Parents, teachers, and supporters of the charter school movement are in Macon for a two-day conference. For the first time it’s taking place outside Atlanta.

Officials with the Georgia Charter Schools Association chose Macon because the city is opening its first charter school in the fall of 2012.

They also want to get the word out because there are few of these schools outside Atlanta. Association President Tony Roberts says that’s because school boards are resistant to change and many parents don’t know how a charter school works.

“A lot of people think that they’re private schools. They are not. They’re public schools. They’re funded with tax money. They have to meet all the state and federal requirements of all the other public schools.”

Roberts says there are 200 of these schools in Georgia with about half of those in systems that are entirely charter run.

Tags: Georgia Public Education, Georgia Charter Schools Association