Cherokee BOE Opposes Opportunity School District

WOODSTOCK, GA -- On Thursday, the Cherokee County School Board took a stand against the proposed Opportunity School District takeover plan by passing a resolution opposing the constitutional amendment that will be on the Nov. 8 ballot.

School Board Chair Kyla Cromer said she’s “proud” that the board stepped up even though the district currently has no schools on the so-called “failing” list that would trigger a takeover by a governor-appointed czar should the amendment pass.

“The big part of this in my mind is that as a member of this school board our job is to protect the children of Cherokee County,” Cromer said. “And I see no benefit in this to them.”

Board members have heard staff presentations over the last year outlining how the amendment could potentially affect Cherokee County, especially as the metric used to trigger takeover is constantly changing and targets Title I schools that serve the community’s most at-risk students.

Board members also have raised concerns about the amendment usurping local control, as it removes the oversight of the locally elected school board and would seize assets communities have voted to fund through sales tax collections.

• Read the resolution here.

Board members on Thursday also heard a presentation on the process underway to develop an instructional framework for the district, which will create standards for how teachers design instruction and assess student learning.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Hightower told the board that, while they’re hearing about many projects underway to improve CCSD, “as far as impacting the classroom, this will have the most impact.”

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