The Atlanta school district has hired the architect of Gov. Nathan Deal’s Opportunity School District legislation, which would allow state takeover of low-performing schools, to advise the district on how to avoid state takeover of those schools.
Late Monday evening, the Atlanta Public Schools board voted 7-2 to hire Deal's departing deputy chief of staff for policy and legislative affairs Erin Hames on a no-bid, $96,000 consulting contract. Hames is leaving Deal's office at the end of the month.
Board members Steven Lee and Byron Amos cast the dissenting votes.
The governor’s Opportunity School District legislation, which requires voter approval next year, would give the state the power to seize control of failing schools, convert them into charters or shut them down.
There are 27 Atlanta schools eligible for state action.
Atlanta superintendent Meria Carstarphen said Hames’ contract was not subject to competitive bidding because Hames is “uniquely positioned” to help APS.
Hames is the latest in a string of high-profile staff members to leave the office after Deal's 2014 re-election.
Carstarphen said Monday that as she learned of departures from Deal’s office, she sought out staffers who might be able to help the school district.
“I haven’t experienced in one exchange anything that said she wasn’t working to help APS fix the past and be set up better for the future,” Carstarphen said of Hames.
Carstarphen said too that if APS followed its current school improvement plans, intervention under the Opportunity School District would be unnecessary.
But, moments later she said “I don’t think that will happen because we have such a short runway. And APS already has so many problems.”
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