Charter schools closing in metro Atlanta

EAST POINT, Ga. — At least four charter schools in metro Atlanta are on the verge of closing their doors. Their demise appears to raise questions about the viability of charter schools compared to more traditional public schools.

The state has established charter school programs to add innovation to traditional public schools.

When a community spends years getting used to a neighborhood charter school, it is especially shocking when the school abruptly closes.

So it’s up to RISE Charter, a charter school in East Point, to reveal that it may have to close next month.

RELATED: Parents, teachers and students calling for Fulton County charter school board to resign

The same thing happened at Seven Pillars Academy, a Clayton County charter school that revealed plans to close.

The state also revealed plans to close Cherokee Charter Academy in Canton and Fulton Leadership Academy in East Point.

Charter schools use taxpayer dollars, but they also have the opportunity to innovate in their academic programs or schedules. If they perform better academically than surrounding public schools and stay afloat financially, backers say they are successful in most cases.

“In Georgia in general, and in Atlanta in particular, the only conclusion that can be drawn is that the results are very good overall,” said Bonnie Holliday of the Georgia Charter School Association, adding that 85 percent of schools in Georgia charter succeed.

However, the state says Fulton Leadership Academy has seen its enrollment and financial viability decline. Similar problems appeared to drain Seven Pillars, RISE Charter and Cherokee Charter Academy.

Holliday says maintaining a charter school isn’t easy.

“They try to try different techniques, different curricula, different academic models to see what works. And most of the time it does,” she said. “And sometimes, when that’s not the case, the charter school closes its doors and makes way for more innovative options.”

Read the full statement from Georgia State Charter School Commission Chairman Mike Dudgeon below:

The Georgia State Charter School Commission (SCSC) serves as the statewide authorizer for charter schools. Unlike traditional district schools, charter schools can be closed if they do not meet the high standards set in their charter contracts. We monitor each public charter school for academic proficiency and growth, financial and operational compliance, and overall governance. This reflects the “charter negotiation” of “increased responsibility in exchange for increased flexibility and autonomy”. We currently serve 48 charter schools throughout Georgia.

Our public charter schools must match or surpass the traditional district schools their students would otherwise attend, by offering innovative, value-added models. Accountability is fundamental to the authorization of charter schools. We are pleased to report that 95% of our public charter school students attend a school that meets these high standards.

Unfortunately, our board made the difficult decision earlier this year to close two charter schools, effective June 30, due to a decade of failure to meet the standards required for renewal.

Each public charter school is run by a board of volunteers. These schools receive millions of dollars each year, and we expect each school board to be a fiscally responsible steward of taxpayer dollars. Due to poor financial management and governance, one school, RISE Schools, was placed on probation. We are actively monitoring and reviewing this situation with great concern for the financial viability of the school for the 2024-2025 school year. Our team is evaluating the situation and may recommend that the board urgently suspend the school and begin dismissal proceedings if it fails to demonstrate verifiable financial and academic viability.

Our priority is students and their families. If such a decision is necessary, we will ensure that the process is handled quickly to allow families sufficient time to plan for the upcoming school year.