News Summary
The Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools System has approved a new REACH public charter school to support at-risk students. This school will serve grades 9-12 and provide alternative pathways to graduation, offering individualized plans and career training opportunities. With a focus on addressing the needs of credit-deficient and transient students, REACH aims to enhance educational outcomes in the community. The school is set to open for the 2026-2027 school year, serving as the district’s first new charter since 2017.
Savannah – The Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools System (SCCPSS) has officially approved a new REACH public charter school aimed at supporting at-risk students. The SCCPSS Board of Education voted unanimously, with an 8-0 result, in favor of the charter on August 13, 2025, marking the first new charter school approved by the district since 2017.
The REACH Public Schools will cater to students in grades 9-12 and is designed specifically to assist those who are credit-deficient, transient, or balancing adult responsibilities, offering them alternative pathways to graduation. The new school will adopt a flexible model, providing career training opportunities and individualized graduation plans tailored to meet the needs of its students.
Patrick Connell, the board chairman of REACH Public Schools, highlighted the school’s mission to serve students requiring different pathways to achieve their educational goals. At the approval meeting, board members expressed strong support for REACH’s commitment to addressing challenging educational circumstances faced by students.
REACH Public Schools will be located at 325 W. Montgomery Cross Road, Suite A, in Savannah and is expected to open for the 2026-2027 school year. The petition requesting the charter was submitted in March 2025 by Jessica Ray, the superintendent of Propel Charter Management Group. Propel will serve as the primary educational service provider for REACH, aiming to leverage local partnerships and proven expertise to maximize educational and financial interests.
As part of the petition for the charter, background information on the members of the Governing Board was included. Several members have prior experience with the Savannah Exploratory Academy, bringing a wealth of knowledge to REACH. The SCCPSS also granted a 90-day extension for REACH to respond to requests for additional information regarding increasing student enrollment and aligning the school’s curriculum with Georgia Standards of Excellence.
In conjunction with the charter approval, the school district is addressing existing staffing challenges. The board is set to consider a $777,740 contract with Epic Special Education Staffing to provide staffing for special education teachers and psychologists due to ongoing vacancies. Additionally, parents have raised concerns about recent changes to the autism services program that led to student relocations and the hiring of new educators.
To further enhance student support, SCCPSS plans to allocate nearly $2.4 million for Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) Professional Services, repurposing funds from unspent SLP account lines. The district’s commitment to improving educational services comes amid growing concern for at-risk students within the community.
The Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools Board of Education is scheduled to hold its next meetings at the Whitney Administrative Complex, with agendas typically posted online for public review. In related news, Tonia Howard-Hall, a board representative, was recently recognized with the Trailblazer for Innovation and Public Education Award for her impactful leadership in education policy, adding significant recognition to the district’s ongoing efforts to improve educational outcomes for all students.
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Additional Resources
- Savannah Now: New Charter School Vote
- Google Search: Savannah Charter School Education
- WJCL: New Charter High School Coming to Savannah
- Google Scholar: Savannah Public Schools
- WSAV: SCCPSS Approves New REACH Charter School
- Encyclopedia Britannica: SCCPSS
- WTOC: Graduation Rate Climbs
- Google News: Savannah Chatham County Public Schools
- Savannah Now: Discipline Report and Improvement Plans
Author: STAFF HERE SAVANNAH WRITER
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