In a surprise move this week City Schools Decatur has decided not to use East Lake Elementary as a temporary solution for its enrollment overflow. Superintendent David Dude made the decision after talking with parents, teachers administrators and board members.
East Lake, an Atlanta Public Schools building that closed in 2012, appeared a far cheaper solution than adding more modular units. In December Chief Operating Officer Noel Maloof said the total two-year cost for using 24 classrooms at East Lake was $390,000 while the total two-year cost for 24 modular units is $2,976,000.
But Dude said Thursday that cost differential narrowed when he started adding up expenses like transportation—East Lake is roughly half a mile outside the district—food services, nurses and other staffing.
He also said East Lake was vastly unpopular with the community, particularly the scenario of placing the fourth or fifth grade there. That would mean a certain group of third- through sixth-grade students attending four different schools in four years.
The only other option for now is adding more modulars. Dude indicated there was still time to acquire enough modular units to house the 2016-17 enrollment.
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