Media release from the Northwest Georgia Charter Academy:
The Northwest Georgia Charter Academy board announces that is now working on two separate and equally desirable locations for the future public charter school proposed to open in fall 2026.
“We are delighted to announce that we now have two wonderful facility options available for our proposed charter school, ” stated Judy Taylor, President of the CSCC and founder of the NW GA Charter Academy. “In December 2024, the City of Cave Spring offered to lease two buildings to us once we are authorized (est. July 30, 2025). Now, we have a second option – the Dillard Building on the Georgia School for the Deaf (GSD) campus in Cave Spring.”
Taylor adds: “Last week, we received notification that the Attorney General’s office has authorized the State Properties Commission (SPC) to move forward with negotiations for a lease agreement with the NW GA Charter Academy. The Dillard Building is located on the secure, gated GSD campus. It is ideal for the number of students we will serve and the programs we will offer. Since many rural charter school groups are challenged to find facilities, we are blessed to have not only one – but two – options.”
According to Jarrod Kinsey, Chair of the Academy’s Finance Committee, “The Dillard Building is set up for classroom use and will only need minor renovations to be ready to serve students in August 2026. By saving on facilities, we can direct more funding toward safety, student support, family engagement and academics.”
For Cave Spring residents, this news is particularly meaningful after the loss of its beloved Cave Spring Elementary School-CSES. “CSES was the heart of our community. With these two viable facility options, we can begin the process of getting a bit of our heart back – and we get the chance to share this new public school option with other families in the region,” said Tom Lindsey, Operations Committee Chair.
Dr. Dawn Williams is the proposed school leader and is excited about leading a small community school. “We will open in August 2026 with only 134 students in grades K-5, growing to 321 in grades K-9 by Year 5 and 539 students in grades K-12 by Year 8. The Academy has already surpassed its initial target for signatures of interest from families, thus reflecting the level of demand for a free public school option in the region.”
The founding charter group is in the second and final phase of the authorization process with a capacity interview scheduled for June 12 in the State Charter School Commission office in Atlanta.
For more information, visit: www.nwgacharteracademy.org
