DeKalb Schools and legal fees (Decatur: real estate, 2013, how much)

[lastminutemom]

In today's AJC, there is article that explores the out of control legal expenses that the DeKalb County School system has incurred in just the last 3 years.

It is a micro view of all that is wrong in DeKalb school system and how things have gotten so badly off track in terms of governance.

DeKalb school system spends more than other systems on legal... | www.myajc.com

[Esteban5]

Not just attorneys....how much is Jeff Dickerson costing them?

[Iconographer]

This makes my head explode.

[GRS86]

Incompetent leadership, plain and simple!!!

[GeorgiaLakeSearch]

I remember when people recommended DCSS.

[arjay57]

I don't understand it. DeKalb schools used to be the creme de la creme.

It's certainly not about money either -- DeKalb spends way more per student than any district in the metro area other than the COA.

[jeoff]

Yeah, the collapse of DCSS is probably a solid chunk of why Decatur City and the Grady school zone has gotten so expensive. If good public schools are your priority, there is not much left in Dekalb to consider, and long term, it does not look like it will get any better.

Originally Posted by arjay57

I don't understand it. DeKalb schools used to be the creme de la creme.

It's certainly not about money either -- DeKalb spends way more per student than any district in the metro area other than the COA.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by jeoff

Yeah, the collapse of DCSS is probably a solid chunk of why Decatur City and the Grady school zone has gotten so expensive. If good public schools are your priority, there is not much left in Dekalb to consider, and long term, it does not look like it will get any better.

Good schools are critical to a community's health. I don't understand why DeKalb would let them go down the tubes.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by jeoff

Yeah, the collapse of DCSS is probably a solid chunk of why Decatur City and the Grady school zone has gotten so expensive. If good public schools are your priority, there is not much left in Dekalb to consider, and long term, it does not look like it will get any better.

Why not? Most of the school board was recently fired and replaced. I'd say that's a pretty drastic action designed to turn things around, and suggests that things are going to get better, and in short order.

Plus, they just found a bunch of millions of dollars hiding under a rock, so that'll help:

Found money turns DeKalb school budget from shortfall to surplus | www.myajc.com

[jeoff]

Drastic actions suggests desperation--not a turn-around, and not exactly the sort of thing that generates the sort of buzz that makes people who value good schools want to move to Dekalb. I can just imagine a real estate agent making his pitch, "Dekalb schools are so great that the governor just kicked out our school board!" Housing values have tanked in 2/3 of the county, what is that going to do to revenues and property tax rates? Oh, and the board has been replaced, but not the people that hired them, which is why you may find a few more new cities in the next couple of years as residents do their best to disassociate from Dekalb.


Still, Dekalb has a lot going for it: it contains important institutions, has so much wealth remaining, and in so close a proximity to areas that are doing so well. So, at some point the bleeding has to stop. (right?)

Originally Posted by JPD

Why not? Most of the school board was recently fired and replaced. I'd say that's a pretty drastic action designed to turn things around, and suggests that things are going to get better, and in short order.

Plus, they just found a bunch of millions of dollars hiding under a rock, so that'll help:

Found money turns DeKalb school budget from shortfall to surplus | www.myajc.com