The Forum

Charter School Amendment - An Important Tool For Reform

Brookhaven lawmaker Ed Lindsey enters into The Forum with his opinion on next week's statewide charter school ballot referendum.

State Rep. Edward Lindsey (R-Atlanta) is Georgia House Majority Whip, and represents portions of Brookhaven and Buckhead in the state House: The Charter School Amendment is an important education reform for Georgia. Statewide, the overall high school graduation rate hovers in the mid 60% range, and in many school districts serving mostly low income students the graduation rate is closer to the low 50% level. This is morally and economically unacceptable for both our students and this great state. Like most voters, I believe that local school systems should have primary responsibility of education in our communities. However, this local control should never be confused with exclusive control. There must always be checks and balances for …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Dawn

9:09 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Thank you, Eddie E. Indeed, there are many charter systems not worth the space they occupy and many more will join their ranks after the passage of Amendment 1 (which was touted in the ballot verbage to improve education for the masses without any empirical evidence to support the claim). I am totally disgusted with personal political agendas driving public education. Educators have worked …   more ›

Do You Support The Charter Schools Amendment?

On Nov. 6, voters will decide if the state of Georgia can create charter schools, or will those decisions remain at the local levels.

In less than two weeks, voters will decide if Georgia can create a state commission authorizing charter schools. The issue has stirred controversy all across metro Atlanta. Some Democratic leaders are calling the ballot biased and misleading. Others, however, are reaching across political aisles to support the amendment. On Saturday, Oct. 27, two state lawmakers - one Republican, the other a Democrat - are headlining a rally in support of the amendment. State Sen. Jason Carter, who represents some of Decatur under the Gold Dome, is outspoken in his opposition to the measure. Some parents who support charter schools are running into opposition in their respective PTAs. One DeKalb County mom said national PTA leaders support charter schools…

•  156 Comments
• Photos (1)

Monty Brewster

8:50 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013

The status quo is over spending. Where are all these funds coming from to pay for new charters?   more ›

New bill could change the way charter school teachers are evaluated

Subcommittee hearings on the bill start this morning.

Read this story's update here. Charter schools will have to comply with the same personnel procedures as public school if a new bill currently before the Georgia General Assembly becomes law. Teachers at charter schools, such as PATH Academy in Brookhaven, could soon be suspended or fired in the same manner as their public school counterparts. Currently, school principals at charter schools have the authority to remove or suspend staff based on their own evaluations. Senate Bill 207, scheduled for a Thursday morning subcommittee hearing, would require charter schools to comply with the same state law and personnel procedures as public school administrators. The bill is sponsored by state Sens. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) and Horacena Tate (D-…

• Photos (1)