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BY DAN WHISENHUNT
danwhisenhunt@reporternewspapers.net
In the summer of 2011 three super
intendents took over three of the larg
est school districts in the state — Atlanta
Public Schools, DeKalb County Schools
and Fulton County Schools.
It hasn’t been an easy 18 months for
any of them, but one superintendent has
fared better than the others.
DeKalb County Schools Superinten
dent Cheryl Atkinson is out the door.
Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent
Erroll Davis survived an attempted oust
er. Fulton County Schools Superinten
dent Robert Avossa, who avoided polit
ical intrigue, makes speeches about the
future.
In 2011, Reporter Newspapers wrote
that the superintendents might have a
hard road ahead of them. According to the
American Association of School Adminis
trators, the average tenure of superinten
dents in large, inner-city school districts is
3 1/2 years. The brevity of their terms, the
association says, harms school perfor
mance. Association Executive Director
Dan Domenech called superintendents
“better-paid migrant workers.”
Here’s the abbreviated history of
what’s happened since the three new su
perintendents arrived on the scene:
DeKalb County Schools
Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson
Previous job: Lorain, Ohio, school district.
What Atkinson said when she got the job: “The difficulties that
superintendents face today are the same challenges we face in the
communities.”
What happened: Atkinson faced an uphill battle from Day 1. She
was appointed in a 6-3 vote of the Board of Education. Her months as a school admin
istrator were spent managing crisis after crisis. School officials discovered funding short
falls, raised taxes, reassigned school leaders, and tinkered with its school calendar. In
December, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools placed DeKalb on accred
itation probation.
Where things stand today: On Feb. 8, DeKalb County Board of Education ap
proved a separation agreement with Atkinson and hired former Labor Commissioner
Michael Thurmond as interim superintendent.
Atlanta Public Schools
Superintendent Erroll Davis
Previous job: Chancellor of the University System of Georgia.
What Davis said when he got the job: “What I hope to achieve
in the time I’m here is certainly put out all the fires, identify the
major issues, solve as many as I can and hand over a smoothly run
ning operation to the next superintendent. I’m hopeful I can get
all that done.”
What happened: Davis was hired as an interim to replace Superintendent Beverly
Hall who left after the APS cheating scandal unfolded. He was initially hailed as the
right man for a precarious situation, but he made controversial decisions that angered
some community members. He closed schools, redistricted others, suspended teach
ers suspected of giving students answers on state tests, and turned North Atlanta High
upside down by removing its leadership.
Where things stand today: Superintendent Erroll Davis received a contract exten
sion through 2014 after the renewal was delayed. The extension allows the board to
fire Davis with 90 days’ notice if certain conditions are met.
Fulton County Schools
Superintendent Robert Avossa
Previous job: Chief strategy and accountability officer for Char-
lotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina.
What Avossa said when he got the job: “Education is a business
where you are all in it together to help kids succeed. Our goal is to
make each and every child’s life the best it can be by providing ed
ucational opportunities that unlock [his or her] potential.”
What happened: Within months of Avossa taking the job, Eddie Echols resigned
as principal of Riverwood International Charter School after school officials raised
questions about Echols’ use of a credit card, questions that later led to criminal charg
es. The Board of Education refused to renew the charter of Fulton Science Acade
my Middle School after an audit raised questions about the school’s finances. Fulton
County Schools in 2012 found a surplus in its budget and gave school system em
ployees a bonus.
Where things stand today: Avossa signed a three-year contract in 2011. He’s cur
rently visiting communities within Fulton County, discussing plans to improve the
system’s graduation rate and build new schools.
4 | FEB.22 —MARCH7,2013 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net
DUN
