History

City of Atlanta’s First Charter School

Recognizing a quality school is the key to a healthy, vibrant neighborhood, the East Lake Foundation, the Atlanta Board of Education and parents in the community of East Lake, opened Charles R. Drew Charter School – the city of Atlanta’s first charter school – in August 2000.

The school started with 240 children in grades K-5 and has since grown to serve more than 820 students in grades pre-K-8 with an average class size of 22 students. Drew now has one of the highest rates of improvement in both the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia. With test scores rising and its alumni beginning to attend some of Atlanta’s best high schools, Drew now competes with some of the best public and private schools in Georgia.

A Choice Education

Drew is a great choice for families living in the city of Atlanta who expect excellence in education. Drew offers a rich and academically challenging curriculum and enrichment program along with one of the state’s most comprehensive Before and After School programs that makes good sense for today’s families.

The school works in partnership with Edison Schools, one of the nation’s largest and most successful educational companies with experience in supporting charter schools. Drew’s instructional program is designed to address varied learning styles. And because research clearly favors some instructional methods over others, Drew uses those with documented effectiveness.