Newsletter

Georgia Charter Schools Association applauds Gov. Nathan Deal for signing House Bill 430 on Thursday. Under the new law, charter schools will receive dedicated facilities funding for the first time in Georgia’s history.

HB 430 also creates new minimum standards for districts that authorize charter schools. The provisions included in House Bill 430 were based on recommendations made by the Governor’s Education Reform Commission in 2015 and are strongly supported by the Georgia Charter Schools Association and numerous education reform organizations.

“The children in Georgia’s charter schools deserve the same level of funding and support as all other public school students,” said Georgia Charter Schools Association President and CEO Tony Roberts. “This is a significant step to realizing that goal. We want to thank Gov. Deal, HB 430 sponsor Buzz Rep. Brockway and Senate and House cosponsors for putting Georgia’s students first.”

Academy for Classical Education (ACE) sixth graders who take part in “The Well-Trained Mind elective” learn to bridge the classical gap between grammar and junior high school. The hands-on projects created by students in elective classes serve as a “museum” for students throughout the school to help them learn about the Ancient World and its connection to today.

Through history, students in the class explore the Ancient World’s development and contribution to all the parts of a people’s culture that continue to influence and impact the modern world today. They learn about the ancient roots of their written language, how ancient laws influence the judicial courts of today, and they see how ancient literature, art, and music influence their daily lives. Students practice annotation and note-taking skills to assist comprehension. They also conduct research on topics related to their studies. Students then share their findings through projects that have them emulate the ancient people whose accomplishments serve as our inspiration. Like the Classical Core curriculum, the Well-Trained Mind curriculum is based on the 4-year history cycle; this course focuses specifically on year one – the Ancient World.

(Photo Caption: Centennial Academy Eighth Graders Kiera Randall, Kennedy-Ryan Jackson and Karissa Ferrell-Hinkle at Georgia Charter Schools Association on Tuesday, May 2) Centennial Academy eighth graders began visiting a number of businesses in the Atlanta […]

Charles R. Drew Charter School Elementary Academy has been certified as an official Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) School by the Georgia Department of Education. Drew Charter School is the first school in Atlanta Public Schools and the second school in the state of Georgia to earn this important designation, which was recently created to recognize institutions committed to providing high-quality educational opportunities in STEAM.

State Schools Superintendent Richard Woods and Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Meria Carstarphen attended a special ceremony with Drew Charter Head of Schools Don Doran, Drew students, employees and parents on April 20 to officially present the new certification.

This year, the school received nearly 1,000 applications for those hoping to attend Ivy Prep Academies during the 2017-2018 school year. School officials say that’s a record number of applications. They also […]

On March 30, the State Board of Education approved a five year charter for The Museum School of Avondale Estates. The vote comes after the DeKalb County Board of Education approved the Museum School’s renewal petition last November.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to continue delivering on our mission: to inspire students, teachers and the community to collaborate to develop strong critical thinking, interpersonal and academic skills in our students, which will prepare them for real-world success,” said Andy Huff, Chair of The Museum School Board of Directors.

Students at Utopian Academy for the Arts have the opportunity to learn directly from Tonia Jackson, an actress who has a reoccurring role on Oprah’s hit drama “Greenleaf.” In addition […]

Baconton Community Charter School Leader Lynn Pinson is the recipient of this year’s Shoot for the Moon (Charter School Leader of the Year) Award. The award was sponsored by Office […]

Hundreds of school leaders, teachers, board members and charter school advocates took part in the 2017 Georgia Charter Schools Conference at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel in Cobb County on […]

Georgia Charter Schools Association wants to congratulate KIPP WAYS Academy for winning the 2017 Charter School of the Year Award. The award is given by Georgia Charter Schools Association but was […]

Congratulations to this year’s Charter School of the Year finalists. The finalists were chosen by a special committee made up of non-Georgia Charter School Association staff members. The committee was comprised of a representative from the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, a previous Charter School of the Year winner, The Coca-Cola Foundation and the community. The winner of the award will be announced next week during a special luncheon at the 2017 Georgia Charter Schools Conference. The charter school selected for the top honor will receive $50,000 for their school thanks to a generous grant award from The Coca-Cola Foundation.

Photo Caption: Centennial Academy Art Teacher Henry Blackmon stands by several of his paintings inside Georgia’s Capitol. Centennial Academy Art Teacher Henry Blackmon displayed his artwork at the Georgia Capitol […]