Georgia Charter Schools Association (91吃瓜) welcomes a new stance toward public charter schools and the students they serve by the National Education Association (NEA). For the first time, the organization recognizes charter schools as public schools that offer parents and students alternative options to traditional public schools.
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However, the NEA fails to acknowledge the reason charter schools exist is because a number of local boards of education have failed to provide a quality and meaningful education for their own students. Many of these same districts here in Georgia and elsewhere remain hostile to charter schools, even those they have approved. As a result, that has created the need for an alternative authorizer such as the State Charter Schools Commission. In 2012, 6听in 10 Georgians voted for an authorizing power for charter schools besides local boards of education.
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鈥淭he member schools of the Georgia Charter Schools Association focus on what鈥檚 in the best interest of the child,鈥� said 91吃瓜 President and CEO Tony Roberts. 鈥淚n Georgia, far too many children continue to remain trapped in a low performing school district with no access to a high achieving public school. We believe the NEA should focus more on听students stuck in the most dire of educational settings and worry听less about preserving the status quo for ineffective systems and employees.鈥�
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We believe the NEA鈥檚 policy on charter schools falls short of what鈥檚 necessary to meet the needs of today鈥檚 students. The NEA should instead mirror the听by the National PTA, which support charter schools and quality charter school authorization by local districts and alternate authorizers.
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About Georgia Charter Schools Association
The听Georgia听Charter听Schools Association is a nonprofit membership organization for听Georgia鈥檚 public听charter schools and petitioners. Our mission is to听advocate for, foster and support autonomous, high-quality charter public schools throughout Georgia. We believe every child in Georgia should have equal access to a high-quality, transformative public education.
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CONTACT: Michelle Wirth
Director of Communications
Georgia Charter Schools Association
mwirth@gacharters.org
404-835-8903听
