Too early to think about Savannah-Chatham County school choices for next year? Think again

Editor's Note: This article has been corrected to reflect the official SCCPSS transportation policy. Students who live more than 1.5 miles from their zoned school are provided transportation. If students live within 1.5 miles of their zones school, they are not provided transportation and must find rides or walk to school. 

School bells are ringing. HVAC units are humming (when power outages aren’t keeping them offline). Playground dust is kicking up. Neighborhoods with schools are watching streets fill with morning and afternoon car lines while clusters of walkers navigate the sidewalks.

With its being so near the beginning of one new school year, it seems much too early to think about the next one. For families who have had children in the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, though, planning ahead for choice schools and transportation may be second nature at this point. For those who are newer to Chatham County or are new to having school-aged children, the start to this year may have felt overwhelming. From school district literacy initiatives to teacher shortages, the Savannah Morning News (SMN) will make an ongoing effort to assist the public in keeping up on a variety of school-related topics.

This week SMN looks at schooling options available to families in Chatham County.

School Choice is first step to "choice-filled life"

Over the first three weeks of school Superintendent Denise Watts has reiterated that SCCPSS wants to provide students with the ability to live a "choice-filled life." One of the ways that SCCPSS offers choice is through the School Choice Program – not to be confused with School Choice Vouchers*.

*What is a school choice voucher?

School Choice Vouchers essentially allow families to divert public funds to private schools where they want to send their children. Georgia's state senate actually struck down a school voucher bill in March 2023. Like many politicized debates there are detractors and supporters regarding the merits of School Vouchers. Former U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos backs The American Federation for Children, a group whose tagline is, "we seek to fund students, not systems – no matter their family’s zip code." On the other side of the debate, The National School Boards Association sees vouchers as a means to "siphon limited resources away from our nation’s public schools."

For now, school vouchers are not an option in Georgia, let alone Savannah. Families who send their children to schools in the SCCPSS district, however, do have a variety of options to consider. There are elementary schools that offer Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math, or STEAM, programs and high schools that offer a veterinary science curriculum or other types of career technical training. Resources are provided here for families to explore.

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SCCPSS Neighborhood Schools

Every registered K-12 student in Chatham County is eligible to attend their neighborhood schools, for which they are zoned based on where they live. Many neighborhood schools are also Choice Schools but give priority to students who live within the designated zone. SCCPSS has a school zone finder tool so families can determine the elementary, middle and high schools assigned to their neighborhoods. Students who live more than 1.5 miles from their zoned school are provided transportation. If students live within 1.5 miles of their zones school, they are not provided transportation and must find rides or walk to school.

Pre-K and K-12 School Choice Programs

There are 26 Choice Programs that families can select from during the annual lottery. Reviewing choice options now is important because the School Choice Program timeline begins Jan. 27, 2024, alongside the Student Success Expo & School Showcase. The Expo and Showcase is an opportunity for schools to share their achievements and activities. District business and industry partners judge schools for potential prizes at each grade level. The Showcase also helps families make face-to-face connections with school representatives, which can be especially insightful during years of student transition from elementary to middle school or middle to high school.

The choice application window closes on Feb. 9, 2024. The actual lottery will occur on March 11, 2024. Families will be notified of choice results on March 14, 2024, after 4 p.m. School Choice Program coordinators for schools are available now to answer questions and provide resources.

22-23 Choice Program Coordinator Contact List - Sheet1 by savannahnow.com on Scribd

Students will need to meet basic criteria to apply for Choice Programs. Parents of children who are four years of age on or before Sept. 1 of each school year must enroll in the Pre-Kindergarten Choice Program to have access to SCCPSS pre-K services. SCCPSS has 65 Georgia Lottery Funded pre-K classes to choose from.

Charter Schools

First and foremost, charter schools are not private schools. Once more for emphasis: charter schools are not private schools. The Georgia Charter School Association regularly debunks this and other charter school misconceptions.

As indicated on the SCCPSS Charter School Information Page: “A charter school is a public school of choice that operates under the terms of a charter, or contract, with an authorizer, such as the state and local boards of education. Charter schools receive flexibility from certain state and local rules in exchange for a higher degree of accountability for raising student achievement.” Since they receive public funding, they cannot charge tuition. They must adhere to fair and open enrollment, must be secular, and are required to serve all student populations, including students with disabilities and English language learners. A major difference between typical public schools and charter schools is that they are governed by an autonomous non-profit board of directors.

SCCPSS charter school application requirements and timelines are separate from the School Choice Program. Parents should review charter school options and contact individual schools for tours and resources. The Georgia Department of Education has a Charter School contract list for review, as well.

Assessing school performance

As families weigh options, it’s important to not only research each school's academic offerings but also overall performance. One aspect of public school performance to consider is Georgia Milestones Assessment System (GMAS) results. The Georgia Department of Education (GADOE) defines GMAS as “a comprehensive summative assessment program that…spans all three levels of the state's educational system – elementary, middle, and high school.  The system is designed to send consistent signals about students' preparedness for the next level, be it the next grade, course, or endeavor, such as entering college or beginning a career after leaving the K-12 educational system.”

GMAS provides insight into student performance across the core content areas of English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. SMN is in the process of generating a resource that will visualize the raw GMAS 2022-23 Statewide Scores data for SCCPSS schools. While important, GMAS is one aspect of school performance. Parents should ask individual schools for data on graduation and retention rates as well as how they track individual student progress in the classroom. Up until 2019 and prior to COVID-19, the GADOE used to conduct a School Climate Star Rating review. The rating system, "is a diagnostic tool to determine if a school is on the right path to school improvement." While it is unclear if this resource will return, past reviews could provide historical context.

Families cannot possibly know all the details of every school. Nor can they predicate, which school would ultimately be the best fit for their child. Preparedness is the best tool to make informed choices. Stay tuned for more school and education insights in the coming weeks and months.

Private Schools

Private schools are independently owned institutions that are often accredited by various regional or national accreditation organizations. For example, Hancock Day School and Chatham Academy at Royce Learning Center are accredited by the National Council for Private School Accreditation. The Habersham School, Memorial Day School, and Butler Christian Academy are among a few local private schools accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission.

In total, Chatham County has approximately 30 private schools from which families can choose. Application timelines and requirements vary as do each school's curriculums, resources and transportation plans. The majority of local private schools are religiously affiliated. Many of them have considerable waitlists, which seem poised to increase as Chatham and its surrounding counties continue their exponential growth. Parents are encouraged to reach out as early as possible to gather more insights.

Ongoing Issues: SCCPSS bus driver shortage has parents scrambling for alternatives, again

SCCPSS bus driver shortage affects transportation options

Once families settle on a school, the next major point of concern tends to be transportation. The SCCPSS district does not provide transportation to students who attend a choice or charter school. At a media event at Andrea B. Williams Elementary School on July 20, Deputy Superintendent and Chief Operations Officer Vanessa Miller-Kaigler reiterated that bus driver shortages are the reason. At the same event, Chief Human Resource Officer Ramon Ray said the district is doing what it can to recruit more drivers. He cited recent increases to the starting hourly rate as well as retirement savings plans. Both school leaders indicated that the district continues to compete with the Savannah Ports, the CAT bus system, SCAD and new warehouse development for qualified drivers. The bus driver shortage has been an ongoing issue at the district and state level over the past few years.

Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at jschwartzburt@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Time for homework to prepare for Savannah Chatham County Public School Choice