ATLANTA, Nov. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Cyber Academy today released the following statement:

The Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA), together with the school's independent nonprofit governing board, the Odyssey Charter School Board, disputes the allegations in a Comprehensive Monitoring Report released by the Georgia Department of Education (DOE) yesterday.

GCA notes that the report contains a number of factual inaccuracies and specifically asserts the following:

• An outside special education consultant handpicked by the Department staff to work with GCA has stated that "GCA is currently as compliant with regards to Federal and State Special Education regulations as any other public school district in Georgia that is currently serving 1200 students with disabilities."  (The consultant's report can be viewed here.)
• The DOE has received complaints from fewer than 10 parents of GCA special needs students out of more than 1,200 special education students over the last 18 months.  
• Academically, GCA's special education students' performance compares favorably with the state average. GCA met 29 of 30 indicators in the last year Adequate Yearly Progress was measured in Georgia, including all five indicators for Students with Disabilities.

GCA anticipates that the report will result in a series of meetings with the Department and other interested policymakers where GCA's concerns will be aired, followed by a structured process allowing for corrective actions to be planned and executed and on-going monitoring by Department staff. 

We are confident that this process will demonstrate that GCA is in substantial compliance with all state and federal special education requirements and the provisions of its charter, and we are committed to cooperating fully with DOE and other state authorities to ensure that outstanding services continue to be provided to all students.

SOURCE Georgia Cyber Academy