Seven new state charter schools are authorized to open in Georgia for the 2022-23 school year after receiving approval from the State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia (SCSC) during their meeting earlier this week. Including these new approvals, the SCSC has now authorized 51 state charter schools located throughout Georgia. There are currently 39 schools operational, and three are scheduled to open in the 2021-2022 school year.
“I am excited about each one of these new schools and the quality education they will provide the children of Georgia,” said State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia Chairman Buzz Brockway. “The mission of the State Charter School Commission is to provide Georgia’s students with educational opportunities that best meet their needs and we feel strongly these new schools will accomplish that mission.”
The 2022-23 cohort initially submitted petitions for the 2020 petition cycle, however, it was suspended because of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The SCSC resumed the 2020 petition cycle in Fall 2020 and received 21 petitions in the petition cycle. Ten petitioners withdrew from consideration to either further develop their educational plans or to apply for the 2021 cycle after the suspension announcement.
Applicants seeking charter approvals are required to take part in an initial staff review of the petition for general legal compliance, as well as an in-depth panel interview with staff, commissioners and experts in the fields of finance, education, law and policy. Interview panels make recommendations to SCSC commissioners to approve or deny petitions.
“All children deserve access to high quality schools that meet their unique needs,” said State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia Executive Director Lauren Holcomb. “We look forward to supporting these schools and expanding options for Georgia families.”
Charter schools seeking approval have different models for educating students. As examples, DeKalb Brilliance Academy will have a defined attendance zone of the DeKalb Country School District and Atlanta Public Schools with a brick-and-mortar location in DeKalb County and serve grades K-8. The school’s educational model utilizes a Project-Based Learning (PBL) model focused on entrepreneurship that approaches literacy through a two-teacher literacy model and provides for multidisciplinary learning opportunities. In comparison, Miles Ahead Charter School will have a statewide attendance zone with a brick-and-mortar location in the Cobb County School District and serve grades K-8. The school described their education plan as a “unique education plan implemented through the use of a whole child approach, rigorous, joyful, and equitable academic programs, a 21st century learning environment, and an active involved community.”
Resurgence Hall Middle Charter School will have a statewide attendance zone with a brick-and-mortar location in the Fulton County School District and serve grades 5-8. This school is a replication of Resurgence Hall Charter School which has an education model that includes several innovations that prepare scholars to be successful in the 21st century, including design thinking and computer science curriculum that begins in kindergarten, and a two-teacher push-in literacy intervention model that provides over 200 minutes of literacy instruction each day.
“Resurgence Hall deeply believes that all children deserve access to an excellent education. We are honored by the SCSC’s confidence in our ability to further expand, providing more high-quality seats for families seeking our game-changing program,” said school founder Tori Jackson Hines.
