SAVANNAH, Ga. — Savannah Classical Academy will remain open under a new eight-year charter, but its enrollment will stay capped at 640 students after the Savannah-Chatham County Board of Public Education approved the renewal Wednesday.
The new term is set to run from July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2035, pending state approval. The K-12 public charter school current charter is set to expire in July 2027. The board did not approve the school request to raise maximum enrollment to 1,000 students or to give enrollment preference to students from Tybee Island Maritime Academy.
SCA CEO Barry Lollis said the cap could limit the school ability to bring in new students as current students advance through the grades. He said if the school maintains current enrollment and only enrolls kindergarteners, it may be unable to bring in a full kindergarten class the following year without exceeding the cap, forcing families looking to enroll to be turned away.
The district charter review panel found that SCA met all five performance standards in its current contract, covering academics, finances, governance, legal compliance and organizational compliance. District officials said the school 2025 Content Mastery scores were higher than district and state scores across elementary, middle and high school grade levels. SCA also recently received Georgia Title I Distinguished School recognition for the third consecutive year, placing it among the state top 5 percent of Title I schools based on English language arts and math scores from the 2024-25 school year.
In a letter to SCA, Superintendent Denise Watts said the district was not recommending an increase to 1,000 because it wanted a more developed plan for facilities, financing, staffing and the effects of expansion. The district said SCA can seek a future increase through the charter amendment process. Some board members argued the school has not come close to the 640-student cap historically, while others defended its academic record and willingness to accept students who arrive behind grade level.
Despite the disagreement over growth, the board approved the superintendent recommendation for the eight-year renewal while keeping the 640-student cap. Board members said they could revisit enrollment later if the school demonstrates growth.