Charter school proposal goes to Bibb school board [The Macon Telegraph, Ga.]

Jun. 17--The Macon Academy of Excellence could open as Bibb County's first charter school next year if the school board approves the proposal next month.

The proposed school, which would cover kindergarten through eighth grade, could be housed at the Progressive Christian Academy campus off Riverside Drive, in the Pleasant Hill neighborhood.

Progressive's founder said this week that she is retiring and closing that school's doors in May 2011.

Macon Academy of Excellence proposes to enroll up to 450 students systemwide on a first-come, first-served basis. It would open in August 2011.

So far, though, no charter school petition has been approved in Bibb County.

"This board will give them a fair but thorough examination," said Gary Bechtel, the Bibb County school board president. "My only concern, and I am confident I reflect the opinion of the board, is that we want to be certain they have the capability to do what they claim they can do in their application."

Charter schools are publicly funded schools open to any child, often through a lottery. They operate according to a contract approved by a local school board or the Georgia Charter Schools Commission. The people who run charter schools are responsible for the school's performance, but they can manage the school as they want.

New charter schools have access to $400,000 in federal funding for startup costs, but they are responsible for other costs, which can require fundraising, grants and private donations.

They often have longer school hours and control over hiring and particular areas of focus, but they must meet academic expectations outlined in their contracts.

The last petitions for charter schools in Bibb County, in 2004 and 2005, were rejected. Traditionally, school boards across the state are reluctant to approve charter schools, although they are gaining traction, according to the Georgia Charter Schools Association. The federal Race to the Top education initiative is fueling some of that interest.

"There needs to be a mix of traditional, magnet and charter schools" in Bibb County, said Macon businessman Charles Rutland, who helped file this most recent petition.

Other founding members of the Macon Academy of Excellence include attorney Veronica Brinson, financial adviser Trent Solomon, and recreation department employee Clarence Thomas.

The group proposes to pay a management company a fee to oversee payroll, school maintenance and other functions for the charter school.

L. Vernon Allwood, a former New York City schoolteacher who worked most recently as the Morehouse School of Medicine's special projects director, and his wife, Rosemary, a former Spelman College dean of students, would be paid to manage the charter school.

The two work for EdFutures, which manages four charter schools in the country, including the University Community Academy in Atlanta, a Title 1 Distinguished School that has garnered attention for meeting state testing goals.

Letter of support from mayor

The Macon Academy for Excellence proposes to offer an international core curriculum and a character building component.

This past February, the group, as well as one other one, sent the Bibb school board letters of intent to start charter schools. On May 17, the Macon Academy of Excellence submitted its petition, a report detailing how the school would function.

The group also submitted 450 Bibb residents' signatures who favored starting a charter school.

Mayor Robert Reichert, Education First Executive Director Julie Moore and City Council President Miriam Paris wrote letters of support for the proposed charter school.

"I am encouraged by the Macon Academy of Excellence's 21st Century international core curriculum, which includes foreign language instruction. That seems particularly appropriate for the times in which we now live," Reichert said in his letter. "In addition to the direct educational benefits, there is significant evidence that the presence of charter schools in a community is viewed favorably by business leaders and can significantly increase the attractiveness of that community in the economic development area."

Paris said "it's something we haven't tried before and worth giving a shot."

Vernon Allwood said his interest is to help children in underserved areas gain better access to quality schools. Many children falling behind are often "poor, minority students," he said.

In Bibb County, Rutland said there is a perception that low-income, minority children can't learn, and that's not the case.

"It's one thing I've repeatedly heard, and we have to get rid of that attitude," Rutland said.

A committee is now reviewing the group's petition -- about 75 pages -- and has not yet submitted it to board members with a recommendation, according to Cathy Magouyrk, the Bibb County school system's deputy superintendent of teaching and learning. The school board is set to either approve or reject the proposal at its July 15 meeting. The group has said if rejected locally, it will ask the Georgia Charter Schools Commission for approval.

There are 121 charter schools in the state, up from 35 schools five years ago, said Tony Roberts, chief executive officer for the Georgia Charter Schools Association. More than half of them are located in metro Atlanta.

The Georgia Charter Schools Commission was established in recent years to give petitioners another route. The commission can approve a charter even if a local school board has rejected it. If that happens, a local school board has no control over the charter.

The commission has approved nine charter petitions, including Ivy Prep Academy in Norcross, that had been rejected by the school boards, he said.

"One size does not fit all anymore," Roberts said. "It's a shame education is in an old paradigm where the government establishes schools and you go, unless you are rich enough to move or pay for private school."

To contact writer Julie Hubbard, call 744-4331.

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