State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia
The State Charter Schools Commission (SCSC) is Georgia's state-level charter schools authorizer.
The mission of the SCSC is to improve public education throughout the state by authorizing schools that provide students with better educational opportunities than they would otherwise receive in the traditional schools to which they are zoned; maintaining high standards of transparency by publishing academic, organizational, and fiscal accountability data for all state charter schools; and disseminating research and guidance to all stakeholders on best practices in charter schooling.
Services
Office
Commissioners
The SCSC is governed by a board of seven commissioners who are nominated by the Governor (three seats), the Lieutenant Governor (two seats) and the Speaker of the House of Representatives (two seats) and appointed by the State Board of Education.
Commission Staff
The commission staff consists of 18 members working in six divisions: Finance, Legal, New Schools, the Office of Charter School Compliance, Research & Evaluation, and School Support & Outreach. The staff is responsible for the day-to-day management of the SCSC, in alignment with the Vision, Mission, Strategic Plan, and other directives established by the Commissioners.
Role of the SCSC
As an authorizer, the SCSC assists with charter development, reviews petitions for both start-up schools and renewals, monitors schools annually in the areas of academics, finances and operations, and holds schools accountable for performance pursuant to the charter contract.
Role of GaDOE
The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) also plays a role in state charter school operations. Specifically, GaDOE calculates and distributes funds to state charter schools, acts as the SEA for federal programs, and oversees assessment and the statewide academic accountability system for all schools.