Atlanta schools budget to get closer scrutiny under new superintendent
Atlanta school board members concerned about historically high levels of spending, administration costs and reliance on savings approved a plan Thursday to revisit next year’s budget once incoming Superintendent Meria Carstarphen arrives this summer.
The board’s Budget Commission passed the $658 million budget, which depends on spending $25 million from reserve funds, with the provision that board members may adjust the spending plan later. The budget is scheduled for final approval Tuesday.
“We want to continue to push money down to the schools, make the central office more efficient and find ways to save money,” said board Chairman Courtney English. “The folks who should be making decisions with money are those closest to kids.”
Superintendent Erroll Davis supported the proposal, saying the school system could work to use a smaller amount of reserve funds than the full $25 million amount budgeted.
Davis instituted a hiring freeze Wednesday on positions that don’t closely affect students in an effort to give Carstarphen more flexibility to make organizational changes when she takes over.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
