Should the power to approve Charter Schools belong to local School Boards or the state?

That's for Georgia voters to decide tomorrow.

The Charter School Amendent proposes a state-wide committee that can create new Charter Schools.

Right now that power is in the hands of community School Boards.
If it passes.. the State Board will be able to supersede any local ones.

Philip Poole, Lowndes County School Board, stated, "I'm voting no for it because i see no need to create a seperate.. appointed.. unelected board that will be approving charter schools when they can already be approved through another mechanism."

The members of the committee would be appointed by Georgia governor Nathan Deal.

Governor deal is one of the amendment's biggest backers because he says it would give parents more options in their child's education.

Valdosta, GA - For many parents, nothing is more important than their child's education. And a constitutional amendment on the November Ballot could greatly impact the way Charter Schools are made in Georgia.

The Charter School Amendment proposes a Statewide committee that can create new Charter Schools. Right now that power is in the hands of community School Boards. If it passes, the State Board will be able to supersede any local ones.

"I'm voting No for it," said Philip Poole, School Board member for Lowndes County Schools "Because I see no need to create a separate, appointed, unelected board that will be approving charter schools when they can already be approved through another mechanism."

The Amendment would create a committee that is appointed by the Governor. In fact, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal is one of it's biggest supporters. We received this comment from the Governor's office.

"Too many school districts in Georgia offer nothing but mediocre or even failing schools. In those situations, parents deserve the chance to demand something new, but they often hit a brick wall with their local school boards," wrote Governor Deal.

Opponents say the amendment would take money from existing schools in a state government that already struggles to fund education. The amendment's backers say the state will use money from the General Fund to pay for the new Charter Schools it approves.

We talked to some Lowndes County voters to see what they think about it.

"All the school business and everything like that should be held at the local level. I think everything should stay as local and small as possible," said Jonathan Wood, Lowndes Voter.

"If we unite and do it like we're supposed to, we wouldn't have any problems. If we create more schools, it's better for us," said Jesse Banner, Lowndes resident.