SAVANNAH, GA – October 8, 2020 – Savannah Classical Academy (SCA) reports an increase in parent inquires as this charter school remains the only district school currently offering a full-time, in-person learning option.
SCA Executive Director Barry Lollis reported a significant increase of over 100% in lottery applications for the 2020-2021 school year when compared to the previous year and anticipates a further increase for the next year during this time of COVID-19. SCA received over 850 applications for 96 slots. This trend reflects a recent poll1 in which Georgia voters overwhelmingly support public charter schools. Two-thirds, 67%, of likely voters participating in a Cygnal public opinion poll expressed favorable views of public charter schools. The survey of 640 likely voters also found that a sizeable percentage of parents who live in metro Atlanta (72%) and (75%) in South and East Georgia would send their children to a public charter school if one was available in their community.
For years, the Georgia Charter Schools Association has seen strong demand by families seeking to enroll their children in a Georgia public charter school. In 2012, a supermajority of Georgia voters backed an amendment to reestablish a state authorizer for charter schools in Georgia’s constitution. Families in the state continue to believe that public charter schools put the needs of students first and positively contribute to Georgia’s overall public-school system.
Lollis states, “After SCA was founded in 2013, families have increasingly supported the option of educating their children within the charter school system. SCA is now a K-12 school and we are currently receiving record levels of inquiries every week from families interested in our charter school model and the success of SCA’s return to the full-time on campus learning.”
SCA has filled all available slots for this year. 96 more slots will be available for the 2021-22 school year to any student residing in Chatham County. Places are allocated via the school lottery system and the application process for this will open in November. SCA is partially funded by earned public education allotments and retains a charter that allows it to operate autonomously under a board of parents and community members. SCA is supported by the Savannah Classical Academy Foundation, a non-profit organization. To learn more about SCA, or to find out how to support initiatives of this charter school, visit www.savannahclassicalacademy.org/sca-foundation/
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(1The advanced multi-mode survey of Republican, Democratic, Independent and undecided voters was conducted between Aug. 22-Aug. 24, 2020.)
