This bill would amend Article 31A of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the O.C.G.A. to allow business partnership schools or satellite learning centers and municipal operation schools to achieve charter school status.

It would also eliminate the current random selection process for any charter school in favor of the same conditions contained in HB 897:

“…any student that lives in the charter attendance zone may apply, and if applications exceed capacity, a random selection process would be utilized. However, the state charter school could give preference to:

1. Students who reside in a specified political subdivision within the charter attendance zone. (A specified political subdivision would be defined as a local school system, county, municipal corporation, consolidated city-county government or other political subdivision with the state, any local authority, local body corporate, or local public corporation created by or pursuant to the Constitution, or any general, local, or special Act of the General Assembly, or any special district or community improvement district of the state);

2. A sibling of a currently enrolled student;

3. A sibling of a student enrolled in another local school designated in the charter;

4. A student whose parent is a member of the governing board of the state charter school, or is a full-time teacher, professional or other employee of the state charter school…”

   It would add to the above eligibility:

1. A child of a business partner in charter-school-in-the-workplace or a resident in the municipality in which the charter-school-in-the-workplace is located, or

2. A child of a resident of the municipality in which a charter-school-in-a-municipality is located.