Must-reads in Friday's AJC

In Friday’s AJC:

As charter school supporters prepare to rally at the Capitol, promoters of  "virtual" charter schools -- public school classes at home, on the computer -- plead their case before a state commission.

How will virtual schools serve special education students?

How much money should they get?

And how will these schools prevent struggling students from falling through the cybercracks?

“We haven’t worked out what it really costs to run virtual ed in a total K-12 environment,” said State Superintendent Kathy Cox. “There is some policy work and budget work that has got to be done.”

Still, the contenders will angle for a charter and equal funding to get them going, energized by the parents who believe in them and the rally for school choice that the Georgia Charter Schools Association is hosting on the steps of the Capitol Friday morning.

It is expected to attract 1,500 charter school students, parents and supporters.

What our reporters are working on today:

UPS's executives ring the morning bell on Wall Street.

The federal government is expected to release the latest monthly unemployment rates.

Mark Fox makes his debut as the coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of Georgia.