OCTOBER NEWSLETTER
October 3, 2025
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A Majority of Georgia Charter School Authorizers
Meets Standards
Nine charter school authorizers met the Georgia Principles and Standards for Charter School Authorizing in a recent evaluation. Two local district authorizers, Atlanta Public Schools and DeKalb County Public Schools, and the statewide authorizer, the State Charter School Commission, were awarded the highest overall rating of Exemplary.
The evaluation is based on a set of standards jointly developed by the State Charter Schools Commission (SCSC) and the Georgia Department of Education and adopted by the State Board of Education. The standards, which are rooted in state law and based on national best practices, promote accountability and guide authorizers in implementing high-quality charter school authorizing practices.
The evaluation includes a review of the authorizer’s policies and practices, resulting in an overall rating of Exemplary (EX), Adequate (AD), or Needs Improvement (NI) based on their performance on the 15 Georgia Standards for Quality Charter School Authorizing.
The Office of Charter School Compliance (OCSC), a division of the SCSC, released the evaluations of Georgia’s ten Local Authorizers, marking the first assessment under unified charter school authorizer standards. Local Authorizers with an overall Needs Improvement rating will receive targeted training from the OCSC. Future annual evaluations of local authorizers will include stakeholder feedback that may impact overall quality ratings.
“The ultimate goal of the evaluation, beyond transparency, is to identify areas where support and guidance are needed. The OCSC will be offering coaching, training, and other meaningful support to districts with identified gaps,” said OCSC Senior Director Allen Mueller, “Over time, this will result in better educational opportunities for Georgia students and parents.”
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SCSC-Authorized Schools Continue to
Show Gains in Graduation Rate
| Statesboro STEAM Academy Class of 2025 | |
SCSC-authorized charter schools achieved an average graduation rate of 88% in 2025, beating the state’s average of 87% and marking the fifth consecutive year state charter schools have matched or exceeded the state’s four-year graduation rate. The graduation rate is factored into the academic section of the SCSC’s Comprehensive Performance Framework for state charter schools serving grades 9-12.
Five of the nine state charter schools exceeded the graduation rate of the district in which they are located in 2025. Two schools achieved 100% graduation rates: Academy for Classical Education for the second year in a row, and Statesboro STEAM Academy. These schools, along with Baconton Community Charter School, have each maintained graduation rates above 95% for the past five years.
Charter high schools across Georgia demonstrated strong graduation outcomes, with 14 of 19 schools—including both state and locally-authorized charter schools—surpassing the statewide graduation rate for the 2024-25 school year. Among locally-authorized charter schools, nine out of ten outperformed their authorizing district's averages.
View 2025 district- and school-level graduation rates.
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Scholarships Provided to State Charter
Schools to Attend Conference
| | Charter school leaders and board members speaking during a panel discussion. | | |
The SCSC provided $200 scholarships for more than 30 state charter school representatives to attend the Georgia Charter Schools Association's (GCSA) inaugural Maximizing Student Success Conference. The two-day conference, held September 11-12, provided professional development focused on strengthening instructional practices and school operations.
Tony Eitel, a Leader Advisor for the SCSC, was a featured presenter at the conference. Mr. Eitel led a session on turning data into actionable insights, demonstrating how Georgia Milestones Achievement Level Descriptors can guide lesson planning, student grouping, and support.
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"The GCSA Maximizing Student Success Conference was a great opportunity for me to connect with peers across my professional network, learn from school leaders across the state, and forge new partnerships in service of our mission," said Dr. Josh Pinto Taylor, Head of School at The Anchor School.
Several SCSC staff members also attended the conference: Erica Acha-Morfaw, Communications Specialist, Katie Manthey, Director of Research and Evaluation, Henry Seibentritt, Academic Evaluation Manager, and Naquita Smith, School Support and Outreach Coordinator.
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SCSC Sponsors School Leaders in
Leadership Development Program
| Left-to-right: James Deenihan, LeveragED Foundation, Dr. Charcia Nichols, Danielle Mack, Amy Harris, Michele Neely, Dr. Meghan Mackay, LeveragED Foundation, Dr. Richard Seigler-Carter, LeveragED Foundation | |
The SCSC is providing scholarships for two state charter school leaders to participate in the LeveragED Foundation’s new LaunchPad program, a year-long leadership development program designed to provide strategic guidance and tools needed to build exceptional, sustainable schools.
Dr. Charcia Nichols, Executive Director of Ivy Prep Academy, and Danielle Mack, Chief Executive Officer of Ethos Classical Charter School, were selected for the program through a competitive process. Amy Harris, Principal of Amana Academy North, a Fulton County charter school, was also selected for the cohort program. The LeveragED Foundation partnered with the Georgia Charter Schools Association to make the opportunity possible for Georgia charter school leaders.
LaunchPad convened with leaders from Georgia, New York, Connecticut, Utah, and Nevada September 16-18 in Atlanta for a kickoff meeting. Throughout the year, participants engage in structured training sessions, receive one-on-one executive coaching, and collaborate with a peer network of education leaders driving school improvement. The program also includes access to Harvard's Certificate in School Management and Leadership (CSML) courses, which integrate education and business frameworks to strengthen operational and instructional leadership.
Michele Neely, SCSC Senior Director of School Support and Outreach, and Christa Thomas, GCSA Vice President of New School Development, participated in cohort sessions with school leaders during the September convening.
| | Supplemental CSP State Entity Grant Funds Awarded | | The SCSF has been awarded $12,538,333 in supplemental funds for the CSP State Entity Grant in Georgia, bringing the total grant award to over $50 million. The additional funds will support the following activities and initiatives: | |
1. Additional funds for subgrants. Georgia has been granted a waiver to increase the total CSP SE Subgrant award from $1.5 million to $2 million for New and Replication charter schools. Schools located in a primary community or planning to offer high school will be eligible for higher supplemental subgrant funds. Existing subgrantees and current subgrant applicants will receive instructions on apply for additional funds.
2. New subgrant programs. Two new subgrant programs to support high-dosage tutoring and implementation of CTAE programming will be available to all existing charter schools in Georgia.
3. Expanded technical assistance activities. Existing CSP SE Grant technical assistance activities will be strengthened to increase impact for charter schools and the State of Georgia.
The SCSF is grateful for this additional award from the U.S. Department of Education and the positive impact it will have on students and schools in Georgia! Please stay tuned for more details.
| | SCSC Conducts Annual Visits to State Charter Schools | | |
The SCSC Board of Commissioners (Board) and staff are conducting annual visits to state charter schools, including new school visits, renewal visits, and Health & Safety Facility visits. The visits will continue through October 31st.
The SCSC conducts new school visits during the school's second year of operations. Renewal visits occur at schools in the final year of their charter contract as part of the SCSC Renewal Process. Both visits provide an opportunity for the SCSC Board and staff to tour the school, monitor classroom instruction, and engage with school leadership.
Health & Safety Facility visits are part of SCSC Monitoring to check for compliance with the charter contract and applicable laws, regulations, and policies. These visits are one of many data sources that contribute to the operational section of the Comprehensive Performance Framework, the SCSC's accountability tool.
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Staff Spotlight:
Erica Acha-Morfaw
Earns Accreditation
| Erica Acha-Morfaw, Communications Specialist, earned her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) May 2025. The year-long APR accreditation process—administered by the Universal Accreditation Board—entails demonstrating broad knowledge and professional judgment through multiple assessments, a portfolio submission, panel presentation, and comprehensive examination. Maintaining the APR requires annual continuing education. Acha-Morfaw applies this enhanced expertise to strengthen communications for the SCSC. | |
Proposed Rulemaking Feedback Period
The SCSC Board of Commissioners voted to initiate proposed rulemaking procedures at its meeting on September 24, 2025.
See below for the rules currently under consideration, and visit the Proposed Rulemaking Procedures page to review the rules packets and provide feedback. The deadline to provide feedback is October 27, 2025.
- Adoption of SCSC Rule 691-2-.11 Education Service Providers
- Amendment of SCSC Rule 691-2-.06 State Charter School Sites and Facilities
- Adoption of SCSC Rule 691-3-.01 Academic, Governance and Operational Support Grants
- Repeal of SCSC Rule 691-3-.01 State Charter School Governing Board Training Reimbursement Grant
- Repeal of SCSC Rule 691-3-.02 State Charter School Staff Training Reimbursement Grant
- Repeal of SCSC Rule 691-3-.03 State Charter School Asset Redistribution
- Repeal of SCSC Rule 691-3-.04 Norm-Referenced Assessment Assistance Grant
- Repeal of SCSC Rule 691-3-.05 Emergency School Operations Fund Grant
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FY26 State Charter School Petition Cycle
FY26 Petition Letter of Intent (LOI) - Now Available
The LOI is the required first step for all start-up and replication applicants in the SCSC’s FY26 petitions process.
All LOI must be submitted through our online application portal, Edlusion, no later than 11:59 p.m. (EST) on December 31, 2025.
State Charter School Petitioner Bootcamp - Registration Now Open
Registration Link
Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Time: 9:30 AM – 2:30 PM (EST)
The SCSC invites prospective petitioners to attend the FY26 Petitioner Bootcamp, a virtual training designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the state charter school petition process.
This live event will feature sessions on application requirements, fiscal planning, board governance, academic programming, and more. Whether you're new to the process or a returning applicant, this bootcamp will provide practical insights to support your success in the FY26 state charter school petition cycle.
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All state charter school governing board members are required to complete annual board governance training. The FY26 training calendar is now available on the SCSC Training Page, and registration details are coming soon. The SCSC Governance Training Policy, Guidance, and a list of approved alternate providers are also posted on the SCSC Training Page.
Governance Training Dates
November 5-6 - Middle Georgia State University, Macon
February 10-11 - Loudermilk Conference Center, Atlanta
The SCSC Governance Training Policy, Guidance, and a list of approved external providers are posted on the SCSC Training Page. New Board Members are required to complete 12 hours of training annually from the SCSC for their first two years of service. Ten hours are provided at the in-person training, and two hours will be provided through virtual asynchronous Tenured Board Members are required to complete 6 hours of training annually, which will be provided at the in-person training.
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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.
| | 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. | | Copyright © 2025 State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia, All rights reserved. | | | | |
