Students in Decatur, Miller and Seminole counties will now have a public charter school option as a result of a vote Thursday morning by the State Charter Schools Commission (SCSC).

The SCSC approved a five-year charter for Spring Creek Charter Academy (SCCA), a replication of Pataula Charter Academy (PCA) in Edison. The recommendation stated “PCA has consistently demonstrated success as a state charter school and has a track record of meeting SCSC performance standards. Therefore, SCSC staff has strong reason to believe that Spring Creek will be positioned for long-term success.”

“PCA is grateful the State Charter Schools Commission approved the petition for Spring Creek Charter Academy,” said Kylie Holley, Superintendent of PCA. “We are excited about expanding our educational program to more students in southwest Georgia and plan to build on our proven record of success.”

Decatur County Superintendent Tim Cochran, who adamantly fought against the opening of Spring Creek Charter Academy in Decatur County, said he was disappointed to see the charter school approved. He attended the SCSC meeting in Atlanta.

“I’m disappointed that Atlanta does not consider the economic impact of an area that these things cause,” said Cochran, “and the potential divisiveness. We made sure Atlanta heard us.”

Cochran said SCSC Jose Perez abstained from the vote for the Spring Creek Charter Academy because he didn’t believe it was right for the region. He attempted to table the vote, but his motion was denied by the rest of the commission.

SCCA is expected to open during the 2019-2020 school year. Initially, the school will seek to enroll approximately 276 students in grades K-5. The school will add one grade level each year, eventually serving students in grades K-12. The existing board that oversees PCA will also serve as the governing board for Spring Creek Charter Academy, but will be expanding to include community members of SCCA.

SCCA seeks to enroll a diverse group of students, the school said in a press release. School founders have created a marketing plan and are actively working to engage families of all backgrounds to help ensure the student makeup is reflective of the communities SCCA will serve.

Spring Creek Charter Academy is a public charter school that will serve Miller, Decatur, and Seminole counties. The school will use a project-based instruction model, standards-based assessing and reporting, and have a focus on a positive school culture.

The mission of Spring Creek Charter Academy is to prepare students for life-long success by partnering with families and communities to create a safe, nurturing learning environment that engages and challenges students, fosters creativity, and instills integrity and leadership skills that inspire students to reach their full potential, according to SCCA.