by Georgia Charter Schools Association
Another blockbuster week in Georgia charter school news as legislation is introduced in the GA General Assembly to create Opportunity School Districts.
- Former opponent of Amendment One, Athens columnist Myra Blackmon urges greater understanding of the flexibilities and governance structure of charter districts, but her Op Ed has many inaccuracies.
- Druid Hills Cluster issue remains a news item as interim DeKalb Superintendent Michael Thurmond meets with charter cluster proponents. Story advances as the week progresses — AJC runs a student Op Ed from a Druid Hills HS senior who opposes annexation of Druid Hills and its feeder schools into APS. Thursday story in Decaturish blog by reporter Dan Whisenhut contends that the DHC group will officially disband. But this morning (Friday) WABE runs a story that says the DHCC may get a second chance.
- Peach Pundit’s editor Charlie Harper pens an Op Ed that gets wide pickup in newspapers across the state: says that Georgia’s education problems cannot be solved by money alone, and that “choice” is at the root of all reform.”
- Macon Telegraph runs a very upbeat interview with principal of Academy for Classical Education, new charter school in Bibb County
- National Alliance for Public Charter Schools story on dramatic increase in charter school enrollment — up by 11,000 students in Georgia alone.
- CharterConfidential.com provides more information on new charter school incubator, New Schools for Georgia, by its Executive Director Allen Mueller.
- Lake Oconee Academy is named one of America’s Top 50 elementary schools
- Blowback from classroom teachers across the state who feel they have not been adequately represented on Governor’s new Education Reform Commission
- Midweek announcement of the new Opportunity School Districts dominates the news as GA General Assembly discusses the proposed enabling legislation that would require a constitutional amendment, and others analyze how it might work.
- GCSA’s President & CEO Tony Roberts writes on CharterConfidential that those using two state approved charters with poor performance as rationale to oppose the OSD, don’t have all the facts. Says that charter schools should never be candidates for an OSD because they already have “built-in, rigorous ‘perform or close’ provisions.
- Editorial in Savannah Morning News endorses OSD concept
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.
