October 25, 2011 (Amelia Island, Fla.) – The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) today presented Georgia Governor Nathan Deal with its inaugural Award for Excellence in Leadership. This honor is presented in recognition of Governor Deal and his administration’s prompt action following the disbanding of the Georgia Charter School Commission this past summer.
In his acceptance remarks, Governor Deal said, “I believe choice drives competition, which in turn drives excellence. Charter schools are an important part of this quest for excellence in public education. And the work of charter school authorizers is vital to this mission.”
Despite the Georgia Supreme Court ruling, Governor Deal reaffirmed his commitment to charter schools as a lever for improving public education in the state. He remarked, “We are continuing to support the expansion of charter schools that maintain a laser-like focus on improving student achievement. Even in tough economic times, I believe we have a commitment to raise the bar for student achievement in Georgia. Charter schools are a key part of that plan.”
NACSA presented the award during its 2011 Leadership Conference, hosted in Amelia Island, Fla. The event is solely focused on improving charter schools through high-quality authorizing practices. Hundreds of authorizers, the entities responsible for approving, overseeing, and renewing charter schools, are in attendance at the four-day event.
NACSA recognizes authorizers, education leaders, public officials, policymakers, and researchers for the vital role they fulfill in upholding the promise of charter schools. The Award for Excellence in Leadership seeks to recognize these individuals for their outstanding leadership and contributions to redesigning public education.
The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) is the trusted resource and innovative leader working with public officials and education leaders to increase the number of high-quality charter schools in cities and states across the nation. NACSA provides training, consulting, and policy guidance to authorizers and education leaders interested in increasing the number of high-quality schools and improving student outcomes.
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