SACS offers advice to school system
- 1/26/11
- Categorized in: DeKalb News, Education
Officials from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools met with DeKalb County Schools officials earlier this week to offer input and recommendations regarding numerous issues facing the system, according to a SACS official.
“DeKalb had contacted us, recognizing they were facing some significant challenges and asked for external help assessing their current situation,” said Jennifer Oliver, vice president of communications for SACS.
SACS members met with interim superintendent Ramona Tyson, school board members and select principals, parents and community leaders on Jan. 24 and 25, Oliver said.
Some of the issues that were discussed, according to Oliver, were the search for a superintendent, budget concerns, school consolidation issues and the fallout created by the arrest of former superintendent Crawford Lewis. Oliver said the school system is scheduled for a district-wide visit during the 2011-12 school year and this week’s visit “allows them time to find out what areas they need to make improvements on.”
SACS will prepare a report to reflect its observations and recommendations within 30 to 45 days, Oliver said.
“[SACS] was gathering information to make sure we are taking the right steps to find a superintendent and to give us guidance on other issues as well,” said school system spokesman Walter Woods. “Accreditation was not on the table.”
The school system faces a $55 million shortfall in the budget. It also is grappling with a proposal to close 14 schools in an effort to eliminate empty seats in more than 20 schools in the system that have less than 75 percent occupancy, which is needed to receive certain state funding.
A series of public workshops concerning consolidation and redistricting over the past two weeks have drawn large crowds. Woods said the system was redistricted eight years ago, but on a much smaller scale.
Also last week, the school board made official by a 6-3 vote Tyson’s $76,000 raise and 18-month contract. Under the agreement, Tyson will earn an annual salary of $240,000 through June 30, 2012. She will continue to serve as interim superintendent until a new leader is in place. After that, Tyson will serve the remainder of the contract as an advisor to the new superintendent. She will return to her previous salary and her position as deputy superintendent after the expiration of the contract.
And do you really believe that IF Livsey were to close, it would have a significant impact on the tax digest for DeKalb County? You might want to ask those central DeKalb communities that experienced school closings in the late 80's what impact it had on their property tax bill.
I also noticed you did not say you would be willing to pay more in property taxes so ALL elementary schools could be the size of Livsey. Do you think the school size has anything to do with its success?
Moreover, CLOSING LIVSEY WILL REDUCE TAX REVENUES. Livsey is the Blue Ribbon school of excellence, so homes in its attendance area are highly desirable, and the effect spills over to the rest of Tucker. This results in both substantial home price premiums and higher family incomes, which in turn generate a larger property tax digest and larger sales tax collections for DeKalb County. Closing Livsey will cause many families to move to other counties. The home price premium will disappear almost immediately. Over a few years, the additional buying power also will disappear. Thus, two unintended consequence of closing Livsey Elementary will be a smaller property tax digest and reduced sales and use tax collections.
Does SACS support DCSS’ proposal to close or dissect the county’s best performing school – Livsey? Academic achievement has always been SACS' priority.
It would be nice if all elementary schools in DeKalb were the size of Livsey. Unfortunately, we can no longer afford that. I've noticed I have not heard anyone at the community meetings offering to pay more in property taxes to keep small schools in the district.
Would you please elaborate on SACS’ reaction to the proposal to close 14 schools. One of the schools on the chopping block is Livsey Elementary that won the prestigious national Blue Ribbon Award for academic achievement, several awards from the Governor, and etc. Livsey is 96% occupied, and it’s the top performing school in the county. Does SACS approve closing Livsey?
As you indicate, the Equal Pay Act was to assure equal pay between men and women. Ironically she is a woman doing a job that man traditional hold. Be it right or wrong, I believe a good employment lawyer would use that that justify her adjustment. Perhaps we can agree, it is not the person but the position that is being compensated. She happens to occupy that position at the current time.
I also believe another way of looking at this is if the Board wanted to hire a retired superintendent to 'hold the fort' until a permanent superintendent was hired (which they could have done), they would be compensated similarly to what she is being paid.
A. Because she's an interim
B. The pay for Lewis was based on his presumed talents and
resume (whatever those may have been).
C. Because the county cannot afford that amount.
D. And most important, because we, the taxpayers and financiers
of this 3 ring circus known as the DCSS do NOT want it. This
alone is enough reason.
Even the Army has you perform SUCCESSFULLY at the next higher job before you're entitled to the pay and benefits that go with it. THEN you get promoted into it.
Let's shut down this country club mentality at the DCSS. I'm footing the bill and have no children in this system.
If you consider what other metro area superintendents are paid, you would notice that she is on the low end when you consider this salary adjustment. Another thing to consider, what would potential candidates think if they saw that the community did not want to equitably compensate the current person with those responsibilities? It could reduce the pool of qualified candidates.