SCSC Chairman Mike Dudgeon, Commissioner Scott Sweeney, Commissioner Buzz Brockway, and Executive Director Donovan Head with representatives from The Meliora School (left) and Northwest Georgia Charter Academy (right) after charter petition approval on July 30.

State Charter Schools Approved for Gwinnett, Northwest Georgia Communities

The State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia (SCSC) Board of Commissioners voted to approve charter petitions for two new startup charter schools at its board meeting on July 30, 2025. Both schools are scheduled to open in Fall 2026.

The Meliora School will become the first 6th-12th grade charter school in Gwinnett County, offering students an individualized mastery-based education that emphasizes project-based learning in entrepreneurship and computer science. 

Northwest Georgia Charter Academy will become a community-focused K-12 school in Cave Spring and the first charter school in the region. The petition follows the closure of Cave Spring Elementary School and years of planning by the community. Students will learn through hands-on, project-based learning, including financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and civic responsibility.

The SCSC received 14 startup charter school petitions in FY2025, and nine petitioners participated in capacity interviews. SCSC staff, with the feedback from panelists, make recommendations to the SCSC Board of Commissioners to approve or deny petitions, and commissioners vote upon those recommendations.

The SCSC currently has 50 operational state charter schools in the 2025-26 school year. With these new approvals, the SCSC will have 56 state charter schools authorized for Fall 2026, including four previously approved schools: Dominion Purpose Academy (Columbus), Fayette Classical Academy (Fayette County), Movement School – Athens (Clarke County), and The Wright Community School (location to be determined). Over 38,000 students were enrolled last spring in state charter schools in Georgia.

Full Release

Local School Districts Approve Charter Schools

Local school districts have approved two new charter schools after seven years without a new locally-authorized charter school in Georgia. Both schools are scheduled to open in Fall 2026.

The Richmond County Board of Education approved its first charter school at a meeting on July 22, 2025. Georgia Discovery Charter Academy, a 4th-8th grade school, will serve students in Augusta. The school plans to infuse the learning environment with outdoor learning, animal therapy, art therapy, and STEM programs to offer students an innovative educational opportunity.

On June 2, 2025, the Clayton County Board of Education approved a replication of Tapestry Public Charter School, which currently operates in DeKalb County. Tapestry serves students through an inclusive, personalized model designed to support both neurotypical and neurodivergent learners. The schools will participate in the Replication and Expansion Cohort Program, funded by Georgia’s CSP State Entity Grant.

The Savannah-Chatham County Board of Education approved the district’s first new charter school since 2017 at its August 13, 2025, meeting. REACH Public Schools will serve 9th-12th grade students through a flexible, blended learning model designed to support students who struggle in traditional school settings and need personalized pathways to earn their high school diploma.

These approvals follow the passage of Senate Bill 82 during the 2025 legislative session. The bill addresses Georgia's charter school access challenges by incentivizing local school districts to approve more charter schools and holding districts accountable when they repeatedly deny high-quality charter petitions.

Georgia Discovery Charter Academy representatives after approval by Richmond County Board of Education on July 22.

Tapestry Public Charter School staff and students after approval by Clayton County Board of Education on June 2.

REACH Public Schools

 Georgia Charter Schools Celebrate New Beginnings

Several state charter schools are celebrating new facilities and expanded opportunities for students. 

Michele Neely and Carmen Freemire attend DeKalb Brilliance Academy's ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 18.

DeKalb Brilliance Academy (DBA), entering its fourth year of operation, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 18th to celebrate the completion of its new state-of-the-art campus in DeKalb County. Michele Neely, Senior Director of School Support and Outreach, and Carmen Freemire, Senior Director of Finance, represented the SCSC at the ceremony and enjoyed a tour of the new facility. DBA expects to add 5th-8th grades, serving up to 700 students, and the new facility was designed to support this growth

Four Points Preparatory Academy celebrated its ribbon-cutting on July 22nd with SCSC Executive Director Donovan Head in attendance. The new start-up state charter school is located in Braselton (Jackson County) and serves grades K-5 through a character-focused curriculum built on core virtues to develop strong citizenship qualities.

Four Points Preparatory Academy's ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 22.

Executive Director Head attends Four Points Preparatory Academy's ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 22.

Movement School South Fulton celebrated its grand opening on July 26th, welcoming students to Movement Schools’ first Georgia campus. The new start-up state charter school will serve grades K-5 and centers its educational model on problem-based learning, character development, and college and career readiness.

The Simple Vue Academy's ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 2.

Movement School South Fulton's grand opening on July 26.

The Simple Vue Academy in Douglasville held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 2nd. The new start-up charter school will serve 6th-12th grade students through a Project-Based STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) model focused on fostering entrepreneurial thinking, promoting community engagement, and preparing students for the evolving demands of the 21st-century workforce. 

Cherokee Classical Academy, a Liberty Classical School, also opened its doors in August and will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the public later this month.

SCSC Supports Laptop and Book Distributions for Students

Naquita Smith distributes supplies at DuBois Integrity Academy on July 8.

SCSC School Support and Outreach Specialist Molly Gassman, School Support and Outreach Coordinator Naquita Smith, and Legal Intern Gabriel Olmeda attended several school events, distributing over 600 books, 90 laptops, and FindaGaCharter.org t-shirts to state charter school families preparing for the new school year.

On July 8th, the SCSC partnered with Compudopt, a nonprofit organization dedicated to digital literacy, to host a laptop distribution for students at DuBois Integrity Academy (DIA). This event is the latest collaboration between Compudopt and the SCSC. Compudopt provides the laptops and technical support to families free of charge. 

The SCSC distributed high-interest books to state charter school students at DIA, Atlanta SMART Academy, PEACE Academy, and the International Academy of Smyrna. Books were donated by Jack and Jill of America, Inc., which held a book drive at its Southeastern Region Teen Leadership conference to support literacy at state charter schools.

Families attend Atlanta SMART Academy's

Back-to-School Jam on July 26.

Students receive books at PEACE Academy's

Olive Branch Festival on July 26.

Atlanta SMART Academy held its Back-to-School Jam on July 26th. The event welcomed families and featured building tours, supply giveaways, and activities to build excitement for the new school year.

On the same day, PEACE Academy's third annual Olive Branch Festival connected students and parents with local businesses and programs with live music, dancing, and games. 

International Academy of Smyrna welcomed families at its Sneak-a-Peek Open House on July 31st. Enrolled and interested families toured classrooms, interacted with school faculty and staff, and learned about school programs for the coming year.

Molly Gassman and Gabriel Olmeda at International Academy of Smyrna's Meet-and-Greet Open House on July 31.

August Board Meeting

SCSC Board of Commissioners will hold its August Board Meeting on Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. The meeting will be live-streamed for virtual attendees. Visit the SCSC Board Governance page for meeting details. 

Share Your School's Story

State charter schools across Georgia are making an impact –

we want to help share that story.

We invite state charter schools to submit accomplishments, milestones, and program highlights to be considered for future features. Email your updates to erica.achamorfaw@scsc.georgia.gov. 

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The State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia (SCSC) is a state-level, independent charter school authorizing entity. The SCSC has the power to approve or deny petitions for state charter schools and renew, nonrenew, or terminate state charter school contracts in accordance with Georgia law.

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