The deadline is approaching for charter school operators to submit applications to run independent public schools authorized by the state.

Prospective operators must hand deliver or mail their requests Georgia's Charter School Commission by the end of Friday.

The deadline marks the latest milestone in the state's expansion of non-traditional public schools.

Georgia voters approved a constitutional amendment last fall recreating the charter commission, which can approve charter schools over the objections of local school boards. The state Supreme Court had disbanded a previous version of the commission.

Schools and operators submitting applications for this cycle of charter won't open until at least the 2014-15 school year.

In an earlier application cycle, the commission cleared 15 existing schools for charters that will cover the upcoming school year.

Tags: charter schools, Charter School Commission, Georgia Charter School Commission, constitutional amendment, charter school constitutional amendment