Press Releases

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.

Renowned education reform expert Dr. Harry Wong will be a keynote speaker at the 8th Annual GCSA Charter Schools Conference, March 10-12. Dr. Wong recently detailed his thoughts on a number of topics, including common mistakes made by young educators and what administrators should look for in teachers.

“Writing SMART Performance Objectives”  is for individuals and groups wanting to start a charter school and for those getting ready for renewals.   DATE:  Friday, January 29th TIME:  10 – 10:45 a.m. COST:  $75 […]

According to an extensive report released by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, Georgia ranks No. 4 when evaluated on its commitment to the full range of values in the public charter school movement: quality and accountability, funding equity, facilities support, autonomy, and growth and choice. Click on this story to read more about the report, plus statements from Georgia House Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones (R-Milton) and GCSA CEO Tony Roberts, Ph. D.

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan repeated his support of charter schools as part of the answer to addressing the shortfalls of our nation’s public education system, during his visit to Tech High – Atlanta’s only charter high school – on Monday.

The Georgia Charter Schools Commission announced Monday the approval of seven petitions for charter schools that will begin operating in the fall of 2010: Atlanta Heights Charter School in Atlanta; Coweta Charter Academy at Senoia in Coweta County; Fulton Leadership Academy in south Fulton County; Heron Bay Academy in Henry County; The Museum School of Avondale Estates and Peachtree Hope Charter School in DeKalb County; and Pataula Charter Academy in southwest Georgia.

The Georgia Charter Schools Commission announced Thursday that it has recommended five charter petitions for approval when the Commission holds its regularly scheduled meeting, Monday, Dec. 14. Read more to see the full list of petition recommendations and read a Q&A with Andrew Broy, Georgia Department of Education Associate Superintendent for Policy, External Affairs and Charter Schools.

For the second consecutive year, Fulton Science Academy eighth graders have posted the highest scores among Fulton County middle schools in all subject areas on the ITBS.

An enthusiastic crowd of an estimated 2,000 students, teachers, administrators, parents and charter school supporters participated in the “Rally at the Capitol for Charter Schools” event, Nov. 6.

Leaders of a group of concerned citizens who have come together to bring a charter school to Ben Hill County have announced a new and enhanced name for the school. It will be called the Lucius H. Holsey Academy of Excellence, named in honor of a former slave who – with knowledge he gained from his master, one of the earliest professors at the University of Georgia – founded Paine College in Augusta. The founding board for Lucius H. Holsey Academy of Excellence has submitted a petition to the Georgia Charter Commission, which will review the group’s plan to establish a new, high performing public elementary charter school for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

The following is an official statement from Georgia Charter Schools Association Chief Executive Officer Tony Roberts, Ph.D.

“While Gwinnett County Schools may deserve an “A” in many areas of their operations, they deserve an “F” for failing to offer school choice and charter schools to students and families. They deserve another “F” for attempting, by a lawsuit against the State of Georgia and its Charter School Commission, to close down a highly successful and diverse all-girls charter middle school in the county—Ivy Preparatory Academy.