State BOE votes today on 5 charter system applications, including Gainesville's

ATLANTA - The state Board of Education (BOE) is expected to vote on applications Tuesday for five public school districts to convert entirely to charter schools.

The districts would be the first in the state to convert entirely to charter schools under a 2007 law. Andrew Broy, the state's charter school director, says the districts applying are Decatur City, Chattahoochee County, Gainesville City, Warren County and Marietta City.

If approved, the change would take effect this fall.

Just two other states -- Florida and California -- have provisions allowing existing school districts to convert to a charter system. Texas lets groups start a public charter system from scratch.