GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — The principal of Ivy Preparatory Academy stunned parents by withdrawing the charter school's petition to become a part of the Gwinnett County Public School system on Thursday night.
The school is one of 16 charter schools that may be forced to close following a state Supreme Court ruling that voided the Georgia Charter Schools Commission.
The all-girls charter school initially sought to be incorporated into Gwinnett County Schools, but Principal Nina Gilbert told Channel 2's Amy Napier Viteri the funding was not adequate.
Gilbert said the county offered significantly less money per student than the school received as a member of the Georgia Charter Schools Commission.
The school district would also only fund children who live inside the county lines. Gilbert said the school had many students who do not live in Gwinnett County and would no longer be able to attend the school, if incorporated.
"Parents who have children at our school from other districts would have left this meeting tonight not knowing where their daughters would attend school in the fall," Gilbert told Napier Viteri.
The school is now seeking state approval to become a State Charter Special school. Gilbert said they have already submitted the paperwork and expect to know if they are approved by the end of the month.
Sarah Joyce's daughter attended Ivy Prep for the past two years and she believes the school will get approved in time for the school year.
"I'm confident it will work out. I don't think she would make that decision if it wasn't going to work out," Joyce said.
The Gwinnett school board unanimously passed a one-year charter during the meeting, leaving the door open for Ivy Prep to join the school district if it chooses to do so later.
WSBTV
