GA HB787

State charter schools are added as members of regional educational service agencies (RESAs) and granted access to the same shared services, instructional care teams, and Georgia Learning Resources System services available to local school systems

Funding formulas for state chartered special schools and state charter schools offering virtual instruction are revised: virtual schools receive capital funding equal to 25% of the statewide average total capital revenue per FTE (if they provide required hardware/software), and brick-and-mortar schools receive the greater of the statewide average or local capital revenue per FTE, excluding local revenue bonds

Charter schools with projected student growth exceeding 2% may receive initial funding based on projected enrollment prior to the initial student count, with such funding including adjustments for training and experience; after the first count, enrollment is based on actual numbers

The Department of Audits and Accounts must produce annual reports by December 1 on state chartered special schools and state charter schools offering virtual instruction, covering enrollment, academic performance (including CCRPI scores), finances, staffing, and governance, with comprehensive reports required every four years or the year before charter renewal

A grant program is authorized, subject to appropriations, to replicate high-performing charter schools, prioritizing rural areas, schools serving students with special needs, and educationally disadvantaged students; a separate needs-based financial aid program is established to provide grants to economically disadvantaged students for postsecondary education at University System of Georgia institutions