Movement School, a network of free public charter schools, recently gained state approval to operate in Georgia. With schools already open in North Carolina and South Carolina, Movement School CEO Kerri-Ann Thomas chose Southwest Atlanta to introduce their brand to the local school system.According to Thomas, Movement School’s journey to opening in Georgia was challenging. Despite numerous setbacks, including initial denials at local and state levels, the school persevered.Movement School CEO Kerri-Ann Thomas. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice“We’ve been trying to enter the Georgia region for over two years. Our determination to the families and community outweighed the challenges,” Thomas said.Movement School currently serves pre-K through fifth grade. Thomas highlighted the school’s focus on early childhood education and its comprehensive multi-county transportation service as standout features.“There are lots of [charter] schools that don’t have the ability to provide transportation for students. The fact that we are a charter school approved by the state allows us to accept students from multiple counties,” Thomas said. “We go after the pre-K experience because the achievement gap actually starts at age three. Our goal is to become experts in that area.”Movement School is also connected to Movement Mortgage. In partnership with the school, Movement Mortgage offers down payment assistance to eligible parents and staff to promote home ownership to close the wealth gap.“The mortgage company has a philanthropic spirit, donating to the school because closing the achievement gap is a great cause,” Thomas said.Thomas, a Spelman College graduate and a small business owner in Castleberry Hill, said she was drawn to Movement School because it values community partnerships.“Lots of schools use [corporations] for lunch services. At Movement, we partner with a local restaurant that reflects the population we serve,” Thomas said. “This approach enriches the students’ experience and supports local businesses, creating a positive economic impact.”Regarding inclusivity, Thomas explained that Movement School honors its commitment to every student by delivering a robust special education program.“At all Movement Schools, we accept all students, and ‘all’ truly means all. Even within our first opening year, we have a special education coordinator,” Thomas said. “So, we provide resources, even at a more senior leadership level in that department. That’s additional funding going toward that population of students.”Thomas said Movement School shows resilience in navigating political challenges, particularly around curriculum content. She shared their strategy to ensure the school delivers an inclusive and accurate education.“We believe our children deserve to see books reflecting their experiences. Thomas said the texts and books placed before them are vetted [for] accuracy, especially with history. “There should be a diversity of books, ideas, and accuracy of information. [In] the written document of how our charter will be run, we spell out the curriculum we use.”Looking ahead, Movement School is set to open at 1950 Sullivan Rd. in August 2025—a milestone that Thomas said her team eagerly anticipates—with a mission to provide high-quality education, foster community partnerships, and promote inclusivity.“We provide that partnership element, and what that then does is create a tide of success within that overall community, Thomas said. “We’re not becoming like this conglomerate trying to take over and do everything. Instead, we’re partnering.”The post New charter school to open in SW Atlanta aiming to close achievement and wealth gap appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.