Last year, even The Wall Street Journal noted how some Georgia school boards were denying the majority of charter school petitions ("Back to Failing Schools," August 13, 2007). Thursday, the Georgia House of Representatives addressed this issue by voting 119-48 to pass legislation creating a state charter-authorizing commission, ensuring equitable funding of state chartered schools and allowing local governments, technical colleges and universities to cosponsor these schools.

Although charters turned down by local school boards can now appeal to the state, the state-chartered schools do not receive local funding, which can be 40 percent or more of total public funding. This legislation would deduct an amount equivalent to the local funding from the school system's state funds and pass that money along to the charter school.

Georgia pass Charter System legislation last year, making it one of three state that allow entire school systems to convert to charter status. Georgia also passed a Special Needs Scholarship law last year, making it one of only a handful of states with a school voucher program.