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Friday, July 21, 2006
You Be the Board Member
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Last night the Atlanta school board had to consider a charter petition for Achieve Academy, which needs (or was required by the board to submit…this was one of the gray areas….) a new charter to continue now that they are no longer affiliated with the Knowledge is Power Program, or KIPP.
Achieve Academy, in southeast Atlanta, says it has turned students who were unmotivated at traditional schools into eager, hardworking students. The strategy is a longer school day, a requirement that kids earn privileges and an emphasis on goals. Achieve’s test scores were mixed, but in some areas impressive, especially in seventh grade. (The school had grades five through seven last school year) Overall, Achieve was better than several of the Atlanta middle schools the kids would have to return to. And the school made AYP every year. Achieve has strong, passionate parent support.
The Atlanta Public Schools’ administration took a different view. They saw a school that turned in a petition full of vague and conflicting information. Would the school follow the state curriculum? Did the Saturday program end at 12 or 12:30? In some places, the petition said it would have snack time, but in other places no snack time was mentioned, they complained. They weren’t satisfied with the financial statements or the relationship with management partner Imagine Schools, once a for-profit company and now a nonprofit that operates two other charter schools in metro Atlanta. They weren’t satisfied with the church Imagine planned to buy for the school to operate in. (In another confusing sidenote, the school was kicked out of a surplus Atlanta property, but it was unclear whether that facility would be used in the upcoming school year…) All in all, the administration gave Achieve a big thumbs down, recommended the petition be denied, a move that would shut Achieve down.
So…You’re a board member… How do you vote and why? Note: This is a called meeting, so not showing up is a third option. To find out how the Atlanta board voted, go here.
