DeKalb’s New Charter Schools Policy Receives Pushback

The language in the DeKalb County school board’s new charter schools policy is getting some pushback.

The new document says DeKalb will authorize charter schools with “innovative, unique … academic programs.”  State officials want to remove the word “innovative,” because they say it sets an unreasonably high standard.  Friday, the Georgia Charter Schools Association echoed the state’s request in an open letter to DeKalb officials.

“We want every school to be innovative, we want teaching methods to be innovative,” said GCSA president and CEO Tony Roberts. “But it’s just such a broad word. It’s too subjective; how do you measure innovation?”