DeKalb schools propose new governance model

The DeKalb County School District has released a proposed application to the state for a new form of governance.

DeKalb wants to become a “charter” system, which would allow ongoing access to waivers from Georgia mandates such as caps on class sizes or minimum number of days students must attend in a school year. Recent changes to state law would restrict waivers for districts that do not change their governance models to give schools more freedom.

DeKalb’s proposal would establish school governance councils and, in a nod to proponents of a charter school cluster near Emory University, also create cluster advisory councils. But the cluster councils would have only advisory capacity.