[Atlanta Public] Schools chief facing tough issues

Beverly Hall, the likable and well-regarded superintendent of Atlanta's public schools, sat in her downtown office trying to convince a visitor that the schools are worth $725 million a year.

That's what they'll cost each year over the next five years if our property taxes remain the same (with the schools getting more than half) and if the voters approve a referendum March 19 to extend a "special" 1 percent sales tax for school construction.

Hall called this kind of spending "a good investment." New school buildings are still needed after decades of neglect and years of poorly planned construction. (Hall got here in 1999.)

The system also needs a new $45 million administration building, she said, and a new $43 million computer system to track finances, personnel and more. "Until then," Hall said, "this system is in many ways operating in a 19th century manner."

What, her visitor asked, about depressing facts like these: The system has 56,000 students, and enrollment has been dropping for years. Roughly 4,500 of them are ninth-graders, just starting high school. But, four years later, there aren't even 2,500 12th-graders left; the others have dropped out. Of those 2,500, roughly half take the SAT to get into college. And of those, only about 80 score high enough to get into a college with standards as high as the University of Georgia's.

More than half the 80 high scorers, moreover, came from one high school last year --- Grady. [This is the school with the the children of the white yuppies.] Five other high schools didn't produce a single student whose SAT scores would get him or her into UGA.

Academically, in other words, Atlanta's schools are a mess. And yet they're also very costly.

They spend more than $9,000 per student against a national average of about $6,500. If you factor in the construction budget and other continuing "special" revenues, they cost $13,000 per student.

Hall countered that Newark, N.J., where she used to work, spent $10,000 per student, partly to combat the effects of poverty. New Jersey's highest-performing districts, she said, spend "almost $20,000."

In addition to poverty, Atlanta's private schools skim off too many good students, Hall said. They may go to a high-achieving public elementary school, but then, or after middle school, "they walk."

Fairer than looking at high school SAT scores, she suggested, would be to focus on the elementary schools. There, "I think you should see incremental progress."

As for costs, Hall conceded that "areas" of the system have too many employees. She didn't have exact figures on the steady decline in enrollment vs. the stability of the work force, but she said a consultant had said upper management is not bloated.

She sounded as if she agreed. "There's a strong culture here of relationship-driven decisions," she replied. She added that if she ever leaves Atlanta, the reason will be that she ran afoul of this underlying culture.

As for taxes, she noted that the schools' millage rate had dropped every year since she arrived, though she agreed that the total school tax has continued to grow.

She said another five years of a special sales tax "will bring all of our schools to an acceptable level." And if the sales tax passes, she predicted the schools' millage rate on our property taxes will probably drop.

Both Bushes have spoken at the schools in my neighborhood--Laura at the elementary school and the President at the high school. Those schools are among the ones that do not produce a single acceptable SAT score, even for the survivors who manage to graduate. Much of the money from the previous "special" sales tax was stolen, and schools slated for reconstruction were simply boarded up. Relatives of school officials are routinely promoted to supervisory positions with high salaries and few responsibilities. And all of this costs more than the best private school in town. I sure wish the Bushes had mentioned the magic word: VOUCHERS.

"There's a strong culture here of relationship-driven decisions," she replied. She added that if she ever leaves Atlanta, the reason will be that she ran afoul of this underlying culture.

She'd find the same thing in Los Angeles and throughout CA.

""Fairer than looking at high school SAT scores, she suggested, would be to focus on the elementary schools. There, "I think you should see incremental progress." ""

TRANSLATION: Even though Princeton, N J Educational Testing Service have "dumbed down" the S A T, we still don't wish to discuss the scores..............

What I wish, is instead of hearings on Enron, is hearings on the failed state of public education. $13,000 per student and nothing to show for it? Millons, if not Billions of dollars missing in the Dept. of Education? Sadly even the GOP will wimp out, of this. Jumpin' Jim Jeffords, was a big opponent of vouchers, whenhe was still with the GOP. More money? It's Madness, just MADNESS!!!

"It is tragic but the problem does not lie in the schools."

I beg your pardon, but, respectfully, the problem DOES lie with the schools.

They spend more than $9,000 per student against a national average of about $6,500. If you factor in the construction budget and other continuing "special" revenues, they cost $13,000 per student.

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In response to post #4

Two teachers 'certifying' as in Massachusetts, that the student is indeed 'educated'.

Wasn't it in Massachusetts 2 or 3 years ago that there was a tremendous scandal when only about 65% of those graduating with a degree in education were able to pass the states' teacher certification exam? Therefore, in a state where there seem to be a significant number of poorly prepared teachers, unable or barely able to pass the teacher's certification exam, certify that anyone was educated?

Keep the SAT and ACT exams at least it is somewhat an objective method to assess young people who want to go to college.

The Tarheel

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