Press Releases

The Georgia Charter Schools Commission (GCSC) on Friday approved the creation of two statewide virtual charter schools — Provost Academy Georgia and Kaplan Academy of Georgia — that together will serve grades 4-12. A virtual school offers courses to students via the Internet with teachers available online and by telephone.

The Georgia Department of Education has announced that planning grant applications for individuals and groups interested in starting a charter school are now available on the GDOE website. The deadline to submit applications is July 1.

In a strongly-worded statement, Georgia Charter Schools Association Chief Executive Officer Tony Roberts, Ph. D., defends the decision made by a Fulton County Superior Court judge that affirmed the constitutionality of the Georgia Charter Schools Commission and the schools it has approved. He also calls on parents to “direct the members of their school district boards to get back to the business of educating children.”

In a stunningly quick and decisive ruling today, Fulton County (Ga.) Superior Court Judge Wendy L. Shoob declared the Georgia Charter Schools Commission is constitutional. In her ruling, Judge Shoob said, “The General Assembly has provided sufficient guidelines. Commission charter schools are not required to be under the control or managed by an elected board of education. The funding is constitutional.”

In a stunningly quick and decisive ruling, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Wendy L. Shoob said Friday that charter schools created by the Georgia Charter Schools Commission are constitutional.

State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox visited Ivy Preparatory Academy in Norcross this week, in honor of National Charter Schools Week. She called Ivy Prep “a great example” of what charter schools can do.

Gov. Sonny Perdue and U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson both honored National Charter Schools Week (May 3-8). Gov. Perdue declared next week “Charter Schools Week in Georgia,” while Sen. Isakson lauded the GCSA and the state’s charter schools.

The Georgia Charter Schools Association (GCSA) will host a free interactive webinar for individuals interested in starting a high-quality charter school, 8-9 p.m., April 27. The purpose of this FREE interactive webinar, “Getting Started Opening a High Quality Charter School,” is to set expectations for new founders about the requirements for opening a high quality charter school in Georgia.

CharterLeader seeks to help aspiring educational professionals accelerate their path to being charter school leaders, while also taking current school leaders to the next level. The program combines intensive modules in educational and school business leadership, unavailable in conventional graduate schools of education.

The 2010 Georgia Charter Schools Conference is expected to attract nearly 500 participants this year, including key note speakers Dr. Harry Wong and Kevin Chavous. The event begins Wednesday evening.

Several GCSA member charter schools have been featured on television news programs recently, here in Atlanta, as well as in Alabama. Brighten Academy, KIPP STRIVE and Tech High were featured on WSFA-TV in Montgomery. Ivy Prep and Unversity Community Academy were featured on ABC 33/40 in Birmingham, and The Elite Scholars Academy was featured on CBS46 in Atlanta.

The State Board of Education decided to take no action on appeals filed by several school districts attempting to block the opening of new charter schools in the fall. Officials from the Coweta, Early and Randolph County School Systems had asked the Board to overturn the Georgia Charter Schools Commission’s approval of the schools’ charters.

“We are pleased that the State Board of Education, after carefull deliberation, saw fit to allow the Commission’s decisions to move forward,” said Tony Roberts, Ph.D., chief executive officer of the Georgia Charter Schools Association.