The ongoing high-stakes and sometimes bitter public fight over who controls Atlanta Public School’s properties, it or the city of Atlanta, lurched forward, then back Monday.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed offered Monday morning to send to the school board 10 of about 60 school property deeds the city holds.

The school system wants to sell empty schools to fund ongoing education initiatives. But the mayor wants to make sure any school property redeveloped for housing includes affordable housing, or it’s no deal.

Atlanta schools counter-offered in the afternoon, making a play to gain fuller control. It will accept the 10 deeds only if it can add more school buildings to a lawsuit it filed against the city initially to gain control of a limited number of its properties.

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Superintendent Bryan Johnson listens to a speaker during an Atlanta School Board meeting in Atlanta on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. APS held its first vote on school consolidation plans. (Abbey Cutrer / AJC)

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