Erroll Davis, University System of Georgia chancellor, agreed Monday to serve as interim superintendent for Atlanta Public Schools, delaying his impending retirement until the position is filled.
City school board members made the unanimous decision during a busy, daylong meeting. Aside from hiring Davis, members chose to file an objection with the Department of Justice over a new state law that could result in their removal from office and they revisited a contentious vote from last week that may make it easier for the board to elect a new chairman.
Davis, 66, played down concerns he may be stepping into a quagmire. APS' accrediting agency put the board on probation in January because of infighting. Davis said it was up to board members to solve their differences.
"It is not my job to make the board get along," he said. "My job is to make sure it doesn’t impact how the system operates."
Davis will replace outgoing Superintendent Beverly Hall. He will start July 1, the day after he retires from the university system. He will serve until the board hires a permanent replacement for Hall. The board announced three finalists for the job last week.
"This is a huge coup," board Chairman Khaatim Sherrer El said of Davis, who met privately with board members. Davis has no k-12 experience, which doesn't worry the board, El said. Prior to taking the chancellorship in 2006, Davis had extensive business experience and served as a trustee with several higher education institutions.
Davis said his main goals are to help the system regain full accreditation, resolve an ongoing cheating scandal and make the philanthropic community comfortable with investing in the system again. He estimated he would hold the position for a minimum of four weeks and said it could last as long as a year.
APS, with 49,800 students, faces several immediate challenges. One of the biggest will be to help the board deal with the conclusion of a 10-month state probe into tampering on student achievement tests, which is expected to be released any day.
Another pressing challenge is one the interim superintendent can do little about. Because of its governance problems, the school board faces a state-imposed deadline of July 1, approved in April by Gov. Nathan Deal, that requires board members to show improvement or face removal from office. The Department of Justice, however, is reviewing it because it affects voting and elections.
By a 5-1 vote Monday, with member Emmett Johnson objecting and three other members absent, the board in essence decided to put on record their concerns that the law may interfere with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The vote was the first official response by the board to the new law.
The board also faces a Sept. 30 deadline imposed by the accrediting agency to show substantial improvement or face the loss of accreditation. Members must push aside personal conflicts that have beset the board since last year.
Board harmony suffered a setback last week during a vote to ask a Fulton County judge to allow El to resign his leadership earlier than Dec. 31. The motion passed 5-4. Those voting against it did not object to El's resignation, but did object to a last- minute change made by member Yolanda Johnson. She insisted the judge also clarify an order finding El's election last year as chairman lawful. Some members felt Johnson's request was divisive and unnecessary.
On Monday, the board voted to undo it. Starting over, they voted 6-2 to simply ask the judge to allow them to pick a new leader. Emmett Johnson and LaChandra Butler Burks voted against it but cleared the way by stating, for the record, they would not object if the judge granted the request.
The judge got involved last year during a lawsuit among board members. Members subsequently agreed to a consent order that required their current leaders to remain in place until Dec. 31.
Staff writer Laura Diamond contributed to this article.
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