Georgia Board of Education Meeting
DekalbSchoolWatch - Running commentary of meeting and Interactive discussion
Closing comments of the October SACS report:
The DeKalb County Board of Education has been afforded ample opportunity to come into compliance with the AdvancED Standards and Indicators as well as their own policies. Despite attempts of various experts and organizations to bring about sustained change in the culture and operation of the Board of Education, the extensive efforts, costs and resources expended in this endeavor appear to have been wasted. READ MORE >>
There are two ways to remove a band-aid; you can pull it off slowly, bit by tortuous bit, which prolongs the agony, or you can yank it off with one sudden pull, which may hurt a bit more, but only for a second. DeKalb County Schools is in desperate need of a leader with the courage to yank a band-aid, and fast. The State Board of Education will hold a hearing on the DeKalb School Board today, and afterwards make a recommendation to the Governor about what to do next with the 9 clowns in one small car that is the DeKalb County Board of Education. Pay close attention to this meeting and the subsequent actions by the State BOE and the Governor, because what's at stake it's not just DeKalb County's future, or the future of ~100,000 DeKalb school kids. What's at stake is Georgia's ability to deal with systemic problems in its educational system, and a real measure of Governor Deal's leadership. READ MORE >>
- Scott Holcomb - Thoughts on BOE Hearing - Interactive Discussion
Yesterday afternoon, the State Board of Education ("BoE") conducted a hearing to determine whether they should recommend to the Governor that he suspend the members of the DeKalb Board of Education. I attended the full hearing and listened to all of the testimony and the questions. I found the State BoE to be very well informed. They asked tough and important questions and required accountability from each of the members of the DeKalb BoE. READ MORE >>
AJC Get Schooled - Can the DeKalb school board reinvent itself in 30 days?
This is the digest form of the four-hour state Board of Education hearing today on whether or not to suspend the DeKalb Board of Education. If want all the details, scan my live blog from the hearing.
The DeKalb board is fighting for its survival after the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools placed the district on probation last month because of board mismanagement, meddling, nepotism and fiscal failings. The General Assembly passed a law in 2011 that gave the governor the legal power to remove errant school boards who jeopardize their district's accreditation.
After the hearing during which every DeKalb board member testified, the state Board of Education delayed voting on recommending that the governor oust the fractious school board, instead approving a consent agreement and giving DeKalb time to show improvement. READ MORE >>
AJC Get Schooled - State board gives DeKalb 30 more days to reform itself. Will continue debate on Feb. 21
After a hearing that lasted four hours, the state Board of Education delayed voting on recommending that the governor oust the fractious DeKalb school board, although some state board members were clearly exasperated with the situation.
At the start of the marathon hearing, lawyers for both the state Department of Education and the DeKalb school board urged the state board to sanction a consent agreement that would have allowed the trouble board three months to initiate reforms recommended by SACS.
However, the state board was reluctant to grant DeKalb its requested three months to right its ship. So, the state board instead gave them 30 days to report its progress rather than the April date sought by DeKalb.
The state board approved a consent agreement and then turned around immediately and told the DeKalb board to return on Feb. 21 to report on its progress at which time the state board could choose to vote on suspension if unimpressed with what DeKalb has done.
This gives DeKalb only 30 days to make some significant progress. READ MORE >>
The nine members of the DeKalb County school board have one month to prepare for another showdown over concerns raised by an accrediting agency, and if they make a weak case they could lose their seats.
One by one, they went up to a podium Thursday for a first round of grilling by the Georgia school board over allegations of misbehavior. The allegations were brought by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools last month. READ MORE >>