Atlanta Public Schools is hiring two new administrators to oversee teaching and learning, one of the areas a recent Georgia Department of Education report identified as in particular need of improvement.

“Evidence revealed that schools and school staff appear to be ‘on-their-own’ in planning and implementing curriculum across all content areas,” state assessors wrote in the June report.

Donyall Dickey, chief academic support officer for the Philadelphia schools, will focus on turning around low-performing APS schools and helping school clusters implement new programs in line with the district's move to a "charter system" structure. His role of Chief Schools Officer is a new position.

Olivine Roberts, chief academic officer for the Sacramento schools, will become Atlanta’s Chief Academic Officer and focus on academic programming.

Roberts replaces Carlton Jenkins, a former Michigan superintendent who was named Atlanta’s top academic officer in October. In June, Jenkins “announced his decision to return to a superintendent role,” according to a district statement.

Dickey and Roberts are expected to start work in August.

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Uta Thomas picks up her son, Jax, during a public hearing in Atlanta on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. She implored the school board not to close Dunbar Elementary. 
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Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com

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