FULTON COUNTY, GA. — Would you pay tuition to attend a public school of your choice? That is now an option for out-of-district residents who want to send their kids to Fulton County schools.
Channel 2’s Michael Doudna reports the district says this is about providing more options, while parents worry about the end result.
The state of education is changing.
“It is a complete change of mindset. We want a competitive environment for our schools and students,” Fulton County chief academic officer Brannon Gaskins said.
So to keep up, Fulton County is now offering a choice, allowing out-of-district parents to enroll in four county high schools — North View, North Springs, Global Impact Academy in Fairburn or the Fulton Academy of Virtual Excellence — if they are willing to pay tuition for public education.
“We’ve had parents who wanted to come to our schools for a long time,” said Gaskins.
He says the district is offering enrollment at four high-performing schools, offering a private school-quality education at a fraction of the price.
“We’re much cheaper. So we’re $11,000, $5,500 per semester,” Gaskins said.
And Fulton County is not the first. Decatur and Marietta City Schools offer similar programs where parents can pay for the privilege to enroll.
“It just doesn’t go together for me,” said Shannon Carter, a parent of a North Springs student and worries this could impact everything from classroom sizes and athletics to deepening the divide between haves and have-nots.
“I think we end up in the same problem, kind of, with a private school, right?” Carter said. “So if you can afford to do something, then you have the upper hand.”
For the district, this is about providing options for parents and attracting new students in a time of declining enrollment, while some parents wonder what’s next.
“I’m just not understanding what that will look like eventually and how it will affect my children,” she said.
Fulton County says they hope to offer this program at any school with room in the future.
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