More School District shenanigans

I've talked about the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) fiasco with more than half of the schools being investigated for cheating on the state test (CRCT for grades 1-8).

DeKalb County Schools are having their own fun right now:
* the superintendent Dr. Crawford Lewis accepted a $15K bonus at a point that teachers are being furloughed. He said it would be pointless to give it back because it wouldn't make any difference.
* The Chief Operations Officer Pat Pope has been under investigation for over a year as her husband has won many of the contracts to build new schools. Last week they had a subpoena to investigate the Superintendent's house related to this investigation and he has temporarily resigned.
* They announced last week that DCS will be closing some of the neighborhood schools with small enrollments.

Cobb County Schools are having their own issues. There was a major turnover of the Board a few years back as the Superintendent (now replaced) tried to ram a laptop-for-everyone plan through. The current board is finding its own issues as the approved (without discussion) cell phone towers at several schools and the homeowners are - annoyed.

Gwinnett County Schools are also being investigated for cheating on the CRCT but not on the level of APS. They have closed a cafeteria in a high school for an undetermined length of time because of repeated food fights. The kids are getting sack lunches in the classroom.

Our legislature wants a 4 day week, the governor wants to cut more money out of the education budget. He also wants to tap lottery funds for things that (by law) they cannot be tapped for, but I think that got stopped. The state colleges are saying there will be a 77% increase in tuition. Several of the colleges are talking about letting go part-time staff and some full time staff.

From the Vent : Monday I find out if my major will exist at SPSU {Southern Polytechnic State University}.

Calendars are coming out for next year - and they have the furlough days from this year on them. It will be interesting to see if our contracts are for 180 or 190 days.

Here is an article written by two Fulton County School teachers about merit pay.

[Note: Atlanta proper is comprised of Atlanta Public Schools and parts of DeKalb County Schools and Fulton County Schools. Metro Atlanta includes those counties surrounding Fulton and DeKalb: Gwinnett (the state's largest), Cherokee, Cobb, Clayton (which has the distinction of the first school district in 30 years IN THE COUNTRY to lose its accreditation - but it has gotten it back.) Then there are other school districts in the next ring out - but they are smaller. The seven listed pretty much drive the state.]