Atlanta may prevent new charter schools | www.myajc.com

No more charter schools should be approved in the Atlanta school district while a fight over pension debt plays out in court, according to Superintendent Erroll Davis.

Charter schools have flourished in Atlanta in recent years, with 1 in 10 city students enrolled in them, but their growth could stop if the Atlanta Board of Education adopts Davis’ recommendation at its Monday meeting.

Davis advised the board Wednesday to reject charter applications from Atlanta Classical Academy, Hind’s Feet Montessori School of the Arts or any other charter school while the Georgia Supreme Court considers whether charter schools should have to contribute to paying off an old pension liability of more than $500 million.

However, the head of the Georgia Department of Education’s Charter Schools Division, Louis Erste, said Davis’ position may run afoul of a state law that requires charter schools to be approved if they meet legal requirements and are in the public interest.

“It’s based on a relatively flimsy argument, and it could be illegal,” Erste said. “You can’t punish brand-new schools because of a mistake made in the past.”

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