by Georgia Charter Schools Association
By Nina Rubin
Still not sure what a public charter school is, how charters are funded, authorized, or governed? You’re not alone.
Even parents whose children are enrolled in public charter schools often have difficulty explaining how curriculum, governance, funding, school culture, leadership, and flexibility all combine to make charters more autonomous, more transparent, and more accountable than traditional public schools.
Another reason — Georgia is unique among states with charter school laws because it offers so many types of charter public schools. The very nomenclature of charters is a recipe for confusion. Georgia has startup charters, virtual/online charters, conversion charters, State Charter Commission schools, Charter Systems, and charter career academies.
So here’s a suggestion. Spend half a day at the upcoming Georgia Charter Schools Leadership Conference, Friday, January 30, 2015, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm at Busbee Center of Gwinnett Technical College. For a small investment of time and a small registration fee, you can get a more nuanced understanding of charter schools from the leaders of Georgia’s charter school movement.
Here’s a sampling of what’s on the agenda:
- Remarks by Georgia’s New Schools Superintendent, Richard Woods on his priorities for education in Georgia
- Remarks by the President & CEO of the Georgia Charter Schools Association, Dr. Tony Roberts
- Remarks by Georgia First Lady, Sandra Deal, on her vision of public education in our state
- Awards Luncheon where the 2015 Charter School of the Year will be named. The 3 finalists are Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School, DeKalb PATH Academy, and Mountain Education Center HS.
- 17 breakout sessions on issues such as: charter school governance; school accreditation; how to write a strong charter petition; best practices of award winning schools; an introduction to New Schools for Georgia — a new charter school incubator; parent engagement; facilities funding; building a board; and more.
We promise, it will be a day well spent. If you’re thinking about starting a charter school in Georgia, this event should not be missed. Hope to meet you at the 2015 Charter Schools Leadership Conference!
Nina Rubin is Director of Communications for the Georgia Charter Schools Association
The views and opinions expressed on CharterConfidential are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency.
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.
