Artesius Miller is founder and CEO of Utopian Academy for the Arts. In this guest column, Miller shares his school’s journey and calls on the state to do more to enable his school and others to be even more effective.
By Artesius Miller
In 2014, I stood at the front door of a surplus Clayton County public school on the threshold of endless possibilities for my students only to discover that the building had been chained shut. It was supposed to be the first day of classes for the more than 275 students and teachers of Utopian Academy for the Arts.
They had come full of hope to a vacant school in a modest community where 91% of neighborhood kids qualify for free and discounted meals. They were eager to teach and learn, and wore brand-new uniforms that were a symbol of our struggle and pride. Our mascot marked our journey — the soaring eagle capable of rising above the limitations of its surroundings.
Credit: Courtesy Photo
Credit: Courtesy Photo
The chains on our school doors became a symbol of resistance to special schools driving change in Georgia— a calling card of closed minds. A movement had been afoot. Charter schools supported by tax dollars had been empowered by the state with the freedom to get creative to educate K-12 students.
But they were viewed as competition.
I believe that strengthening charter schools is key to boosting Georgia’s graduation rate, which may be at a record 84.4% overall, but still lags behind the national average of 87%. What we have learned from the school reform movement is that one size does not fit all when it comes to public education, a fundamental human right.
Disparities exist. Poverty impacts learning. Innovation and investment boost standardized test scores for students on the margins, including those students who waited with sharpened pencils and new notebooks hoping to enter Utopian Academy on the scheduled first day of classes in 2013 until the fire department arrived and turned families away. (Utopian was told by officials that it would have to obtain a business license to open, even though it was unnecessary.)
The Georgia Legislature must invest in the promise of charter schools that remove the barriers to access for families seeking a high-quality education. The state’s antiquated K-12 QBE funding formula should be modernized to provide 21st century learning opportunities for all students.
Schools need more resources to meet the transportation demand to get children in seats. In 1991, the state paid over half the cost of student transportation. Now, the state share is 20%. Students in poverty require more funding to even the playing field, so that they feel equipped, supported and ready to learn. Yet, Georgia is among six states that don’t factor student poverty into how they fund schools.
Had the chains on the door succeeded in blocking the progress of Utopian Academy, the first school to be approved by the State Charter Schools Commission, then our origin story would have ended in the parking lot. The flight of these Utopian Eagles would have also been grounded.
Jomar Crawford, a student who was struggling in his traditional public school, may not have found his voice as a leader, his confidence as a scholar or realized his tremendous gift as an actor. Now a dedicated student at Utopian Academy for the Arts High School, Jomar is a Screen Actors Guild member with acting credits that include feature films, stage plays, and a Netflix series.
Eric Mai, the middle school’s 2017 valedictorian, may not have sharpened his creative mind. After his UAFA graduation, he earned a scholarship to a private Atlanta high school, a perfect ACT score, and a full ride to Yale University to study computer science.
Darion Turner may not have honed his raw talent for modern dance, jazz and ballet. Now, the alumnus and high school graduate dances with Alvin Ailey full time.
In the years since the chains fell from the school doors, Utopian Academy has flourished, posting test scores at our flagship middle school that have historically outperformed the district. The Utopian Academy Charter School Network now includes four charter schools: its flagship, an elementary school that opened in 2020, a high school that opened in 2022 and a Fayette County middle school that opened in collaboration with Trilith Studios this year. And subsequently, all Clayton County campuses of Utopian Academy have since been officially approved by the school district, including the flagship, whose approval just came this month.
The Utopian Academy origin story is proof that charter schools can make a transformational impact in the education of students on the margins. All kids are worth fighting for.
About the Author
