The 2012 Charter Schools
“yes” vote that supports H3. Population density, college education, and population under 18 had no effect on the “yes” vote; therefore, the null hypothesis was accepted for H2, H6, and H7. The Charter School Amendment was the second controversial issue placed in front of Georgia voters in 2012. The first, the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (T-SPLOST), was widely rejected by the Georgia electorate (LaPlant and LaPlant 2012, 2). Both issues were Republican initiatives with strong Republican legislative support; however, the outcomes were completely different. The Charter School Amendment initiative gained broad support across the state; conversely, the T-SPLOST initiative was defeated in 75 percent of the regions in the state (LaPlant and LaPlant 2012, 11). The similarities between the two initiatives are that the GOP presidential vote was a strong negative predictor of the “yes” vote for both. The manner in which support for the Charter School Amendment was garnered may be further utilized as a template for future voting referendums. This template should include the input of minorities as they were a crucial reason that the Charter School Amendment passed in Georgia. Georgia Republicans may want to explore if across the board support for other issues can be coalesced in the same manner in which support for Amendment 1 was. If this effort can be replicated, the Republicans may be able to garner support for their other initiatives and therefore the success. Charter schools, school choice, and education reform are going to be vital issues on the political landscape of Georgia in the near future. Issues of contention may include the approval of charter schools by the state which have been previously rejected by local school boards. The proliferation of for profit corporations operating charter schools is certain to increase. The quality of the education at these “bottom line” schools will be an area for further exploration. The most meaningful analysis in the context of charter schools should probe the implications upon minority students of the “dismantling of desegregation” that charter schools may fuel. Charter schools are regarded as the “vehicles” that students can use to receive an exemplary education. The state of Georgia
181