State expects Macon Charter Academy progress soon

ATLANTA -- State school authorities expect an amended charter from Macon Charter Academy by January. If the school shows progress under a new contract being drafted with a school turnaround firm, MCA could find its way from under state and local scrutiny.

The state put MCA on probation Sept. 29 after a Bibb County inspection resulted in a two-page list of "concerns" about the school. Those included a lack of training of governing board members, the need for knowledgeable staff to run fiscal affairs and an inadequacy of teaching materials.

Since then, both state and county public school officials have urged MCA to hire a school turnaround firm to help it fix the problems.

Wednesday night, MCA's board decided to sign a contract with Renaissance School Services. That's bought the fledgling charter school a little breathing room from higher school officials who want to see a fix.

"We got to make this happen. I know it's the holiday season, but this is important. They have to do this. They have to make it happen," said state Board of Education member Brian Burdette, chairman of the board panel that handles charter school issues. The MCA discussion was one of many regularly scheduled school updates on the Thursday agenda in Atlanta.

MCA attorney Rob Fortson, who appeared at the meeting to answer any questions, said sticker shock made the school pause before hiring Renaissance.

"It's not the board has been sitting on their hands. ... I would put the integrity of this board up with any I've ever worked with," Fortson told the state school board panel. "They have always stayed focused on what is best for the kids and what is best for the school and taken a lot of personal attacks in the process."

Renaissance has estimated its costs at about $400,000 a year.

State and Bibb County school officials want to see a lot of work done over the winter break to make sure the school is in the best shape to serve students when they come back in January.

Renaissance and the school are negotiating a contract now, said Fortson, who could not elaborate on specific items.

MCA, the Bibb County school board and the state Board of Education also must formally change the three-way agreement among them, to add language explaining that Renaissance will work in the school.

The MCA board tentatively is scheduled to consider that amendment at a Dec. 15 meeting. Assuming it passes, Bibb County's board would take up the matter Dec. 17, and then pass it on to the state board for consideration on Jan. 13 or 14.

Information from Telegraph archives was used in this report. To contact writer Maggie Lee, e-mail mlee@macon.com

This story was originally published December 10, 2015 at 3:19 PM with the headline "State expects Macon Charter Academy progress soon ."