georgia Insurance Choices), Maureen Downey zeroes in on teacher hostility to the Governor’s plan to revise the QBE funding formula and the makeup of his education reform commission. TRAGIC alleges that Deal’s motives are weighted in favor of charter schools, and that teachers’ concerns have not been properly considered.
- GCSA profiles six new startup charter schools opening in August.
Georgia Charter Schools Association
The Georgia Charter Schools Association (GCSA) is the membership organization for Georgia’s charter school operators and petitioners, established in 2001. Our mission is to be an effective advocate and service provider for all charter public schools in Georgia.
