A crucial charter school bill championed by the Georgia Charter Schools Association and key state lawmakers has received a first reading in the Georgia House. If approved in its current form,  is sponsored by Rep. Scott Hilton, District 48, and does the following:- Shifts the state’s existing Office of Charter School Compliance from the Georgia Department of Education to the State Charter Schools Commission.
- Requires charter school authorizers to itemize and value the services provided to each local charter school in exchange for any administrative fees withheld from the school.Â
- Clarifies the allowable usage of Letters of Assurance.Â
- Ensures that local school boards fund charter schools based on actual student enrollment rather than projected enrollment provided that the school has not exceeded the school-wide enrollment cap outlined in its charter contract.
In addition to House Bill 318, 91³Ô¹Ï is pushing for an increase in Georgia’s Charter School Facility Grant fund. Last year, 91³Ô¹Ï successfully fought for an additional $3 million in facilities funding bringing the grant fund up to $7.5 million — which provided all eligible charter schools an annual grant award of approximately $75,000 to offset significant facility costs. You can read 91³Ô¹Ï’s complete list of 2023 legislative priorities here.