Atlanta Public Schools placed on probation (Marietta, Gainesville: for sale, credit, house)

[society619]

Atlanta Public Schools placed on probation *| ajc.com

Accreditation can effect a student's eligibility for scholarship money, including Georgia's HOPE scholarship, federal funding and college acceptance. Atlanta's high schools are accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), which reports to AdvancED.
Three metro school districts are under review by SACS and AdvancED. An on-site review is scheduled in DeKalb County Schools next month because of concerns over operations there. In 2008, the accreditation for Clayton County Schools was revoked, but it has since been restored on a probationary basis.

[society619]

Does this affect all Atlanta counties or only some? I'm not sure

[Big L]

This only affects Atlanta Public Schools, which is over the schools in Atlanta proper. The rest of Fulton County has its own district. The other Metro Atlanta counties also have their own districts. If I am not mistaken, the cities of Marietta, Decatur, and Gainesville also have their own districts as well.

My response to the SACS ruling is that I am saddened, but not surprised. There is a reason why a lot of people with school-aged children either don't move into the city of Atlanta itself or place their children in private schools if they do.

[arjay57]

What's also unfortunate is that there a number of outstanding public schools in the city of Atlanta where communities have worked very hard for many years to make sure things are first rate. It's a shame for them to be tarred with this brush.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by arjay57

What's also unfortunate is that there a number of outstanding public schools in the city of Atlanta where communities have worked very hard for many years to make sure things are first rate. It's a shame for them to be tarred with this brush.

That's one of the disadvantages of having a fairly large school district ... if something goes wrong, it impacts everyone, even those not directly involved with the negativity.

[aries4118]

Remember, y'all--

Atlanta Public Schools did not lose its accreditation, but was placed on probation. The school district has until September 30 to act on the SACS accrediting agency's recommendations.

[aries4118]

More information:

SACS puts APS on probation. What now? | Get Schooled

SACS report: “Serious turmoil” in APS. Read report here. | Get Schooled

[Big L]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Remember, y'all--

Atlanta Public Schools did not lose its accreditation, but was placed on probation. The school district has until September 30 to act on the SACS accrediting agency's recommendations.

I understand the difference between probation and the loss of accreditation. However, with the board's current antics I am not confident that they will meet all requirements by September 30th.

In addition, if I were a parent in any school system that even gets placed on probation, then it would definitely be time to put the house up for sale. Probation may not take way accreditation, but it definitely can tarnish a reputation.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Remember, y'all--

Atlanta Public Schools did not lose its accreditation, but was placed on probation. The school district has until September 30 to act on the SACS accrediting agency's recommendations.

I understand that, but it's outlandish that APS should even be flirting with such a disaster. It's an extremely well funded system that has the highest per student expenditures in the state and which spent over $1 billion on new schools and upgrades in the last 10 years alone. We've had the most highly paid superintendent in the state, despite the fact that APS is half the size or less of systems like Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett and DeKalb. We ought to be at the top of the heap, not sweating about whether we'll even be allowed to stay in the game.

[AcidSnake]

Who sits on the SAC board anyways? Who appoints these board members? Are they elected? They seem to have such an aggressive interest in Metropolitan Atlanta as of late, having just raked the Clayton County school system over the coals.

It's not that I am trying to disparage SAC, but I just want to know with confidence that this organization is truly concerned about the quality of Georgia's schools and not have a political axe to grind.