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Senate approves measure to incentivize local approval of charter schools amid long waiting lists
Summary
SB 82 creates state incentives to encourage local school boards to approve charter school petitions and adds accountability for repeated denials; sponsors said the bill aims to reduce long charter waiting lists and expand options within the public system.
The Georgia Senate passed SB 82 on March 11, a bill designed to expand access to charter schools by offering districts financial incentives when they approve new local charter petitions and by placing conditions on local boards that repeatedly deny high-quality petitions.
Sponsor remarks noted there are roughly 21,000 students on charter-school waiting lists in Georgia and that the State Charter Schools Commission has approved dozens of petitions that local districts initially denied. "In the past five years, only one charter school has been approved locally in the state of Georgia," the senator from the 40 fifth said on the floor, urging the Senate to approve the measure to encourage local authorization and to provide parents with more options.
SB 82 creates two incentive streams for districts that approve new charter petitions: (1) additional capital-outlay entitlement credits and (2) a $250,000 per-year grant for three years for each newly approved charter in the district. The bill also includes an accountability provision: districts that repeatedly deny petitions that the state later approves face limits on renewing certain flexibility contracts with the State Board of Education.
Supporters included current and former charter administrators and legislators who said the bill balances parental choice and district responsibilities. Opponents urged caution about incentives that will have budgetary implications, and some urged broader school-funding reform.
The measure passed by substitute on a 44-0 vote and will advance to the House for further consideration.
