ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia charter schools are fighting a proposal that would require the independent public schools to contribute money toward pension debt for the traditional public education system.

The idea may have a hard time in the Georgia General Assembly, where many lawmakers support charter schools as publicly financed alternatives to traditional schools. But The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports  that charter backers want to make sure they kill the bill when lawmakers convene early next year.

Georgia Charter Schools Association executive Tony Roberts notes that charter school teachers won't ever receive public pension benefits. So, he argues, charters shouldn't have to reserve part of their budgets for the retirement system.

Atlanta school officials argue that charter schools are part of the entire public education system and should in all of its costs.

___