Legislation Would Allow Parents to Ask School Boards to Convert Tradtional Schools to Charter Schools

By Michelle Wirth

Atlanta, GA – Several Georgia Representatives are proposing a new way to convert a traditional school that's failing to make the grade into a charter school.

The bipartisan legislation has just been introduced and is called the Parent Trigger Act. It would allow the majority of parents present at a public meeting to petition their local school board to request that a traditional school become a charter school.

Atlanta Democratic Representative Kathy Ashe is one of bill's sponsors. She says the legislation requires three circumstances before parents can get involved.

"Number one, it's a low achieving school and has been for two years or the school is on probation, or there is a lack of accreditation, or it's a traditional non-charter public school which has been operating for 10 years."

Ashe says she supports the legislation because it empowers parents, but leaves the ultimate decision in the hands of the local school board.

"I see this as a continuing improvement potential for public schools within the system."

Under the legislation, a local school board would have to approve or deny a parents' petition within 60 days. Currently, a conversion charter petition must be agreed to by a majority of a school's faculty and instructional staff at a public meeting and a majority of parents at a public meeting.