Resources for New Charter Petitioners

Start Up Petition Process and Documents

Individuals or organizations who elect to petition for the creation of a new APS charter school will go through a process with the following components:

Submission of a letter of intent (required)
Potential petitioner workshop to learn more about the petition process and opportunity to hear from APS charter school leaders (optional but strongly encouraged)
Submission of charter petition application to Office of Charter & Partner Schools (required, see below) which will be evaluated using a common rubric
Panel interview to assess capacity of the school’s governing board and elements of the school’s petition application, including the distinctive and unique aspects of the school’s educational program, organizational and financial viability, and community support

At the conclusion of the process above, the Office of Charter & Partner Schools will consult with the APS superintendent who will make a recommendation to the Atlanta Board of Education to approve or deny the school’s charter petition. If approved, the State Board of Education will then make its own determination as to whether to approve or deny the school’s charter petition.

Required 2026 Charter Petition Application and Supporting Documents

Petitioner’s Letter of Intent must be emailed (no hard copies please) to Shonda Goldsmith from the Office of Charter + Partner Schools no later than 4:00pm on November 20, 2025
- Please use the State Letter of Intent template
Petitioner’s Workshop (optional): December 16, 2025 at 11am
Petition Application Deadline: February 13, 2026 by 4:00pm (see APS addendum for submission instructions)
- Include the Georgia Office of Charter School Compliance Local Start-Up Charter School Petition (including all required exhibits)
- Include the 2026 APS Addendum for Start-Up Petitions, Estimated Petitioner Earnings Worksheet, and Charter Funding Agreement.
Atlanta Board of Education Decision on Petition: Petitions following the timeline outlined above would tentatively be expected to be presented for action to the Atlanta Board of Education at its May 4, 2026 meeting.

The only petitions that will be evaluated and considered for the 2026 Start-Up petition cycle will be from those petitioners who file a letter of intent with Atlanta Public Schools by November 20, 2025 and who meet the February 13, 2026 deadline for petition submissions.

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