Atlanta school superintendent Meria Carstarphen has an ambitious plan to turn around some of the city's worst schools.
She wants to hire charter school groups to manage five schools; close three other schools, including some that are already succeeding by Atlanta standards; and pour millions into low-performing schools to hire tutors, train teachers and possibly extend the school day or year.
The Atlanta Public Schools board will vote on the plan tonight.
The schools that Carstarphen would put under outside management — by two nonprofits affiliated with local charter schools — are Gideons, Slater and Thomasville Heights Elementary schools, Price Middle School and Carver High School.
Under Carstarphen’s plan, Bethune Elementary would close. Its students would attend a new K-8 school on the Kennedy Middle School campus.
Venetian Hills Elementary would close. Its students would attend school on the Connally Elementary campus.
Woodson Primary would close. Its students would attend school on the Grove Park Intermediate campus.
About 300 teachers and other staff would have to re-apply for their jobs for the coming school year. At the schools to be operated by charter groups, those groups would be in charge of hiring. Staff would no longer be Atlanta Public Schools employees.
But even board approval of Carstarphen's plan won't ensure it all actually happens as proposed. There's the budget for next year to be determined, new staff to be recruited and a local sales tax to fund building improvements that will go before voters this spring.
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