The Georgia Charter Schools Commission authorized a new class of charter schools to open this fall, including a K-12 “virtual campus,” two K-8 schools and a middle school. Its decision to free up funding will enable two other cyber schools to start up as well.
 

After months of research, the commission agreed to increase funding for cyber schools from $3,400 to $5,800 per pupil – a figure below the national average of $6,500, but one that operators say they can live with.
 

“What we just did is to bring Georgia’s educational system into the 21st century,” said Ben Scafidi, chairman of the Georgia Charter Schools Commission said after votes were cast. “Come this fall Georgia will be a national leader in virtual eduation.”
 

Georgia Connections Academy was the sole cyber school approved Thursday. The three other charters, all bricks and mortar operations, are Cherokee Charter Academy (the county’s first charter school), Heritage Preparatory Academy and Chattahoochee Hills Charter School. Eleven other petitioners were recommended for denial.

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