Dalton State Lab School

At Dalton State College, we believe that education is a tool to fuel and support our community. Toward that end, we are preparing to open the Dalton State Lab School—a new charter school—in fall 2026 to serve families seeking a classical yet innovative education for their children.

A laboratory school is an elementary, middle or high school that is part of a college with a teacher education program. The Dalton State Lab School* will be a learning environment where future educators can develop their skills in authentic and diverse classroom settings, alongside master teachers. This approach reduces the teacher to student ratio and allows instructors to meet students’ individual needs more easily. With a goal of delivering educational excellence for every child, we also believe our approach will enhance teacher preparation for area public schools currently served by the Dalton State School of Education.

The Lab School will be a regular school with its own, dedicated teachers, but it will have the benefit of being connected to Dalton State College. Faculty and researchers from a wide range of disciplines will contribute their expertise and provide innovative instructional programs that pioneer teaching advancements and shape the future of learning.

For more information or to register your interest in enrollment, please complete the interest form

Hallmarks of the Lab School Experience

While the curriculum is still under exploration, we anticipate using a classical education model, a time-honored approach that teaches students how to learn and how to think for themselves using high-quality instructional programs and methods that are appropriate to specific developmental stages. Experiential learning is a key component of the learning process to foster student success and a community where intellectual curiosity thrives.

The classical model builds a firm foundation at each stage of a students’ intellectual and social development, enabling them to excel at math, reading and writing while also equipping them with the knowledge and skills to be resilient, responsible and successful in life. Features include:

  • An emphasis on experiential learning inclusive of outdoor classroom settings
  • Character education with a focus on unstructured play, resiliency, and finding joy
  • Immersion in language, including Latin and Spanish, with fluency by high school
  • Performing and fine arts
  • Uniforms that promote cohesion and a sense of belonging
  • No personal technology (cell phones) for lower-grade students

Support that Fosters Success

Support for Students
  • Personalized success plans for each student
  • Tutoring
  • Extracurricular programs and schedules
  • Summer supports (i.e., Literacy Camp, summer camps)
  • While the Lab School will eventually serve students in Kindergarten through grade 12, it will initially open with K-3 or 4.
  • The Lab School will have 8-20 students per class in the elementary grades with a primary teacher and a secondary assistant in larger class settings to ensure personal attention.
  • With a goal to be a diverse learning community, the Lab School will accept of all abilities and life experiences, including students for whom English is a second language, students with special needs and students from low socio-economic backgrounds.
  • Preference for enrollment will be for children of college employees and for students in our community and the surrounding Georgia counties who may need a different teaching approach to succeed academically and reach their full potential. Mindful of the potential fiscal impact on surrounding public schools, our intent is to accept enrollment from multiple districts, and we may limit enrollment from any particular district consistent with our charter and applicable state rules.
Support for Families
  • A whole child-family approach to education
  • A school calendar that works more effectively for their families.
  • Extracurricular programs and schedules
  • Caregiver Academy – a place/resource where parents come to learn how to assist their children at home
Support for Teachers & Teachers-in-Training
  • The opportunity to teach in an innovative environment
  • Extended planning time
  • Professional development and leadership opportunities
  • Paraprofessionals in each elementary classroom
  • Innovative environment for beginning DSC education majors to learn and improve teaching skills prior to teacher placement in public schools

Timeline:

  • Fall 2024: Form initial Board of Directors
  • January 2025: Anticipate seeking Board of Regents approval
  • Spring 2025: Anticipate seeking local and/or state approval
  • Spring 2025 – Spring 2026: Appoint Founding Head of School; recruit teachers; secure facility
  • Fall 2026: Anticipated opening term

We have not determined the actual name but are using “Dalton State Lab School” as we launch this effort. The Dalton State Lab School will be a separate organization from Dalton State College and will seek local and/or state authorization as we seek to begin operation.