Change would allow tougher local goals, school-specific governing boards

You’ve heard of charter schools, but how about a charter school system?

An initial conversation Monday night gave Fayette County School Board members a look at the potential for establishing a charter school system as an option for the future.

At issue is the difference between following the state path in Investment in Education Excellence (referred to as IE squared) touted by Gov. Sonny Perdue or the current alternative of possibly having an entire school system designated as a charter system.

Superintendent John DeCotis explained that board members could elect at a later meeting to apply for a small study grant to cover the cost of determining if a charter system would be a worthwhile option.

“With a tight budget we’re looking at ways to avoid spending money we shouldn’t have to spend,” DeCotis said, referencing continued cuts through state-funded Quality Based Education funds that have been falling for the past several years.

Board members were told that moving to a charter system would eliminate some requirements, while others, such as Annual Yearly Progress and all federal requirements, would remain. But there is an upside, board members were told.

“Being a charter system allows a district to set standards at a higher level than what the state requires,” DeCotis said.

Those standards could include areas such as attendance, performance and goals, along with some financial incentives, including the capability of spending dollars where the school system believes is most important, DeCotis said.

Another difference in charter school systems is governance. DeCotis said such a system would function with a governing board at each school along with a countywide governing board in addition to elected board members.

“If we’re going to survive we’re going to have to be flexible,” DeCotis said. “In the future I see all kinds of options, but I think we should be proactive since we’re not going to get the (state) money we need.”

Currently the cities of Marietta, Decatur and Gainesville have transitioned to charter school systems.