Following the loss of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Clayton County Public Schools District was identified as a community in need of alternative public education solutions, including increased options for parents to have access to charter schools.

In 2009, Dr. Miller developed a founding board of directors inclusive of community members and stakeholders who shared his bold vision of creating high quality, innovative, and fiscally sustainable charter schools. This group included George Bandy, Dr. Marcus Barber, Anthony Bryant, Jackie Heard-Fields, Jai Gilyard, and the late Linda Faye Stevenson. From 2009-2011, Dr. Miller and the Founding Board composed the charter petition for its flagship charter school, Utopian Academy for the Arts Middle School.