ATLANTA - The State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia (SCSC) today announced that it approved renewal petitions for eight state charter schools at its February board meeting. The schools are 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.

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. 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.”

The SCSC is a state-level, independent charter school authorizing entity. The mission of the SCSC is to improve public education by authorizing high quality charter schools that provide students with better educational opportunities than they would otherwise receive in traditional district schools. The SCSC has the power to approve or deny petitions for state charter schools and renew, non-renew, or terminate state charter school petitions in accordance with Georgia law.

Since its inception in 2013, the SCSC has authorized 32 state charter schools located throughout the state. 29 schools are currently operational and three are scheduled to open in the 2018-19 school year. More information about the renewed state charter schools, including the schools’ renewal petitions and staff recommendations, is available on the SCSC website.

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Contact Information:

Lauren Holcomb, Chief Communications Officer

(404) 656-2837, [email protected]