In the News: Georgia Charter School Fights For Building

Utopian Academy for the Arts of Clayton County is in its second year of educating more than 200 students in grade 6-8. This Georgia charter school provides a core curriculum with the addition of classes in music, dance, visual arts, culinary arts, broadcasting and video editing.

The building the school occupies is a tax payer owned property that is being leased to Utopian. Utopian Academy administrators say Utopian has been asked to pay $1.5 million to buy the school or leave the building at the end of the school year. If the building is not purchased for the price that many feel is far above true market value, there are plans to demolish it. Utopian is asking for a lease extension to allow for further negotiations. The Clayton County Board of Education is scheduled to vote Monday, March 7, 2016.

This is not the first time Utopian has met opposition in Clayton County. This article in Atlanta Magazine describes Utopian’s struggles with petitions for start-up, school occupancy, requested transcripts and test scores for transferring students and more. On the school occupancy issues, a Clayton Superior Court judge told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “This is a political issue, there’s some folks that don’t want a charter school over there. And they’re trying their best to obstruct that.”

If you would like to contact officials to support Utopian Academy’s efforts to remain in their building, you can access more information here.

And remember, whether you are exploring the opportunities of a Charter School, in the start-up or renewal petition process, or just looking to improve the quality and performance of your school, the experts at Charter CFO are here to guide you to success. Contact us today.