What Are the Dekalb County School System Problems? (Atlanta, Tucker: elementary schools, property taxes) - Georgia (GA) - City-Data Forum

AtlantaRes73 · 02-09-2009, 08:50 AM

My wife and I have been looking around the Lakeside High School area for our next house. The elementary schools, specifically Briarlake and Oak Grove, have great reviews and seem like they are good schools for kids to start off at. I have read some comments on this forum about problems in general with the Dekalb County school system that could cause these schools to go downhill. Could anybody please elaborate on the problems with the school system?

K'ledgeBldr · 02-09-2009, 08:58 AM

Poor money management- and lack of money.

lastminutemom · 02-09-2009, 09:16 AM

Oh, the post would be so long. This is a school system that has struggled for the last few decades to overcome so many things.

As a county, DeKalb is poorer than Fulton and Cobb. Even before the economic decline and the housing market slowdown, DeKalb had a smaller revenue stream from property taxes. We don't have as much expensive property.

Many of our buildings are in terrible shape. Lakeside is horrific as is Druid Hills.

DCSS is struggling to attract qualified principals (Lakeside's is eh at best) and teachers. The economic slowdown will help with this... Gwinnett will be hiring fewer teachers and so DCSS teachers can't leave to work for them.)

While Oak Grove et all are good schools, go look at other schools (ie Sarah Smith, Morris Brandon, Sope Creek, Mt. Bethel, any N. Fulton elementary school) to compare both enrichment opportunities and facilities.

gaflsc · 02-09-2009, 10:01 AM

At least it's not Clayton County! I think someone should just carve up Clayton & give chunks of it to the neighboring counties. It's not that we don't already have too many counties in GA as it stands now!

aries4118 · 02-09-2009, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gaflsc

At least it's not Clayton County! I think someone should just carve up Clayton & give chunks of it to the neighboring counties. It's not that we don't already have too many counties in GA as it stands now!

I thought this myself...and think it could potentially be a good idea.

K'ledgeBldr · 02-09-2009, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gaflsc

At least it's not Clayton County! I think someone should just carve up Clayton & give chunks of it to the neighboring counties. It's not that we don't already have too many counties in GA as it stands now!

I don't remember the particular rant- but if everyone would just hurry up and vacate Clayton County- Atlanta could expand the airport and we wouldn't have to worry about another airport somewhere where it is sure to pissoff somebody.

rcsteiner · 02-09-2009, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aries4118

I thought this myself...and think it could potentially be a good idea.

Subtract Clayton county from the mix, and add Milton county to satisfy the state constitiutional requirements regarding the total number of counties in the state.

All problems solved. Right?

dewfost · 03-25-2009, 02:48 PM

I live in South Dekalb County and the schools are terrible. The biggest external issue I see is lack of parental support. The biggest internal issues are the No Zero Policy, the No Child Left Behind Program and lack of teacher's enforcing the disciplinary process. My take is if a child deserves a Zero then they should get a zero. If a child is not doing what is necessary, then they should be left behind. If the teacher's apply the disciplinary process like they have it written, then the accountability is with the student and his/her parents like it should be. Dekalb County provides many resources (i.e., mentoring, tutoring, Parent Resource Centers, parent classes, etc.), so there is no excuse for a child to fail; however, the push must come from home. I have 2 kids in this school system and both of their schools see me up to 3 times a week. I am very involved and will continue to be involved in my child's education at school & at home. This is where I live; therefore, it will work for my children because the school system has to deal with me! So, if you come to Dekalb County, you will have your work cut out for you dealing with the system.

Neednewpersonnel · 02-08-2010, 09:29 AM

The problem with Dekalb county is that it is top heavy. The funds are used for the top administrators. Dekalb County School System has two parts. The upper part above Lavista, which gets all the money, new schools and new technology. Then there is the lower half that gets nothing. When Southwest Dekalb needed a new school, they merely put a new front on the build and loaded some trailers. When Tucker needed a new school it was built with the state of the art equipment.

TakeAhike · 02-08-2010, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neednewpersonnel

The problem with Dekalb county is that it is top heavy. The funds are used for the top administrators. Dekalb County School System has two parts. The upper part above Lavista, which gets all the money, new schools and new technology. Then there is the lower half that gets nothing. When Southwest Dekalb needed a new school, they merely put a new front on the build and loaded some trailers. When Tucker needed a new school it was built with the state of the art equipment.

Are you referring to Tucker High School?

That building must have been over 50 years old--perhaps older.