Georgia Senate wants voters to elect school superintendents
Local school board members and superintendents could be selected in a new way -- that’s actually an old way -- after passage Friday by the Georgia Senate of a proposed constitutional amendment.
Senate Resolution 192 proposes a constitutional amendment to make superintendents elected. They currently are appointed by school boards, which are elected. But SR 192 by Sen. John Wilkinson, R-Toccoa, allows communities to change the rules by referendum if voters first change the constitution.
In school districts with elected superintendents, the school board members would be picked by grand juries instead of voters.
It’s a return to the past. It is how school boards and superintendents were selected prior to a constitutional change a quarter century ago that mandated local school board elections.
Wilkinson said he thinks school districts should be able to choose for themselves how they will pick their school leaders. He cited concerns in his own area about growing central office costs and shrinking superintendent tenures. They serve an average of three years in Georgia, he said, in part because of the politics on school boards.
The Senate voted 40-12 for the resolution, which now goes to the House. A two-thirds majority is required for passage.
About the Author
Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.
