Top Georgia leaders at odds over direction of education
Georgia's new education plan has driven a wedge between two top state officials: the governor and the elected state superintendent.
The two Republicans are fighting over the state’s plan for compliance with the U.S. Every Student Succeeds Act, which Georgia sent to President Donald Trump’s education secretary on Sept. 18.
Gov. Nathan Deal says it “falls short in setting high expectations,” in part because of the way it uses testing to hold schools accountable. Superintendent Richard Woods refused to make amendments demanded by Deal, arguing that they would have fostered a culture of “measure, pressure, and punish.”
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has about four months to consider the plan.
Deal's allies aren't happy, and one had strong words about Woods' leadership of education at a meeting Thursday. What can the governor can do about the situation? Read more at myajc.com.
About the Author
Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.
