Atlanta public school system put on probation

ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- An educational standards agency said Tuesday it has placed Atlanta Public Schools on probation and given the system nine months to make improvements or risk losing accreditation for its high schools. Losing accreditation could make it harder for graduates to get into college.

The school system - and particularly its board of education - has failed to meet standards on goveance and leadership set by accrediting agency AdvancED, said its president and CEO Mark Elgart.

"The reason for probation is the issues are serious," Elgart said at a news conference in Alpharetta, where the agency has a corporate office. "They not only affect the effective goveance of the board but they affect the future direction of the school system and its ability to provide a quality education for all students."

Calls to Atlanta Public Schools seeking comment were not immediately retued.

The probation applies only to the system's high schools because AdvanceED is not an accrediting agency for elementary and middle schools. Elgart stressed that the schools remain accredited during the probationary period.

Losing accreditation could put the 50,000-student district in danger of losing private grants and could keep students from gaining admission and winning scholarships at some colleges.

Elgart met with the school system superintendent and four members of the board Tuesday moing and said the probation sets in motion a process of improvement. The school system will have nine months to make progress in complying with required actions outlined by the review team.

An onsite visit in December and review of documents came after complaints that the board of education was not goveing effectively.

The board had become divided after the launch of an investigation into possible cheating at 58 city schools.

Four members of the nine-person board filed a lawsuit in late October after months of public bickering over the investigation. The suit alleged that Chairman Khaatim Sherrer El and Vice Chairwoman Yolanda Johnson were illegally elected leaders of the board. The suit's settlement in late November required El and Johnson to step down from their leadership positions.

To retain accreditation, requirements of the board include:

- Developing and implementing a long-term plan to communicate with and engage stakeholders in the board's mission of educating students;

- Hiring a trained, impartial mediator to work with board members to resolve communication, operational and personal issues that are making the board ineffective;

- Ensuring that board member actions and behavior comply with board policies;

- Reviewing and refining policies to promote achievement of the board's mission;

- Developing and implementing a transparent process for selecting a new superintendent;

- Working directly with the state to address inconsistencies in the Atlanta Independent School System Charter.

The board must submit a progress report in May and, by Sept. 30, it must make "authentic progress in moving this system forward in a positive manner," Elgart said.

The Clayton County school district just south of the city lost its accreditation with Elgart's agency in 2008 because of a squabbling, ineffective school board. The district has since replaced its entire board and regained its standing.