More than 300 families attended the Atlanta Charter School Expo on Saturday, Jan. 26 at Ivy Preparatory Academy. Georgia Charter Schools Association and GeorgiaCan hosted the event to help local families explore their public school options as they consider enrollment for the upcoming school year. Attendees had the opportunity to speak with representatives and gather information from more than 30 public charter schools throughout metro Atlanta.
The Williams family
DeKalb County parents Kesha and Will Phillips came to the Atlanta Charter School Expo in search of a school that could fit the unique learning needs of both of their twins.
“It was a great opportunity for us to come out and discover new schools that we had not previously heard about,” said Will Phillips. “We were able to meet with teachers and principals and learn what they can offer to our kids.
“I think a lot of parents will find this beneficial,” said Kesha Phillips. “The most important thing is to have options and choices. You don’t want to be relegated to the school that’s in your district if it’s not a good school.”
Antoinette Carson and her grandson
Antoinette Carson, a grandparent in Fulton County, came in search of a new school for her grandson.
“I’m trying to find him a challenging school. I want one that focuses on his learning needs and has a hands-on approach,” said Carson. “I think the expo is wonderful because I’m running across schools that I didn’t know even existed in Fulton County. I think another one should be held near the beginning of the school year.”
The Atlanta Charter School Expo was the first event of its kind in the Atlanta metro area. Georgia Charter Schools Association and GeorgiaCan planned the expo in conjunction with the celebration of National School Choice Week 2019. National School Choice Week is a nonpartisan, nonpolitical public awareness effort that seeks to shine a positive spotlight on effective education options for students, families, and communities around the country. This year’s celebration featured more than 40,000 school choice events across all 50 states.
