News Summary
The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System is preparing to recommend the approval of REACH Public Schools, the first charter school in the county since 2013. The board will discuss this during its August 13 meeting. REACH, supervised by Propel Charter Management Group, aims to optimize educational and financial interests. The school district has already taken steps to secure a facility for the school. The board will also consider a contract for special education staffing amidst ongoing vacancies and parental concerns.
Savannah – The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System is set to recommend the approval of a new charter school, REACH Public Schools, marking the first charter school approval in the county since 2013 when Savannah Classical Academy was established. This recommendation will be discussed during the school board’s meeting on August 13.
REACH Public Schools submitted its full petition to the school district in March 2023, under the supervision of Jessica Ray, the superintendent of the California-based Propel Charter Management Group. Propel will serve as the primary educational service provider for REACH, aiming to optimize both the educational and financial interests of the charter school, according to the petition submitted by the group.
The school district has already taken steps to assist REACH in establishing a suitable facility. Propel has identified a location for the school and is currently negotiating a lease agreement for the property. Under this agreement, Propel will assume liability for the facility and will sign a lease until the REACH Governing Board is ready to take over the responsibilities.
The petition submitted for REACH includes background information about its Governing Board members, with some members previously serving on the governing board of the Savannah Exploratory Academy, which faced challenges in gaining approval from the school board in 2019. Although it eventually received approval from the Georgia State Charter Schools Commission to open in 2020, the Savannah Exploratory Academy encountered construction delays and ultimately did not open its doors.
In preparation for the upcoming board meeting, the school district granted REACH a 90-day extension to provide further details concerning student enrollment and curriculum alignment with Georgia’s Standards of Excellence. Initial evaluations by the district deemed REACH’s application and responses “sufficient for recommendation,” indicating a favorable outlook for the charter school’s potential establishment.
In addition to discussing the REACH recommendation, the board will review a proposed contract with Epic Special Education Staffing for the 2025-2026 school year. This contract, valued at $777,740, aims to fill staffing gaps for Special Education Teachers and Psychologists. Current vacancies in these positions have raised parental concerns, particularly relating to the restructuring of autism services that necessitate additional staff.
As the new school year commenced on August 4, parental feedback highlighted the urgency for adequate staffing, revealing that all but one of the new autism classroom teacher positions were successfully filled before school began. To further support special education services, the school district is also seeking approval for nearly $2.4 million designated for Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) Professional Services, funded through vacant SLP account lines.
The upcoming board meeting will take place at the Whitney Administrative Complex in Savannah, allowing public access to the discussions. For transparency and community engagement, the meetings are streamed live on the school district’s YouTube channel, and agendas are posted on Board Docs the Friday before each session.
As the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System navigates these developments, the potential approval of REACH Public Schools signals a noteworthy shift in the local educational landscape, with possible implications for the community’s approach to educational offerings and charter school expansion.
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Additional Resources
- Savannah Now: New Charter School Vote
- Wikipedia: Charter School
- WSAV: Assault Incident at School
- Google Search: Savannah School News
- Savannah Now: Savannah Charter Schools Applications
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Education
- WJCL: Savannah Classical Academy Lockdown
- Google News: Savannah Education
- Savannah Now: HVAC Issue at Savannah Classical Academy
Author: STAFF HERE SAVANNAH WRITER
SAVANNAH STAFF WRITER The SAVANNAH STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERESavannah.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Savannah, Chatham County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Savannah Music Festival, St. Patrick's Day Parade, and Savannah Jazz Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and United Way of the Coastal Empire, plus leading businesses in aerospace, education, and logistics that power the local economy such as Gulfstream Aerospace, Savannah College of Art and Design, and Colonial Group. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAtlanta.com and HEREAugusta.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Georgia's dynamic landscape.
