Congratulations to the seven schools eligible for the 2018 Georgia Charter School of the Year Award:
- Amana Academy
- Baconton Community Charter School
- Dekalb PATH Academy
- GLOBE Academy
- Lake Oconee Academy
- Museum School of Avondale Estates
- Tybee Island Maritime Academy
Award finalists will be announced in early 2018. The 2018 Georgia Charter School of the Year Award is given by Georgia Charter Schools Association but will be selected by a committee made up of non-Georgia Charter School Association staff members. The winner will be announced at the 2018 Georgia Charter Schools Conference.
The winner of the 2018 Charter School of the Year Award will receive a generous grant award from the Coca-Cola Foundation.
In order to be eligible for the award, schools must be a GCSA member school in good standing that serves students in Georgia. They also have to demonstrate academic excellence as measured by their performance framework or College and Career Ready Performance (CCRPI) data. Eligible schools must have scored 80 or higher on the CCRPI. The school has to have been open for five or more years and has to demonstrate operational sustainability and sound fiscal practices as evidenced by unqualified annual audits.
Charter school of the year candidates must be accredited or in the process of being accredited by either SACS-CASI or GACS. Eligible schools also have to demonstrate autonomous governance through the use of waivers as well as authority over academic, financial, and personnel decisions. Previous winners must wait seven years to reapply. All candidates must submit their complete application by Monday, December 11. For more information on the eligibility requirements, visit the awards section of the conference website.