DEL.ICIO.USClayton schools’ fears are realized
Loss of accreditation triggers new exodus of students
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The stunning loss of accreditation for Clayton County schools left students, parents and residents reeling Thursday at the realization of “worthless” diplomas, dashed college dreams, depressed home values and an exodus of families.
The troubled 50,000-student district will become the first in the nation to lose accreditation since 1969.
John Spink/jspink@ajc.com
State Rep. Mike Glanton (left) tries to calm Clayton County school board member-elect Jessie Goree following Thursday’s meeting where they learned the Clayton County schools would lose their accreditation.
John Spink/jspink@ajc.com
Dr. Mark Elgart, president and CEO of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools walks away from the podium after a press conference Thursday. If the Clayton County school system meets its mandates by May, it would be accredited again retroactive to this year, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools said.
Pouya Dianat/Staff Photographer
County Commissioner Eldrin Bell answers upset parents Anthony Williams (on left) who has twins in 11th grade, and Vernetta Reeves who has a senior at Jonesboro High School.
Clayton County schools headlines:
• Photos: Timeline of Clayton schools' woes• AJC editorial: Less hope
Read the full report to SACS:
• Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Large PDFs)
- Read SACS' report (PDF)
- Photos: Non-meeting | Angry parents | 400 protest
- Clayton County news
News of the loss came Thursday just hours before Gov. Sonny Perdue ordered the removal of four school board members. A state administrative judge had recommended their removal for violating the state Open Meetings Act and the state code of ethics.
“The fate of the Clayton County school system is now in the hands of the voters,” Perdue said in a statement.
The unanimous decision by the national Accreditation Commission left students and parents devastated. Some students burst into tears; others left school early. Parents flooded main offices at various schools to withdraw their students.
“I blame those board members who didn’t put my needs before their own. They all say they put the students first, but they really just think about themselves and because of them my future is now at risk,” said Ludny Lily, 17, a senior at Jonesboro High School. “I didn’t work this hard for all these years to graduate with a worthless diploma.” Lily wants to attend Georgia State University and study law.
As many as 2,000 students failed to return to the district this school year, and officials expected more would leave for other districts.
“I fear we’re going to have to move,” said Isaac Robinson, the father of a second-grader at Jackson Elementary in Jonesboro. “We can’t stay in a school system that’s not accredited. Sure, it may get better, but I don’t know if we can afford to wait it out.”
Superintendent John Thompson urged students to remain in the district.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure these kids get full accreditation,” he said.
Thompson said the district will appeal the accreditation loss, which takes effect Monday.
“A storm came through and look at it now, the sun is shining,” Thompson said Thursday afternoon. “That’s what’s going to happen in Clayton County.”
The commission cited Clayton’s dysfunctional school board as the school system’s main problem.
The governance issues hampered everything from teaching and learning to staffing and allocation of resources, accreditors said.
“It affected the entire school system,” said Mark A. Elgart, president and chief executive officer of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. “Today, the students’ education in this particular district is being compromised.”
The national commission governs SACS.
Perdue called on Clayton voters to fix the board:
“Through the elections to replace these four board members, they can send a clear signal that the kind of behavior that has led to this ruling and the system’s loss of accreditation will not be tolerated.”
The loss of accreditation means students could have trouble getting into some colleges and universities, or receiving scholarship money. Georgia’s public colleges have promised to accept Clayton students. Students who graduate before 2010 will still receive their HOPE scholarships, thanks to new legislation signed by Perdue this year.
School officials have 10 days to file an appeal, but they will have to show that SACS was incorrect and they have met all the nine mandates spelled out by accreditors in February.
Clayton can regain accreditation if it shows before Sept. 1, 2009, that all the nine mandates have been met.
If successful, accreditation would be restored, retroactive to Sept. 1, 2008. If it is not successful, the school system would have to start the accreditation process from the beginning, which likely would take about three years.
That means that if Clayton meets the mandates by May, this year’s seniors could graduate with an accredited diploma.
On Thursday, SACS said the school system had fulfilled only one mandate: to assure that every board member lives in the county.
“There’s positive intent in some cases, but there is no result in some cases,” Elgart said.
A team of investigators from across the nation reviewed Clayton’s progress and found no evidence to show the school system had a fully functioning board or permanent superintendent, Elgart said.
Accreditors were particularly concerned that the board surrendered its governing authority to Thompson, Elgart said. In April, the board signed a contract that allowed Thompson as the new superintendent to violate policies and circumvent the board.
“The current contract cedes authority to the superintendent,” Elgart said. “It not only violates standards for accreditation, but board policy and violates state law.”
Elgart said he and two state Board of Education members appointed to help Clayton pointed out the flawed contract months ago, but the board didn’t listen.
“They gave the superintendent responsibility that needed to be held by the board,” said state Board of Education member James E. Bostic Jr., who was appointed by Perdue to help Clayton.
On Thursday, Thompson said he would amend his contract if needed.
The governor’s liaisons said they were optimistic — as long as new board members are committed to meeting SACS’ mandates and not pointing fingers.
“If folks continue to talk about the blame and try to do the autopsies, a year from now we’ll be in the exact same place,” said William “Brad” Bryant, a state board member and Perdue’s liaison.
Perdue removed board Chairwoman Michelle Strong, along with members Sandra Scott, Yolanda Everett and Lois Baines-Hunter.
“It’s a great day to be an American,” Scott said, declining further comment.
The accreditation loss doesn’t just affect students, but every resident and business owner in Clayton.
Real estate agents have estimated the county has lost almost $550 million in housing equity since the school system was placed on probation in 2003.
“It’s about as bad a thing as could happen to a housing market,” said Richard Martin, associate professor of real estate at the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia.
Demond Scott, the father of two children at Camelot Christian Academy in Rex, said his home has been on the market for more than a year.
“It’s already hard enough to sell a home here, and now it’s about to get worse,” Scott said. “Now this is going to drive down all our property values and bring up foreclosures. Get ready for the mass exodus. I was planning to put my kids in public school starting in middle school. But now I don’t want to be in this county anymore.”
Staff writer John Hollis contributed to this article.
