Last week at the annual Georgia Charter Schools Association (GCSA) conference in Atlanta, Savannah Classical Academy (SCA) was selected as a top three finalist for the “Georgia Charter School of the Year Award.” This prestigious award honors excellence in education throughout the charter sector in the state of Georgia.  In addition to academic achievements, the GCSA selected SCA due to the school’s innovative practices, advocacy for school choice, achieving high levels of community support and consistently delivering high quality off campus experiences to enhance classroom study.  

“I am honored SCA is being recognized among the top charter schools by GCSA”, said SCA CEO Mr. Barry Lollis. “To be selected from among more than 100 other Georgia charter schools as a top three finalist proves that SCA continues to provide a top-quality education to students in Chatham County”.

This achievement reflects recent exceptional results for SCA. Earlier this year, the 2023 College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) scores regarding SCA students’ mastery of core content ranked SCA elementary school 3^rd of 35 in Chatham County, SCA middle school 1^st of 21 and SCA high school 5^th out of 13 high schools in Chatham County. This achievement is especially meaningful as there is no academic performance requirement to enroll in SCA, which is open and free to any student residing in Chatham County whose family applies through the school lottery.  SCA students outscored Savannah Chatham County Public School System students on all twenty-three common state assessments (GMAS) and achieved parity or superior achievement when compared to all students in Georgia in all but six assessments.  Savannah Classical Academy (SCA) has also been awarded the highest possible rating by the Georgia Accrediting Commission (GAC).

Georgia Charter Schools Association is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation membership organization for Georgia’s charter school operators and petitioners, established in 2001. It believes all students deserve an excellent educational opportunity regardless of their economic circumstances and is a nonpartisan advocate, partner and service provider for Georgia’s public charter schools. Their work increases the number of excellent public-school options for all Georgia students. The Georgia Charter Schools Association trains charter school governing boards throughout the state; works to develop high-quality startup charter schools and replicate successful ones; and advocates for charter schools to members of the Georgia General Assembly, local school boards, state authorizers and the Georgia Board of Education.

SCA is a K-12 school which is open to all students residing in Chatham County, is funded by the public education system but retains a charter that allows it to operate autonomously under a board of parents and community members.  Application for student places is by lottery and the waitlist is currently open for the 2024-25 school year.  It is the philosophy of Savannah Classical Academy that all students benefit from a rigorous, content-rich, educational program that develops academic potential and personal character. The school provides an environment that fosters academic excellence through the habits of thoroughness, the willingness to work, and the perseverance to complete difficult tasks. Through a defined traditional, Classical-Liberal curriculum, students are prepared to become active, responsible members of their community.

For more information about Savannah Classical Academy, please visit www.savannahclassicalacademy.org

For more information about GCSA, please visit www.gacharters.org