Improved performance for district run by DeKalb school chief finalist
Lorain city schools improved this year on the annual state of Ohio report card. That is relevant because the DeKalb County school board has chosen the superintendent there to lead its system. (Cheryl Atkinson comes here Saturday to meet parents.)
In an interview with the local paper on the about-to-be-released scorecard, Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson said, “We’re not perfect. But we’re a lot better.”
According to the Morning Journal:
While the report card will not officially be released until Wednesday, a preview showed the district passed four of 24 tested categories and improved scores in 18 of the 24 tested areas. “This officially moves us from academic watch to continuous improvement,” Atkinson said.
The report showed that Lorain High School had a graduation rate of 80.7 percent, after hitting 84.7 percent in 2010. Lorain High School and Admiral King Elementary were both rated as effective in the report.
For the past two years, the Lorain City Schools have been listed under Academic Watch on the state report card. The department rates districts across the state as excellent with distinction, excellent, effective, continuous improvement, academic watch and academic emergency.
The district also met one standard for the very first time. “This is the first year the district met the attendance record,” she said.
With the rise in attendance across the board, the test scores for grades three through 11 all went up for the most part.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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90 comments Add your comment
Anonmom
August 23rd, 2011
8:57 pm
I think the puppet master may be Eddie Long or Ron Ramsey or Francis Edwards –one or more of them is pulling Bowen’s strings and may actaually have something on him….
Dekalbite@Business As Usual
August 23rd, 2011
8:58 pm
“I believe that the DeKalb BOE led Ms. Tyson on in a way to tie her hands into hiring Beasley and then into not firing him and others.”
The point is that if the BOE infringes on the superintendent’s duties, she has the responsibility of reporting this to SACS. Has Ms. Tyson lodged a complaint with SACS? She has the authority to let the “Upper Level” staff go who have not performed for students. Taxpayers have not been paying and are not paying her $300,000 a year for the next 18 months to ingratiate herself with the BOE. Where is the responsibility for students in her decision to keep the same personnel in place that have presided over a draconian decline in student achievement? Of particular concern is Audria Berry over the Office of School Improvement because she has been in this position for 6 years since Dr. Lewis promoted her. Student achievement in DCSS Title 1 schools is not only at an all time low, it is very far below every other metro school system.
I know it puts Ms. Tyson in a awkward position with the BOE to do the right thing for students and let these non-performers go, but that’s what she signed up for when she took the position of superintendent of DCSS.
Anonmom
August 23rd, 2011
9:01 pm
TO: Dekalbite@Business As Usual — I agree. I encourage everyone to write SACS and to ask these questions. I think we all deserve answers to them. I also have issues with the fact that DCSS pays SACS $75k per year to SACS and then “this” is the “service” we get for our money… let them know how you feel…. I think it’s insane.
Dekalbite
August 23rd, 2011
9:13 pm
Johnny Brown had his problems with the BOE as well.
Look at this article from 2005 in Atlanta Magazine:
“Dekalb’s schools board is facing an investigation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools spurred by the county NAACP’s allegations that board members have been overly involved in administration. Superintendent Johnny Brown, who ahd a contentious relationship with some board members, resigned at the board’s request in October. Although the student population has been majority African-American for nearly 20 years, the board itself had never achieved a black majority until last year. DeKalb also garnered negative headlines last spring when a study found that the system had overpaid employees by an estimated $15 million.”
http://books.google.com/books?id=sQ8AAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA118&lpg=PA118&dq=johnny+brown+dekalb+board+of+education+and+sacs+georgia+2004&source=bl&ots=FPlLOwmiyD&sig=FQQNp-6mxcWdz8hJn25tLIOfWho&hl=en&ei=hE1UTsGUK8SugQe65Nk2&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBwQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=johnny%20brown%20dekalb%20board%20of%20education%20and%20sacs%20georgia%202004&f=false
(See page 122)
Isn’t this the same Compensation Audit that Lewis buried, and Ms. Tyson and “Upper Level” management denied they had any records of until Atlanta Unfiltered got information through a Freedom of Information Act request?
Dekalbite
August 23rd, 2011
9:18 pm
Here is another article about Brown’s troubles with the BOE. It seems SACS avoids all controversy to the detriment of students:
AC article by Mae Gentry:
“The public school system saw its share of contention as well.
The DeKalb school board adopted Superintendent Johnny Brown’s recommendations for new graduation requirements in January, a year after members had come to an impasse over an earlier version of Brown’s high school reform plans. Beginning with the current crop of ninth-graders, students must earn more credits to receive a diploma. Most high schools implemented block scheduling to enable them to meet the new standards.
The district’s leadership also spent months under outside scrutiny from its accrediting agency.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools investigated a complaint from the DeKalb NAACP alleging board members were interfering with Brown’s administration. He was the majority-black school district’s first black superintendent.
As the investigation neared an end, the board forced Brown to resign.
Brown and the board agreed to buyout terms: The district will continue to pay the former superintendent’s $225,000 salary as a consultant through the end of his contract, which expires in June. Then he will receive a $250,000 lump sum payment.
He was replaced by Crawford Lewis, a longtime administrator in the 100,000-student district. On the day Lewis’ contract was signed, officials announced SACS had determined no sanctions were necessary. The agency’s report noted an “unhealthy lack of trust” between Brown and the board.”
http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-97787.html
DeKalb Parent
August 23rd, 2011
9:19 pm
Sheesh I can’t believe all the negativity. I have been involved in DCSS school issues, policy and the schools for 18 years so I am very fed up too. But Dunwoody Mom and several others have already decreed that no candidate can succeed with the current Board; their hands will be tied; this will be another Johnny Brown situation; this will be like what the Board is doing to Tyson, etc., etc.
So why should we even waste time hiring a new superintendent? According to you guys, we could just rotate the over-paid admininstrators every couple months as interim supers until we elect a new board. But that election thing did not work very well last time, did it?
I am ready to give Atkinson a chance. She is not the perfect candidate but she is qualified. DCSS is a train wreck and great candidates will not apply. Loraine’s scores improved in some areas and that is a lot more than I can say for DCSS. And for all you folks counting race, I am white.
Dunwoody Mom
August 23rd, 2011
9:58 pm
According to you guys, we could just rotate the over-paid admininstrators every couple months as interim supers until we elect a new board
I am fairly certain that this particular idea was never put forth.
Anonmom
August 23rd, 2011
10:34 pm
I think if you really look at what happened with Dr. Brown and the buyout of his contract (there wasn’t much left on his contract and the buy out was steep) and when folks started to recently ask him questions about that suppresed 2004 salary audit (he still owns property in DeKalb so he’s around) — he didn’t remember anything. He tried to flatten administration (he had his flaws but seeking to flatten the central office wasn’t one of them). I firmly believe he was bought out because he was stepping on the toes of the power brokers. The taxpayer paid for him to leave (with Dr. Lewis’ help behind the scenes) and he left. We paid dearly for his departure and the puppet strings are still being pulled from elsewhere; the BOE members are still going along the kids suffer the consequences (save for those schools where PTAs and parents fill in the gaps). Dr. Brown has kept his silence.
Mandella1099
August 23rd, 2011
11:30 pm
@ DeKalb Parent – You are right on target. What I always get a chuckle out of is how the DSW crew will go on and on about how the Board members that they disagree with “control” the Superintendent, but the Superintendent never listens to the crusader Board member that they think is such an advocate of the children and their wishes. Anyone who reads enough of their posts can fill in the blanks.
As always, DSW hypocrisy….
Atlanta Media Guy
August 24th, 2011
7:35 am
There is Mandella chiming in! Where have you been? I see no hypocrisy. I see stakeholders who have had enough of the current situation. A situation that should NOT have been allowed to fester so long. Our BOE is full of meddlers. I’m amazed how Mandella speaks of a crusader Board member, but it was the majority of the BOE and the Chairman of the BOE that messed this Super search so badly. I don’t think one person here at DSW had anything to do with the leak, the troubled family members and friends who continue to waste DeKalb taxpayer money. The majority of the people here at DSW want what’s best for their kids. We’re tired of the waste and fraud that DCSS has become. As long as the current “sit up here” staff remains in place, Dr, Atkinson will have a difficult time meeting her goals. This “sit up here” bunch has destroyed the system so much that many of the good teachers have left. The bad ones just get moved around.
If it’s true Audria Berry thinks she was never part of the Office of Improvement, she needs to be fired immediately. Berry is the fraud, I fear she is still on board to keep her from filing a lawsuit against DCSS and her former traveling companion, our former Super.
Lorainite1
August 24th, 2011
7:50 am
Hoodwinked again. Every school in Lorain County did better. You have a better chance of winning the lottery than every school doing better. Obvious reason: the state loosened it’s requirements, Ohio made it easier to get good marks. Good luck Dekalb.
Anonmom
August 24th, 2011
8:20 am
Anyway to check out the most recent post by Lorainaite about Ohio lossening standards? (We know GA does it pretty regularly — that’s why I’m in favoror of using the IOWAs… less ability to tinker).
Question
August 24th, 2011
8:38 am
“She had to physically count heads to see who was employed in the district.”
Gee. How were they paying those folks?
“Lorain was teetering on the brink and she helped lift it academically and administratively.”
Is it true that the system was rated “continuous improvement” when she took over?
Anonmom
August 24th, 2011
9:23 am
Maureen: wasn’t it true that once upon a time some entity like the AJC would have really looked into these types of things?…… That was my understanding of what investigative reporting was all about. I don’t think I’ve seen much of it vis a vis school systems, although the USA Today probe on Rhee was very good along those lines … I wish a reporter here would take on some of these issue on DCSS.
Citizen
August 24th, 2011
9:33 am
@ Lorainite1 I guess this paper is bias as well.
@ Downey here you go..
http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2011/08/24/2010-11-area-school-report-cards-superintendents-pleased-with-performances-all-districts-get-‘c’-or-better/
Citizen
August 24th, 2011
9:38 am
@ Question yes they were in CI. But the all the facts have not been told. The district had a huge deficit and laid off 270 of its 500 hundred teachers. The entire cabinet left and Dr Atkinson was left with nothing. She had to bring all those disgruntled teachers back and restore all the programs that were lost. She had to restore confidence back into those teachers and establish the trust that took a big hit by the way the last administration left it.
Dunwoody Mom
August 24th, 2011
9:52 am
Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson has not returned repeated phone calls
So, does she pick and choose which newspapers she speaks to?
Dunwoody Mom
August 24th, 2011
9:57 am
I have made my opinion known that I do not believe Dr. Atkinson has the “tools” to turn around the crisis that is DCSS. I will leave you with 2 links: One is the 2006-2007 Report Card for Lorain Schools (the year prior to Dr. Atkinson’s arrival) and the 2010 – 2011 Report Card just released. Compare these 2 and let me know if you see these great academic gains espoused by the DCSS BOE:
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/reportcardfiles/2006-2007/DIST/044263.pdf
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/reportcardfiles/2010-2011/DIST/044263.pdf
Teacher Reader
August 24th, 2011
9:58 am
The public told the board what we wanted:
1. Someone with NO ties to Georgia/DeKalb
2. Someone who had the guts to clean house and right size the district
3. Someone who would put the the children first
4. Someone who had a track record of improving schools
We are not getting much of what we asked for, and the board had plenty of time to find someone who fit what we, the public tax payers asked for, and also what SACS asked for.
Teacher Reader
August 24th, 2011
10:04 am
@ Just Browsing 8:20
I would go one step further and say that about all children who do not come from privilege.
Citizen
August 24th, 2011
10:10 am
@ Dunwoody mom The Chronicle is not a Lorain paper. Secondly we have the right to answer or not answer. Your extremely negative. I really hope she doesn’t come across you. You seem to speak for all parents in DCS but your one parent. I don’t see them on here. I see five at best with your attitude. Iv’e heard you have 100,000 students so you should at least have 50,000 parents. I don’t see that many parents on here at all. So lets be honest Dunwoody mom and just speak for yourself. You can find one of you in every school district in america. So NEXT.
CTPAT
August 24th, 2011
12:00 pm
Hopefully no one plans to show up at the meeting on Saturday to crucify this woman. Difficult questions should be asked, primarily to ensure that she knows what she is getting into (including questions about how does she intend to work with a meddling BOE). She should be aware of our largest challenges right now. I’d like to know what she’s going to do in the first 30, 60, 90 and 180 days to combat those.
Our BOE has created a bit of a pickle for itself. By sabatoging our superintendent search in an earlier phase when more candidates were likely available and willing to come to Dekalb (my understanding is that severl people self-deselected after witnesses some of the nonsense that went on in connection with the search itself), we’re now left with less experienced candidates and a looming SACS deadline and parents who keep spouting that we need a new superintendent and we need one NOW, not next school year. I’d venture to say that there are few, if any, candidates who are interested and still available at this late date who meet the criteria that people have identified.
If (or shall I say when) Ms. Atkinson is hired, hopefully all of the parents in DCSS who want to see change will contact her and respectfully identify the problems that they see and potential solutions to fix them. I wouldn’t suggest pointing out specific staff members for her to fire. That’s not your choice or mine, but there’s nothing wrong with saying that the Office of School Improvement (as an example) doesn’t appear to be making decisions about how to spend Title I money in an effective manner. They’ve had 6 years to improve and we continue to see a fast decline. Then suggest how you’d like to see the money spent and if you feel new leadership is needed, then say that, but no one is going to listen to you if you just call out Ms. Berry because you believe she had an affair. Focus on the job, the district, the schools and the performance of those as well as your specific suggestions for how to improve and your message will likely be more effective. Our parents and our community have a lot of good ideas. Hopefully Ms. Atkinson will implement some of them as she tackles our large challenges.
MamaH
August 24th, 2011
12:07 pm
@Citizen – Boy, first of all please check your spelling and grammar, c’est terrible! Secondly, your posts seem to come with a real chip on your shoulder. There are a lot of posts (not just this one blog) that all agree with Dunwoody Mom. There are real concerns with this choice. I am sure she is a nice lady and probably has done some good things in Loraine. I don’t believe that she is prepared or suited for DCSS and the issues that exist in this rather large system. Starting with Johnny Brown it seems that the system has been in a free fall and we can’t afford to have it continue.
Citizen
August 24th, 2011
2:14 pm
@MamaH Check your spelling. I hate when people try to correct someone and are clueless. Its LORAIN. One thing you seem to have in check is your experience with run-on sentences. I wouldn’t consider 200 post on this board to be a lot. It seems you may have issues with calculations based off that statement. I would also advise that you NEVER START a sentence with “STARTING” that shows a real lack of vocabulary. One more thing…… PLEASE TAKE OUT RATHER. You don’t need it in the sentence. The first thing she needs to address is a school for parents that specializes in ENGLISH.
MamaH
August 24th, 2011
2:26 pm
@Citizen – LOL! Anger gets you no where. Enlighten us as to what she will truly do for DCSS.
Citizen
August 24th, 2011
3:33 pm
I dont have to. Your efforts have failed. You can post all you want. Your board doesn’t care what you or Dunwoody mom thinks, and after listening to you on here I SEE WHY LOL.
Dunwoody Mom
August 24th, 2011
3:37 pm
Hopefully, you all have taken the time to compare the Lorain district report cards that I referenced earlier today. If you have then you will see that this so-called Academic Improvement under Dr. Atkinson that our Board of Education is trying to sell us is false.
Anonmom
August 24th, 2011
4:04 pm
So if you look at all the ties to New Birth in DCSS and you look at the immense efforts undertaken by the BOE to sabotage Dr. Cox, who is white and would likely not belong to New Brith and to not go forward with Dr. Duran, who is Latino, and likely would not belong to NB, and factor in the enormous raise Dr. Atkinson is getting and the likelihoood the the ties between the office of the superintendent, BOE and New Birth will be continued given the sweet deal she has, the lack of people she has to bring with her, the big raise and items that have come up regarding her prior involvement at New Brirth and with its subsidies, it is very likely that the 10% tithing of salaries by payroll deduction to New Birth will continue with Atkinson so there is a pecuniary basis for the BOE and Eddie Long to favor her over the others and the higher the salary, the better for NB…. If members of his church send their 10% tithe from their paychecks to the church and if salaries of central office personnel and other staff members continue to send their 10% to New Birth, it’s important to NB that the ties be maintained so that New Birth will not lose its access to this flow of funds. To me, this is what most motivates the majority of the BOE and not the underlying qualifications of anyone in the system or what’s best for the kids.
Citizen
August 24th, 2011
4:14 pm
LOL are you really linking NEW BIRTH to this? I think I have heard it all. WOW!
Lorain Father
August 24th, 2011
6:08 pm
Maureen…
Lorain has 16 schools
There are 6 ratings schools can get in Ohio:
Excellent with Distinction
Excellent
Effective
Continuous Improvement
Academic Watch
Academic Emergency
Only 3 schools in Lorain are rated Effective. This is the first time since Atkinson has been here that there is 3. There were 4 before she got here.
3 schools are rated Continuous Improvement.
8 schools are rated Academic Watch
2 schools are rated Academic Emergency.
None are rated Excellent or better.
10 of the 16 are rated at Academic Watch or Academic Emergency.
Using basic math, how does that add up to Continuous Improvement?
We have been graded as NOT MEETING ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGRESS.
How does that rate a Continuous Improvement?
We no longer qualify for the “coveted” “Value Added” measure.
We met 5 out of 26 MINIMUM state academic indicators.
How does that rate Continuous Improvement?
How is that not reported in the Lorain Morning Journal?
You people need to get off your butts and look up the FACTS yourselves instead of reading propaganda in a biased newspaper.
Anonmom
August 24th, 2011
7:07 pm
Apparently Atkinson follows only the rules that she chooses to follow. Question #5 is clear: Yes or No; if Yes, then attach a separate page of explanation about litigation.
Husband’s construction business bankruptcy? Really? Take a look at the bankruptcy papers. Go to http://www.box.net.
Nowhere is the construction business named.
Why is Atkinson’s name the only one on Bankruptcy docket #1? Why is Atkinson’s name the only name on the related adversary proceeding?
Why is Calvary Academy of the King named as a creditor? Does Atkinson send her children to private school? (BTW — a bit of investigation reveals that Calvary Academy of the King also does business as Calvary Revival Church which is part of The Father’s House, a nationwide network that tithes to Eddie Long and New Birth.)
Other creditors include Haynes Furniture, a dental practice, and a resort timeshare to name a few.
Construction business bankruptcy — or personal bankruptcy?
Hmmm … Alpha Kappa Alpha, New Birth connections, changes grades for the well-connected, follows only the rules she chooses, doesn’t take calls from principals, maintains silence and/or half-truths in the face of questions and concerns. Yep. Fits right in with the BOE and Palace people.
Is the tie in to New Birth really that far fetched?
Mandella1099
August 24th, 2011
7:52 pm
@ Atlanta Media Guy – Tsk, Tsk AMG. I see you are back to setting yourself for a hard fall by saying such ugly things about people that you have no idea whether they are true or not (and specifically naming people at that!). The punative damages from the lawsuit coming your way are going to hit your family hard….
Tell me all about this “sit up here bunch” or the “friends and family” group you speak so often about. As I asked one of your fellow DSW mafia soldiers on another of Maureen’s post, which “friends and family” are you a part of AMG – Emory Lavista Parents Council or (my bet) Dunwoody Chamblee Parents Council?
gabuckeye
August 24th, 2011
10:27 pm
Look very close at the numbers from Ohio. Getting to Continuous Improvement is such an odd thing. Only 19% of stat indicators passed but you could forgo that number and also forgo meeting AYP a long as you can get a good Performance Indicator. Of course to get that “good” indicator, you use a formula that discounts underachievers and inflates achievers and accelerated students scores. So while it is within the “letter” of the Ohio formulation it smacks at rewards for mediocrity.
Jackie
August 24th, 2011
10:44 pm
Anomomom, you are one sick person. I hope you are sued for slander because you should be. Do you ever pary? Have you been to this New Birth? If so, please share the names and connections you so often blog about. You need to use your time more wiselyvolunteering in you friend Michelle Baucman’s campaighn. You would be agreat help in explaining how you all are going to lower the gas taxes to $2.00.
Atlanta Media Guy
August 24th, 2011
11:02 pm
Mandella, all you need to do is visit DeKalb School Watch. There you will find all your answers about the “sit up here” bunch and the “friends and family” group, you asked about. The stories discussed there go back over the last 5 to 6 years, though I don’t think the blog has been around that long.
To answer your last question, I am not a part of ELPC or the DCPC, however I have attended a couple of their meetings. I’ve also attended meetings with some concerned parent groups in South DeKalb too. The majority of DeKalb parents want what’s best for the kids, myself included. The waste and administrative bloat (E&Y audit/New audit completed and made public, not lost!) must be cut away and those finds returned to the classroom. The classroom is where the results take place, not at the 50 million dollar palace or wasting millions on silly programs like America’s Choice, a program that has shown NO positive results or a return on OUR investment for several years.
Mandella1099
August 25th, 2011
12:05 am
@Atlanta Media Guy – Maybe you can help with some extra chairs. I know how much DSW is about making sure all meetings are open and transparent. Since these are on OUR property, they are open to ALL of us, correct?
DCPC 2011-2012 CALENDER
September 7, 2011 (Wednesday, 9:15 am)
Meeting Location: Dunwoody High School in the new DHS theater.
Topic: “Update on DeKalb County School System”
Speaker: Interim Superintendent, Ramona Tyson
October 5, 2011 (Wednesday, 9:15 am)
Meeting Location: Dunwoody Public Library Meeting Room
Topic: “College Admissions: Georgia Tech” and “Tips from a College Consultant”
Speakers: Christopher Briggs, Georgia Tech Assistant Admissions Director and Miriam Parker, Consultant with College Counseling Center of Atlanta
I encourage all parents to attend, especially the College Admissions sessions. These colleges will definately want as many applicants as possible to help with building strong freshmen classes from all over DeKalb and metro Atlanta, right AMG?
Since you attend the meetings, you must get the same emails about them as I do, correct AMG? I look forward to YOU publishing all future meeting dates, times, and locations since you want “what’s best for the kids”
Atlanta Media Guy
August 25th, 2011
7:42 am
DSW is a very great blog to find out when the Parents Councils meet all over the county. All meetings are posted at the blog. Just click on over there and you’ll find out when, where and the topic of discussion. Thanks Mandella! Great suggestion! It already happens at DeKalb School Watch! Cerebration also makes sure any meeting that involves DCSS is announced at the blog as well.
MamaH
August 25th, 2011
2:49 pm
So, back to the subject at hand. Sorry, but I don’t see anything that would indicate that Dr. Atkinson is prepared for or qualified for DCSS. For the people in Lorain, maybe the results are good based on where they were but that does not necessary equate to fulfilling the needs in DeKalb. What I hate seeing here are the personal attacks on people who are daring to ask the hard questions that need to be asked. Unfortunately, there seems to be an agenda by a portion of the BoE in order to retain “control”.
@Jackie – this is not a political blog (at least not presidential) but I do believe that there is an “unhealthy” relationship to New Birth and it should be severed. This may be one step that is needed to returning DCSS to a successful system that is not based on family and friends.
To completely understand the challenges in the schools, be a volunteer. It is a real eye opener!
Anonmom
August 25th, 2011
3:52 pm
Thank you MamaH.
Stone Mtn Dad
August 25th, 2011
8:49 pm
Ms. Downey please take a second look a Lorain High School which had a graduation rate of 27.8% in 2010-2011, down from 40% in 2009-2010. The state average for 2010-2011 is 84.3%. Lorain High School is on Academic Watch, met 3 state indicators out of 7, and did not make AYP.