Programs and Services

Meetings, Seminars, and Workshops
Communication
Public Relations
Legislative Support
Other Programs

Meetings, Seminars, and Workshops

Annual State Conference. In January of each year GCSA holds its annual state charter school conference in Atlanta. This is a two-day event that features banquets, keynote addresses from prominent leaders in education reform, informative breakout sessions, vendor booths, and plenty of networking opportunities.

Communication

Periodic Updates. The most common means GCSA uses to disseminate news of interest to charter schools is by periodic e-mail updates.

Charter School News. GCSA's Executive Director spends time each week reviewing newspapers and education periodicals from around Georgia and across the nation for articles or editorials relating to charter schools and forwarding most such articles and editorials to the GCSA distribution list.

Monthly Newsletter. In addition to the periodic updates and news distribution, GCSA plans to begin distributing a monthly newsletter during the school year . This newsletter will contain a calendar of upcoming events, an update from the Executive Director, and success stories and articles from Georgia's charter schools.

School Visits. GCSA's long term goal is for its E.D. to visit each new school that opens during its first year of operation and to visit all operating schools at least once every three years.

Public Relations

Web site. GCSA maintains a comprehensive web site that contains information about GCSA as well as a directory of and information about all of the charter schools in Georgia.

Press Releases. GCSA issues press releases as warranted on notable accomplishments by individual charter schools or by Georgia's charter schools as a whole.

Legislative Support

GCSA provides information to legislators and policymakers about the issues that are important to charter schools in Georgia and supports legislation that will give charter schools a fair opportunity to successfully educate the children of Georgia.

Other Programs

Online Job Listings. All GCSA member schools are entitled to free job listings on the GCSA web site. GCSA frequently receives inquiries through the web site from teachers and other individuals who are interested in working at charter schools in Georgia. This job listing will allow those teachers to know exactly what positions member schools have available.

Accountability Program. GCSA is developing a comprehensive accountability program for Georgia's charter schools. Groups will be able to enroll in this program while they are writing their charter petition. The program will provide specific assistance to the participating school in many different forms throughout the charter negotiations and the term of the charter including a simplified renewal process for participating schools.

Resource Library. GCSA maintains a resource library at its office of materials related to educational programs and theories, and to operational issues faced by charter schools. The books and other material in this library is available to all GCSA members.

Directory of Service Providers. Beginning in 2004 GCSA will create an annual Directory of Service Providers which will be updated and distributed to all GCSA members each year.