FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 4, 2025
ATLANTA — More public charter schools are expected to receive local district approval after the Georgia General Assembly passed Senate Bill 82 with bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate.
More than 21,000 students currently appear on charter school “waitlists,” yet in the past five years—only one new charter school was approved by a local school district in Georgia. SB 82 addresses the state’s charter school access issue by incentivizing local school districts to approve more charter schools and holding districts accountable if they repeatedly deny high-quality charter petitions.
The Georgia Charter Schools Association (GCSA) is grateful to Sen. Clint Dixon, SB 82 sponsor; Rep. Scott Hilton, House sponsor; Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones; House Speaker Jon Burns; Lt. Gov. Burt Jones; and Gov. Brian Kemp for their leadership and support.
“Without intervention at the local district level, charter school waitlists would have grown even longer. The passage of this bill is an important first step toward ensuring every child has the chance to attend a high-quality public school that works for them,” said Bonnie Holliday, President and CEO of the Georgia Charter Schools Association. “Charter schools meet the needs of individual students and prepare Georgia’s students for the workforce of the future.”
Why SB 82 Matters
- Despite tremendous demand for charter schools in Georgia, only one new charter petition was approved by a local school district in the last five years. During that same period, the State Charter Schools Commission (SCSC) approved over 30 schools, most of which were initially denied locally.
- More than 21,000 students are currently on charter school waitlists, unable to access the high-quality educational opportunities their families are seeking.
- Nationally, 90% of charter schools are authorized locally, while only 10% are approved at the state level. In Georgia, fewer than 50% of charter schools receive local approval.
- Among the nation’s 10 most populous states, Georgia ranks last in charter school access. Even if Georgia doubled its current number of charter schools, it would still fall short of offering “average” access.
- Nationally, 7% of all K-12 students attend charter schools, compared to only 3.5% in Georgia.
- Financial Incentives for School Districts
- Local school boards that authorize charter schools will receive $250,000 per year for three years for each new charter school they approve.
- Local districts will receive support, guidance and technical assistance for charter petition evaluations from Office of Charter School Compliance located within the State Charter Schools Commission.
- Increased Transparency
- Local boards that deny a charter school petition must publicly disclose their rationale for the denial.
- District Accountability
- Districts that repeatedly deny high-quality charter school applications that are subsequently approved by the State Charter Schools Commission will not be eligible to renew flexibility contracts with the State Board of Education.
SB 82 now heads to Gov. Brian Kemp and would become effective upon his signature.
