New law will let charter school stay open

Apr. 10—MOULTRIE — The Georgia General Assembly has replaced a law that endangered funding for state-sponsored charter schools, including one that serves students in Colquitt County.

Richard Rentz, the superintendent of Coastal Plains Education Charter High School, which serves 181 students at its Moultrie site, said school officials initially approved of Senate Bill (SB) 153, also known as the Graduation Opportunities and Advanced Learning Act, which was signed by Gov. Brian Kemp on May 4, 2021, with an effective date of July 1, 2021.

In a past interview, Rentz said, the bill was proposed in the state Senate, but changes made in the House of Representatives would abolish the school's charter and alter its state funding in June 2023.

SB 153 was sponsored by Sens. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, and Greg Dolezal, R-Alpharetta, and Rep. Jan Jones, R-Milton. The bill's supporters said they intended to reexamine funding across the board and address concerns of over-funding or under-funding.

In this year's session, lawmakers approved House Bill 87, which replaces SB 153. It was sent to Kemp Thursday, April 6, but as of Monday he hadn't signed it yet, according to the state legislature's website.

Coastal Plains Education Charter High School announced it would be staying open based on the new legislation passing. The new House bill was sponsored by six legislators including Georgia Reps. Chris Erwin, R-Homer, Jan Jones, R-Milton, Matt Dubnik, R-Gainesville, Rick Jasperse, R-Jasper, Will Wade, R-Dawsonville, and Steven Meeks, R-Screven and Sen. Bo Hatchett, R- Cornelia.

Coastal Plains Education Charter High School opened in 2017. It's one of three state special charter schools funded and operated under a contract with the State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia.

Since its initial charter, Coastal Plains has opened facilities on 15 campuses serving 1,900 students in 42 counties through partnerships with local school districts. In Moultrie, it operates an evening school at Colquitt County High School that serves 181 students from 13 area counties.

"After working with state representatives and GaDOE, Coastal Plains is happy to announce that we will be staying open based on the passing of House Bill 87.

Rep Chris Erwin sponsored HB 87 after hearing from many superintendents and community members that Senate Bill 153 would be very challenging for our schools to implement," Coastal Plains said in a recent statement.

The school currently receives Quality Basic Education (QBE) funding from the state, federal funding and State Charter School Supplement funding.

The State Charter School Supplement funding represents over 50% of the school's funding and covers salaries, support staff and technology.

Under SB 153, the schools would have been stripped of that supplement. At the time, it was uncertain how the federal funding would be impacted as the students moved under the umbrella of the local school systems, potentially leaving the school with only the QBE portion of its budget.

Coastal Plains' budget will be cut by 55%, approximately $6.5 million, with the implementation of HB 87, according to an email from Coastal Plains Public Information Officer Lila Joiner Monday.

The budget cut stems from the school no longer being considered a charter school but instead being classified as a "Completion Special School." Present students and enrolled students in Coastal Plains as of June 30, 2023 will receive total full-time equivalent funding and full alternative weight funding as well as any federal funds earned, the school's statement said.

However, students enrolling as of July 1, 2023 will be considered "program students" for the school system in which they live. The funds will follow the students to Coastal Plains for the courses they are enrolled in.

"A program student is a student enrolled in Colquitt County schools and is taking courses at Coastal Plains. At the present time, students can enroll in both schools and take courses with Coastal Plains for credit recovery or just be enrolled in Coastal Plains full-time," Joiner explained.

"Starting July 1, 2023 if the student is less [than] 18 years of age or their cohort has not graduated yet and they dropped out of school they have to enroll in the system in which they live in order to attend Coastal Plains. If [they are] 18 or older they can enroll directly in Coastal Plains."

Neither local residents nor the local school system will have to contribute any funds towards Coastal Plains. State money that comes to the local system for the program student will have to be forwarded to Coastal Plains, she said.

"The passing of this new bill will allow for the expansion of Coastal Plains throughout the state. Coastal Plains will continue to serve the students at our present sites.

The new legislation gives our school a clear path forward for our goal of supporting students across South Georgia," Coastal Plains said.