DeKalb School Board: 'No' to School District Amendment

DECATUR, GA — DeKalb's Board of Education voted on Monday to oppose the Gov. Nathan Deal-supported constitutional amendment that would allow state authorities to take over failing school systems.

"Local control of education is a bedrock American principle," according to the school board's statement. "We strongly believe citizens whose taxes pay for a majority of the cost of educating our children should exercise control over decisions relating to that education. We believe it is not only wrong but risky to give up local control to a new state bureaucracy.

"The board strongly believes that the answer to improved academic outcomes and achievement is in the classroom and the schoolhouse, with motivated, well-trained teachers; engaged, challenged students; and involved, supportive parents, caregivers, and communities."

The amendment, which voters will decide in November, would allow the state to establish a special Opportunity School District (OSD). The amendment would authorize the state to temporarily step in to assist chronically failing public schools. In the governor’s proposal, persistently failing schools are defined as those scoring below 60 on the Georgia Department of Education’s accountability measure, the College and Career Performance Index, for three consecutive years.

DeKalb has 26 schools that are categorized as "failing," more than any other school system in the state. DeKalb's school district is Georgia’s third largest school system with 102,000 students.

"To accomplish our goals of restoring DeKalb’s national reputation for academic excellence and for providing world-class services to our students, staff, and communities, DeKalb County Schools will continue to invest in our children and our teachers," the board said Monday. "We have demonstrated our commitment over the last year by eliminating all teacher furlough days and granting multiple pay increases for our teachers and staff. We are steadfast in our commitment to improve educational outcomes for all DeKalb students as we transform our schools through rigor, relevance, and relationships.

"Voting NO to a state takeover of our local schools will allow DeKalb to continue its progress for all our children."

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