Catoosa County Public Schools officials announced Aug. 5 that the Performance Learning Center (PLC) has completed the administrative steps to transition from a district program to an independent alternative school, and district staff proposed officially renaming the campus Barnhart Academy for the 2025–26 school year.

Why it matters: Operating the campus as an independent school—rather than a program attached to other schools—will allow the district to report the campus’s data separately under statewide accountability measures and to receive state allotments tied to school status, officials said.

Presenters said the new Barnhart Academy will serve grades 6 through 12, continuing the campus’s current role as a gateway campus for students assigned for serious disciplinary infractions; district officials said the structure could be re‑evaluated in the future if the district’s needs change. “Starting in the 2025‑26 school year, the Barnhart Academy will report its own data for both CCRPI and the Georgia Promise School calculations,” Dr. Butler said during the meeting, referring to state accountability measures.

District staff listed two primary advantages to operating as an independent school: clearer accountability and additional state funding. As staff described, the school will earn state funding for positions such as a principal (previously funded locally when the PLC was a program) and may qualify for different class‑size funding ratios that increase state allotments for alternative schools. Staff also said the change aligns the district’s structure with neighboring districts where alternative campuses operate as independent schools.

Board action: District staff presented a resolution to rename the Performance Learning Center to Barnhart Academy and to designate the Cavaliers as the school mascot. The superintendent recommended board approval; a motion and second were recorded in the meeting minutes. The transcript does not include a roll‑call vote on the resolution.

Discussion versus decision: Board members asked about the campus’s mission and whether it would be a punitive placement. Staff said the campus would initially maintain its current operations as a gateway campus for students assigned for disciplinary infractions but that district leaders will evaluate the school’s role over time.

Background: District staff said the name honors the local Barnhart Circle District and the Barnhart family’s civic contributions and keeps the campus’s existing mascot to maintain continuity. Officials credited Georgia Department of Education staff who assisted with the transition, naming Anthony Pack, Keelan Waldrop and Doug Suits for their roles in the process.

Next steps: Staff said they will implement the administrative changes needed for the start of the next school year and asked the board to adopt the resolution; the board recorded a motion and second on the resolution during the Aug. 5 meeting.