Special Subcommittee to Study Short-Term Solution for Charter Schools

The fate of Ivy Preparatory Academy, a commissioned charter school in Peachtree Corners, and the state's 15 other charter schools is still unclear after the Georgia Supreme Court ruled the commissioned charter schools unconstitutional last month.

Ivy Prep, an all-girls school with some 480 students, may have found a way to keep its doors open come fall. The school has been in talks with Gwinnett County Public School leaders to work out details to become a Gwinnett charter school.

In the meantime, Fran Millar, State Senator (Dist. 40) Chairman of the Senate Education Committee who also chairs a Special Subcommittee, met Friday with leaders from a number of the affected commissioned charter schools to address the Supreme Court ruling that struck down their charters.

“When all is said and done, we’re talking about academic achievement and charter schools continue to prove themselves with results." Millar said in a statement today.

"At today’s meeting, we focused on short-term solutions for the parents and students who chose to attend charter schools in the fall. They deserve to be able to take advantage of the educational option they think is best.

"State leadership is urging local school boards to approve charter schools in their area, which is the best case scenario for the immediate school year. Otherwise, charter schools can apply to be a State Special Charter School with reduced funding..."

Ivy Preparatory has about 200 students who live in DeKalb County but attend the Gwinnett school. Millar said efforts were being made to create an intra-governmental agreement with DeKalb to provide funds for the students to continue attending Ivy Prep.