Georgia Cyber Academy Disputes Allegations in Georgia Department of Education Comprehensive Monitoring Report

ATLANTA, Nov. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Cyber Academy today released the following statement:

The Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA), together with the school's independent nonprofit governing board, the Odyssey Charter School Board, disputes the allegations in a Comprehensive Monitoring Report released by the Georgia Department of Education (DOE) yesterday.

GCA notes that the report contains a number of factual inaccuracies and specifically asserts the following:

    --  An outside special education consultant handpicked by the Department
        staff to work with GCA has stated that "GCA is currently as compliant
        with regards to Federal and State Special Education regulations as any
        other public school district in Georgia that is currently serving 1200
        students with disabilities."  (The consultant's report can be viewed
        here.)
    --  The DOE has received complaints from fewer than 10 parents of GCA
        special needs students out of more than 1,200 special education students
        over the last 18 months.
    --  Academically, GCA's special education students' performance compares
        favorably with the state average. GCA met 29 of 30 indicators in the
        last year Adequate Yearly Progress was measured in Georgia, including
        all five indicators for Students with Disabilities.

GCA anticipates that the report will result in a series of meetings with the Department and other interested policymakers where GCA's concerns will be aired, followed by a structured process allowing for corrective actions to be planned and executed and on-going monitoring by Department staff.

We are confident that this process will demonstrate that GCA is in substantial compliance with all state and federal special education requirements and the provisions of its charter, and we are committed to cooperating fully with DOE and other state authorities to ensure that outstanding services continue to be provided to all students.

SOURCE Georgia Cyber Academy