ATLANTA -- The Senate approved measures this morning intended to increase community control over schools.

The upper chamber voted 53-2 for Senate Bill 39, which allows entire school systems to switch to charter schools that free them from many of the state education mandates, such as class-size requirements.

"The belief is the people closest to the school ... they know the needs of that school," said Sen. Dan Weber, R-Dunwoody. "If they need an intensive writing class for 10 students, they ought to be allowed to do that."

School systems that do make the switch would create governing councils made up of teachers, parents and members of the community to decide how their local schools will be organized, under the bill.

The charter system schools still would have to adhere to federal No Child Left Behind requirements, including competency tests.

The proposal, which now heads to the House, would include $625,000 to help five school systems apply to the state Board of Education for approval.

State funding, which is based on the number of pupils, would not change under a charter system.

Another education bill to encourage development of new individual charter schools that focus on vocational training for students also passed the Senate today.

The "Career Academies Act" includes $1 million to offset start-up costs for five schools in the state and $15 million in bond money for building expenses.

The Senate approved that bill 52-3. Both measures were part of Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle's legislative agenda this year.

Reach Vicky Eckenrode at (678) 977-4601 or vicky.eckenrode@morris.com.