Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has announced that $4.1 million in new federal GEERs funding will be allocated to “the creation and replication of 10 new, high-quality charter schools in underserved communities. The funds will be utilized for start-up costs, networking opportunities, long-term planning support, and other purposes.”

The Georgia Center for Opportunity’s (GCO) take: “We can’t think of a better way to deploy federal emergency dollars meant to help students than to create and strengthen charter schools, particularly in areas of the state where few, if any, charters exist,” said Buzz Brockway, GCO’s vice president of public policy. “Prior to the pandemic, we were already failing far too many of our students. The ripple effects of the virus have only worsened the situation. That’s why we must learn the lessons of this pandemic and continue to expand educational options for all students moving forward.