February 10, 2010
ATLANTA — 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.
Seven schools were approved in December by the Georgia Charter Schools Commission: Atlanta Heights Charter School (Atlanta Public Schools), Coweta Charter Academy at Senoia (Coweta County Schools), Fulton Leadership Academy (Fulton County Schools), Heron Bay Academy (Henry and Griffin-Spalding County Schools), The Museum School of Avondale Estates (DeKalb County Schools), Pataula Charter Academy (Baker, Calhoun, Clay, Early and Randolph Counties) and Peachtree Hope Charter School (DeKalb). Officials from the Coweta, Early and Randolph County School Systems asked the State Board of Education to overturn the Commission’s approval of the schools’ charters.
However, the State Board of Education took no action, thereby allowing the Commission’s recommendations on the schools to stand.
“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. “This will allow even more students, parents and communities the opportunity to have more quality public educational options.”
# # #
Atlanta Journal Constitution story (State school board supports approval of seven new commission schools)
Newnan Times-Herald story (State panel backs Senoia charter school)
