The Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) is an association of

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

, and

parochial school A parochial school is a private primary or secondary school affiliated with a religious organization, and whose curriculum includes general religious education in addition to secular subjects, such as science, mathematics and language arts. The ...

s throughout the state of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

. It was established in 1967 as the Georgia Association of Independent Schools, at the time a large number of

segregation academies Segregation academies are private schools in the Southern United States that were founded in the mid-20th century by white parents to avoid having their children attend desegregated public schools. They were founded between 1954, when the U.S. ...

were being established for the purpose of providing whites-only education. In 1972, a group of schools that refused to post a racially inclusive discrimination policy formed a new organization, the Southeastern Association of Independent Schools (SEAIS), in order to continue the exclusion of African-American Children. In 1986, when the number of overtly segregated schools was declining, the SEAIS merged with the GAIS and the name was changed to GISA. Over the years, many schools have migrated between GISA and the Georgia Association of Christian Schools, which also has a history of denying admission to African-Americans. The association provides coordination of and services for the various member schools including athletics and academic competition that are not a part of the

Georgia High School Association The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) is an organization that governs athletics and activities for member high schools in Georgia, USA. GHSA is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations. The association has 463 pu ...

. It further attempts to foster close relations between the member schools and the colleges and public schools in the State of Georgia. It has nearly 160 member schools. In 1972, the organization severed ties with six schools which continued to openly operate as

. In 2021, GISA set up an ancillary organization, the Georgia Independent Athletic Association, to coordinate athletics for member schools.

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