Georgia State Charter School Authorizer Receives Exemplary Rating

ATLANTA – The State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia (SCSC) is an exemplary charter school authorizer, according to an evaluation report conducted by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA).

“The State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia is a quality authorizer imbued with commitment, leadership, and judgment,” said NACSA evaluators. “Staff demonstrate a deep understanding of their role as an authorizer: to foster accountability, to protect schools’ agency and autonomy, and, when appropriate, to serve as a support for schools.”

NACSA conducted an evaluation of the statewide charter school authorizer in accordance with the Georgia Principles and Standards for Charter School Authorizing. NACSA is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that designed the model principles and standards for effective charter school authorizing.   The 15 Georgia principles and standards are informed by national best practices, align with state law and aim to encourage authorizer accountability and guide local boards of education, the SBOE, and the SCSC in meeting high-quality authorizing practices.

The SCSC is the first charter school authorizer in Georgia to undergo an evaluation of its practices since the State Board of Education adopted the standards in December 2021. According to Georgia law O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2063.3 the SCSC and all local boards of education that authorize charter schools must undergo an annual evaluation.

“Participating in the evaluations is not only required by law; it also demonstrates an authorizer’s commitment to the principle of accountability,” said the NACSA evaluators. “This principle is at the heart of public education.”

Even with its Exemplary rating, the SCSC aims to keep improving.

“We plan to work with our fellow authorizers and policymakers across the state to ensure Georgia is nationally recognized as a leader in the charter school sector,” said SCSC Executive Director Lauren Holcomb. 

More information about the SCSC Authorizer Evaluation, including the evaluation results, next steps and how to provide feedback, can be found on the SCSC website.

The State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia (SCSC) is Georgia’s state-level, independent charter school authorizing body. 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.  

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