by Georgia Charter Schools Association
By Leo Smith
Muhammad Ali once spoke of his boxing strategy as a flurry of聽different punches all working together for one goal.聽 Georgia鈥檚聽emergence as an inspiring fighter for quality education depends on聽the innovative punching power of public charter schools in the state鈥檚聽education mix.
With the establishment of , Governor Deal聽and the legislators who get behind his proposed constitutional聽amendment will rejuvenate the spirit, will,聽and capacity of schools that聽have suffered in both academic performance and qualitative support.
The capacity of a school聽to teach聽effectively聽lies not just in the聽availability of聽operating聽funds, but also in the ability to operate with聽respect to the challenges the local environment presents.聽 Everyone聽agrees that the situation for the schools that would be targeted by聽Deal鈥檚 proposal is dire and our need to respond with non-partisan聽solutions is urgent.
However,聽Opportunity School Districts are more than just a聽last-ditch聽effort聽in a bout with languishing schools and failing children.聽 These districts,聽localized, empowered, and fairly funded like all public educational聽options,聽can be incubators of best practices.聽 The flexibility to address聽economic and social nuances like family structure differences,聽as well as聽the聽stress of poverty,聽has long been cited by sociologists聽and psychologists聽as聽necessary in distressed communities.聽
This undertaking will require detailed work and a true commitment to聽the underserved. As the Governor stated,聽鈥淩oughly 23 percent of聽schools have received either a D or an F, which constitutes a failing聽grade, for the past three consecutive years. When the system fails, our聽children have little chance of succeeding.鈥� 聽
Like charter schools,聽Opportunity School District legislation is the combination punch聽we need for comprehensive educational reform.
Leo Smith is State Director of Minority Engagement for the Georgia GOP and a member of the Georgia Charter Schools Association Advocacy Committee.
The views and opinions expressed on CharterConfidential聽are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency.
Georgia Charter Schools Association
The Georgia Charter Schools Association (91桃色视频) is the membership organization for Georgia鈥檚 charter school operators and petitioners, established in 2001. Our mission is to be an effective advocate and service provider for all charter public schools in Georgia.
