GCSA congratulates our member schools who received a charter renewal from the State Charter Schools Commission during the commission’s Feb. 28, meeting. The eight schools who were granted a charter renewal from the SCSC include: Atlanta Heights Charter School, Cherokee Charter Academy, Coweta Charter Academy, Fulton Leadership Academy, Georgia Connections Academy, Ivy Preparatory Academy at Gwinnett, Ivy Preparatory Academy at Kirkwood and Pataula Charter Academy.
“I’m elated with the commission’s decision. It’s been a long, very hard journey that took a lot of blood, sweat and tears from a lot of people, but we’re very proud of the work we’ve done and are very excited about the next three years and beyond,” said Alisha Cromartie, Superintendent of Ivy Preparatory Academies. “GCSA has been an invaluable resource for me as a charter school leader since day one. Every time I’ve called they’ve been there…We could not have done it without GCSA. I’m also grateful to the State Charter Schools Commission.” (Cromartie is pictured above on the right with Employees and GCSA VIce President of School Services Elisa A. Falcó on the left).
“It’s exciting. It gives us the opportunity to continue the promise that we started in 2010 to the 
Adamsville community,” said Ronald Skeete, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for Atlanta Heights Charter School. We’ve seen a lot of improvement. We’ve been a “beating the odds” school for the past two years, and we’re on an upward track in terms of CCRPI. We’ve had a lot of help from the State Charter Schools Commission and the Georgia Charter Schools Association. Everyone has helped keep our feet to the fire, and the scholars are benefiting from that (Skeete is pictured on the left).”
The SCSC formulates charter renewal recommendations based on a school’s performance record in academics, finance and operations as measured through the SCSC accountability instrument, the Comprehensive Performance Framework.
“We appreciate the vote of confidence by being renewed for another five years,” said Barbara 
Catledge Hall, Board Chair for Fulton Leadership Academy. We look forward to continuing to make a big difference in the community and changing the lives of the young me we serve (Catledge Hall is pictured on the right with students).”
“I am excited. I’m so proud of our school. I’m so happy that we were able to jump this hurdle, and I look forward to the next three years,” said Heather Robinson, Executive Director for Georgia Connections Academy. “I think it’s an additional opportunity to provide choice for families and provide students with a solid learning experience. We’re striving very hard to continue to get better. We’re 100 percent committed to improvement.”
SCSC performance standards reflect the SCSC organizational mission to provide students with better educational opportunities than they would otherwise receive in traditional district schools, meaning that a state charter school is expected to outperform the schools in its attendance zone. State charter schools can meet academic standards through student proficiency or student growth.
Charter schools operate on performance contracts and therefore earn the right to exist one charter term at a time said SCSC Executive Director Bonnie Holliday. “These eight charter schools demonstrated a track record of success and earned a renewed charter term by providing high-quality educational opportunities for students.”
