Skip to main content
Georgia Charter Schools Association
My Account      Teacher Certification      Vendor Directory      Events      Facebook Twitter Search
  • Get the Facts
      • Charter School Enrollment Numbers in GA
      • FAQs About Charter Schools
      • Approved GA Charters »
  • Advocacy
    • Take Part
      • Advocacy Training
      • Market Data Analysis
      • Become an Advocate
      • Serve on a Charter Board
    • Tools You Can Use
      • How to Plan an Effective Legislative Visit
      • Communicating With Your Legislator
      • The Language of School Choice
      • Combatting Charter School Myths
      • GA House & Senate Page Program
      • National Charter Schools Week
  • Training & Services
      • Academic Services
      • Charter Renewal
      • Communications
      • Facility Resource Center
      • Financial Certification Training & Services
      • GCSA Charter Incubator
      •   » Apply for the GCSA Charter Incubator
      • Governance Training & Support
      • Operational Services
      • Professional Development
  • Membership
    • My Account
      • My Profile
      • My Orders
      • My Addresses
      • Payment methods
      • Lost password
    • Members
      • Membership Overview
      • Members Area
      • Blog
      • Specialty Benefits Plan
      • Associate Membership
      • Join AAE
      • Staples Partnership
      • GCSA Affinity Groups
  • Job Board
  • Find a School
      • School Locator
      • Approved GA Charters »
  • About
      • Who We Are
      • Mission & Vision
      • Staff
      • Board of Directors
      • Partner Organizations
      • GCSA Jobs
      • Press Inquiries
      • Directions & Parking
  • Blog
  • Get the Facts
    • Charter School Enrollment Numbers in GA
    • FAQs About Charter Schools
    • Approved GA Charters »
  • Advocacy
    • Take Part
      • Market Data Analysis
      • Advocacy Training
      • Become an Advocate
      • Serve on a Charter Board
    • Tools You Can Use
      • How to Plan an Effective Legislative Visit
      • Communicating With Your Legislator
      • The Language of School Choice
      • Combatting Charter School Myths
      • GA House & Senate Page Program
      • National Charter Schools Week
  • Training & Services
    • Overview
    • Academic Services
    • Charter Renewal
    • Communications
    • Facility Resource Center
    • Financial Certification Training & Services
    • GCSA Charter Incubator
    •   » Apply for the GCSA Charter Incubator
    • Governance Training & Support
    • Operational Services
    • Professional Development
  • Membership
    • Overview
    • Members Area
    • Become a Member
    • Specialty Benefits Plan
    • Associate Membership
    • Join AAE
    • GCSA Affinity Groups
  • My Account
    • My Profile
    • My Orders
    • My Addresses
    • Payment methods
    • Lost password
  • Job Board
  • Find a School
    • School Locator
    • GCSA Quality Initiative
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Mission & Vision
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Partner Organizations
    • GCSA Jobs
    • Press Inquiries
    • Directions & Parking
  • Teacher Certification
  • Vendor Directory
  • Events
  • Contact
  • $0.00

Current Georgia Law Shortchanges Public Charter School Students

by Kylie Holley

Are some Georgia students more important than others? Do some students deserve better facilities, buses, and instructional resources? The obvious answer is no, but you might be surprised to know that Georgia law creates just such an inequity. I am the Superintendent of a public State Commission Charter School that serves almost 600 K-12 students in five counties in rural, southwest Georgia. So, I know firsthand the struggles of running a school on an inadequate budget. State charters are directly funded by the state and do not receive any local tax dollars. Under current state law, funding for state charters is based on the revenues of the five poorest districts in Georgia, regardless of where the school is located. For my school, Pataula Charter Academy, that means we are funded around $2500 less per student than the state average. That comes to a loss of $1.4 million (yes million) annually for us. When you compare our funding to the five local districts we serve, there is an even more shocking inequity. We are funded between $1,800 and $6,400 less per student, with the average difference being $3800. That difference amounts to over $2.1 million. If that isn’t alarming enough, we also are not eligible for any transportation funding, bonds for buses or facilities, or E-SPLOST money.

This all comes down to a lot of missed opportunities for kids. We do a lot of fundraising to give our kids the experiences they deserve; such as field work to places many students have never been before, materials for projects, PE and playground equipment, and sports jerseys that get used year after year. However, we can’t make up a $2.1 million difference, or even $1.4 million, in fundraising. On many occasions our students have sat in the hot Georgia sun on a broken down bus on the side of the road, because we have to purchase 20 year old buses from other public schools that are getting brand new ones. For eight years, we educated students in shabby modular buildings in constant need of repairs. We don’t have a counselor or a nurse or many other support staff that other schools have and our students deserve.

Despite the lack of funding, our students have managed to succeed academically. This past year based on the number of students passing the Georgia Milestones, we outperformed the average of the five local districts in 22 of 23 areas. This is proof that Pataula Charter Academy is already making a difference in our community. I cannot imagine the impact we could have on our students if we had equitable funding to give them the opportunities and support that they deserve.

To correct this funding inequity for Georgia’s state charter school students, I urge everyone to reach out to their state legislators, the Governor’s office, and the state Department of Education to tell them it’s unacceptable to treat certain Georgia public school students better than others. Then talk to your family, friends, and neighbors to educate them on the issue and ask them to do the same. Speak out for the more than 30,000 students attending public State Commission Charter Schools to show you believe that ALL of Georgia’s students deserve equality in education.

Kylie Holley, Superintendent of Pataula Charter Academy

 

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

Kylie Holley

Kylie Holley

Published : October 5, 2017   |   Category : Blog, Newsletter


Leave a comment

Cancel comment

Blog Authors

  • GCSA
  • Michelle Wirth
  • Guest Blogger
  • Guest Author
  • Tony Roberts
  • Shabaaka Smalls
  • Kylie Holley

All Monthly Archives

  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022

Tag Cloud

Alexandria Sweeny Alisha Morgan Amana Academy Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School Bhumi Sukha Board Boost Board Member Brookhaven Innovation Academy Byron Thornton Charter Conservatory for Liberal Arts Charter School Governance Charter School Incubator Charter School Leadership Charter Schools Cherokee Charter Cirrus Academy Digital Governance Drew Charter School Education Reform Fayette County Fernbank Elementary School Georgia Georgia Cyber Academy Georgia PTO Jason Lin Lake Oconee Academy Latin Academy Macon Madison Davenport Matthew Mitchell Mountain Ed Charter High School Museum School of Avondale Estates Myah Crowell New Schools Opportunity School Districts Pataula Charter Academy School Choice Senior Recognition 2022 Shizue Sommer Student Engagement Teacher Appreciation Day Teacher Appreciation Week Teacher Appreciation Week 2022 Training Weekly Charter News

FB Pixel

Stay connected

Join our GCSA Weekly Newsletter to receive the latest news and updates from our team. We send out weekly updates about charter schools and legislation. We don’t like spam either, so we’ll never share your email with others.

Subscribe

Georgia Charter Schools Association
Facebook Twitter RSS
© Copyright 2023. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy  &  Terms of Use
+1 470 236 0671
back to top
About Us
  • Who We Are
  • Mission & Vision
  • Press Inquiries
  • Directions & Parking
  • Contact
Quick Links
  • Advocacy Training
  • Market Data Analysis
  • Training & Services
News
  • Charters in the News
  • Press Releases
  • Subscribe
  • Blog
  • Calendar
Careers
  • Job Board
  • GCSA Jobs

Subscribe to the GCSA Weekly Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Subscribe to the GCSA Weekly Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!