2021 Georgia Code
Title 20 - Education
Chapter 2 - Elementary and Secondary Education
Article 31 - Charter Schools Act of 1998
§ 20-2-2063. Charter Petitions

1. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules, regulations, policies, and procedures to govern the contents of a charter petition.
2. The State Board of Education shall establish rules, regulations, policies, and procedures to provide for the receipt of charter petitions from a group of two or more local schools as a single charter petitioner to convert to conversion charter school status. An existing conversion charter school may join as part of a group charter petition, and if such group charter petition is approved, the new charter shall supersede the conversion charter school's previous charter. A group charter petition may be comprised of all the schools in a high school cluster as such term is defined in Code Section 20-2-2062.
3. The State Board of Education shall establish rules, regulations, policies, and procedures to provide for charter petitions from two or more local school systems to jointly authorize a local charter school.
4. The State Board of Education shall establish rules, regulations, policies, and procedures to provide for a charter petition from a local school system to establish a charter system. Such rules, regulations, policies, and procedures shall require that a charter petition and the charter contain an explanation of the structure, rights, and responsibilities of the principal, governing council, and local board of education of the system charter school, with an objective of maximizing school level governance and the involvement of parents, teachers, and community members in such governance.

(Code 1981, §20-2-2063, enacted by Ga. L. 1998, p. 1080, § 3; Ga. L. 2002, p. 388, § 1; Ga. L. 2005, p. 798, § 9/SB 35; Ga. L. 2007, p. 185, § 4/SB 39.)

- Ga. L. 2007, p. 185, § 1/SB 39, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: "This Act shall be known and may be cited as the 'Charter Systems Act.'"

Ga. L. 2007, p. 185, § 2/SB 39, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: "The General Assembly finds that schools and school systems should be given high flexibility to tailor their educational programs to meet the unique needs of their communities. In furtherance of this, schools and school systems should be encouraged to use innovative educational programs including local management of schools and should be provided resources to help design and implement innovative programs. The General Assembly further finds that schools and school systems shall be held accountable for student achievement."

- For note on 2007 amendment of this Code section, see 24 Gergia St. U.L. Rev. 121 (2007).

State charter schools are subject to the control and management of the local board of education. 2001 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 2001-9.