In its effort to change and improve charter school laws in at least five states over one year, The Center for Education Reform (CER) announced today that its efforts over the previous six months to help Georgians understand and advance the benefits of stronger charter school laws have come to fruition.
In a statehouse news conference last week, Georgia State Representative Jan Jones (R-Alpharetta) announced her commitment to improving public education in Georgia with a bill that would create an independent authorizer of charter schools. Georgia law currently allows only local school districts to approve the creation of charter schools.
Using data commissioned by CER in partnership with the Georgia Charter School Association and My School My Choice Georgia, Jones revealed that more than 72 percent of Georgians surveyed understand and support having more than one entity in the state authorized to approve and oversee charter public schools. The concept is also strongly supported across all demographics including political affiliation. Such entities (such as independent commissions or universities) are commonly called "independent authorizers," and are currently in place in 17 states. Research shows that states with multiple authorizers have more and higher-quality charter schools.
"Just like they don't believe there is one silver bullet or one problem in education, Georgians don't believe one entity should be in control," says Kellyanne Conway, a national opinion expert and president of the polling company, inc. the Washington, D.C. firm commissioned to conducted focus groups on the multiple authorizer issue in Georgia.
A bill introduced by Representative Jones would correct the climate in Georgia chartering which currently restricts charter school proposals to seeking approval only from local school boards. In 2007, 21 out of 21 applications in the metro Atlanta area alone were rejected, clearly indicating the need for an alternative avenue for quality educational opportunities.
Jones' bill would create an independent commission that would allow applicants to seek charters from an agency whose only focus would be charter schools. Experience suggests that school boards value freedom from any additional time or resource requirements.
"This bill represents a commitment to improving public education for all children throughout Georgia," Jones said. "Parents deserve to have some decision-making power in their children's education. This bill will result in more high caliber, highly accountable charter schools for Georgia students."
Jones' bill creating an independent authorizer enjoys strong support across party lines, with co-sponsors including House Education Committee Chairman Brooks Coleman (R-Duluth) and Representatives Kathy Ashe (D-Atlanta), Melvin Everson (R-Snellville), Edward Lindsey (R-Atlanta), Margaret Kaiser (D-Atlanta), Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody), Alisha Morgan (D-Austell), Donna Sheldon (R-Dacula) and Mabel Thomas (D-Atlanta).
CER president Jeanne Allen praised the efforts of Georgia state leaders to advance education reform in their states.
"There are few things more fulfilling than seeing our hard work result in greater educational opportunity for all children and families," Allen said. "We've enjoyed working with the Peach State's policymakers and the charter school leadership there on the important issue of independent authorizers - something we know will open new doors of opportunity for Georgia schoolchildren."
For more information about this and other efforts to create stronger educational freedom in Georgia and across the country, visit My School My Choice Georgia at www.GeorgiaSchoolChoice.com or The Center for Education Reform at www.edreform.com.
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The Center for Education Reform (CER) creates opportunities for and challenges obstacles to better education for America's communities. Founded in 1993, CER combines education policy with grassroots advocacy to foster positive and bold education reforms. For more information, call (800) 521-2118.
