General FAQ?

A state charter school is a school that is operating under the terms of a charter, or contract, between a Georgia nonprofit charter school governing board and the State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia (the authorizer). 

A local charter school is a public school of choice that operates under the terms of a charter, or contract, between a Georgia nonprofit charter school governing board and a Local Board of Education (the authorizer).

Yes. Charter schools are public schools. As such, they receive public funding, cannot charge tuition, must have fair and open enrollment, must be secular, and are required to serve all student populations, including students with disabilities and English language learners.

Two words can help distinguish charter schools from traditional public schools: flexibility and accountability. Charter schools are governed not by a local board of education but by an autonomous non-profit board of directors, and they receive flexibility from certain state and local rules and regulations. Charter schools use this flexibility to implement innovative or unique programs and provide educational options to parents and students that are not typically available in traditional public schools. In exchange for this flexibility, charter schools are expected to meet academic performance targets. Charter schools that fail to meet academic expectations are subject to closure.

A magnet or theme school is typically a school within a local school district that offers a certain instructional program. Many magnet or theme schools may have admissions criteria such as test scores, teacher recommendations, or grades. Charter schools operate independently from the local district and are not allowed to have admissions criteria. For example, a charter school cannot require students to pass a test or have a certain grade point average to be admitted.

Charter schools are public schools of choice. Unlike private schools, charter schools receive public funding, cannot charge tuition, and are not allowed to have admissions criteria. Also, unlike private schools, charter schools are subject to many of the same state and federal regulations as traditional public schools. For example, charter schools participate in the same statewide assessments and accountability measures as traditional public schools.

No, charter schools do not have admissions requirements other than residing in the school's designated attendance zone. Charter schools, as public schools, must adhere to the same open admission and enrollment standards as traditional public schools. If more families seek to enroll in a charter school than space permits, the school will hold a random lottery to determine which students are admitted.

Yes. Charter schools, as public schools, are required to comply with IDEA and Section 504.

The charter school governing board is responsible for overseeing the operations of the school and ensuring that the school fulfills its contractual and legal obligations. Georgia law provides broad autonomy to charter school boards to make decisions regarding school operations, including staffing, curriculum, student discipline and finances.