Overview
The Georgia charter schools law provides the means to organize a charter public school subject to an academic or vocational performance-based contract approved by both the state and local boards of education.
A group of people (educators, parents, community leaders, or others) write the charter plan (i.e. charter contract) describing the school’s guiding principles, governance structure, and applicable accountability measures. Specific goals and operating procedures for the charter school are detailed in an agreement (or “charter”) between the school system, state department of education, and charter organizers. The charter contract often exempts the school from agreed upon state and local rules, regulations, policies, and procedures and from certain provisions of Title 20 of Georgia law.
Petitions
The DeKalb County School District will accept letters of intent from existing charter school operators seeking contract renewals for school year 2026-2027 until Monday, January 6, 2025 at 12:00PM EST. Start-up charter school petitioners seeking to operate beginning in school year 2027-2028 may submit letters of intent until September 30, 2025 at 12:00PM EST.
| Timelines for Charter Petition Cycles (Seeking to Operate in SY2025-2026) | |
|---|---|
| Letter of Intent due to DeKalb County School District & GADOE | September 30, 2024 by 12:00 PM- Start-ups January 6, 2025 by 12:00PM – Renewals |
| Petitioners’ Workshop | October 16, 2024 (Start-Ups) January 27, 2025 (Renewals) |
| Petition due to School Innovation Department | February 7, 2025 by 12:00PM (Start-Ups) October 2025 TBD (Renewals) October 17, 2024 by 12:00PM (Renewals seeking to operate in SY2025-2026) |
| Charter School Petition Documents | |
All applications should be submitted electronically via DropBox to:
Adrienne Lacey Griffin, Manager III, School Innovation School Innovation Department DeKalb County School District Administrative & Instructional Complex 1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd Stone Mountain, Georgia 30083 charterschools@dekalbschoolsga.org For more information regarding the charter school petition process, please review the GaDOE’s resources. |
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Funding Calculations
Funding for a DeKalb County School District (DCSD) charter school’s instructional and administrative programs will comply with the Georgia Charter Schools Act of 1998, Article 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, and applicable State Board of Education (SBOE) rules. The District shall fund charter schools pursuant to the funding formula provided by O.C.G.A.§ 20- 2-2068.1 and appropriate SBOE rules.
Department Services Guide
The Department Services Guide provides a description of in-kind and buy-back services available through the DeKalb County School District for charter schools authorized by the DeKalb Board of Education and the State Board of Education. The Guide is reviewed and published annually. The scope of services and costs contained in the Department Services Guide are subject to change at the sole discretion of the District. The Guide is organized by District division.