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Jester 1 was one vote on aboard
that did not... want to change things’
Pursuant to a recommendation from the State Board of Ed
ucation, the Governor suspended the DeKalb Board of Edu
cation and appointed new board members.
These events were triggered by the district’s accreditation
being downgraded to the status of “probation” by AdvancED,
the parent company of the regional accreditor, the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), and Senate Bill
84 that was passed in 2010.
As I told the State Board, I believe DeKalb has three defi
cits: credibility, academic and financial.
Shortly after coming onto the board in January 2011, I de
termined that budgeting practices were flawed.
I publicly discussed my concerns at every stated board
meeting during the financial report. I gave spreadsheets to
fellow board members and officials to show them the grow
ing financial problem. Until the most recent SACS report, in
December 2012, the accreditor (SACS) never mentioned the
financial problems. I am the first to discover and state these
problems publicly.
In my email newsletter of May 20, 2012, I stated: “For the
past year, I have publicly inquired about, and expressed my
frustration with, many line items that were significantly over
budget. Their consistent variances from the budget suggest
ed that these items were not properly budgeted for years. Still
other discretionary items were also over budget because of a
lack of fiscal restraint.
“These factors, along with a $ 15 million increase in bene
fit costs from the state and falling property tax revenue, have
resulted in [the DeKalb school district] starting the budgeting
process assuming a $73.8 million budget deficit.” I also stated
that the budget was “a document based on deception.”
The SACS report contains my research regarding the bud
get. Anyone can access my blog and see the research I’ve post
ed. There are a number of other financial concerns that I have
noted but were not touched upon in the SACS report.
What we have seen with the budget is a symptom of the
larger problem: DeKalb has not invested in the classroom.
In November 2012, I published a blog that showed from
FY2008-2013, every salary category declined except “General
Administration.” These salaries increased over 14 percent. The
budgeting practices have led to the academic and credibility
deficits. Parents and teachers see increased class size, more fur
lough days and fewer resources. These developments seem in-
congruent with having the highest millage rate in the metro
area, at 23.98 mils.
This, along with the opacity of
the district and burdensome, often
punitive, centralized bureaucratic
decision-making, have created the
credibility deficit that the district
faces.
Our academic deficit is the re
sult of the financial and credibili
ty deficits. The district lost its focus
on the classroom. You can see the
evidence of this in the drivers of the
financial and credibility deficits.
Now that AdvancED and the
state have recognized what many of
us have seen for years, will the sys
tem be able to heal itself? Only time will tell. I certainly hope
so.
I was one vote on a board that did not, as a whole, want to
change things. Will the new board, state and AdvancED be
able to move the district in the right direction?
Replacing the board was one step, but it is the adminis
tration that has operational control. This insular group has
shown little appetite for adjusting their methods.
The administration is the driver, while the board is the
map. Are the drivers going to stay on the road map? What
type of vehicle will they put the district in? Will it be the same
vehicle for every school regardless of their needs or accom
plishments? Will the administration continue to get the larg
est luxury vehicle?
I will be writing a series on changes that Georgia must em
brace if we are to make it out of the bottom third nationally
on achievement measures. Stay tuned for those.
It was an honor to serve you on the board. I am happy
knowing that my research illuminated the financial problems
in our system. I look forward to continuing to serve you in
different ways. As always, I remain an advocate for kids and
taxpayers.
Nancy Jester was elected to represent District 1 on the DeKalb
County School Board in 2010. She was one of six board members
suspended on Feb. 25 by Gov. Nathan Deal. She subsequently re
signed from the board, saying she did not want to participate with
other members in a legal fight against the suspensions.
NANCY
JESTER
GUEST COLUMN
On the record
Read these articles from our other editions online at ReporterNewspapers.net.
“Yesterday, someone asked me, Are you are saying that ACA
would be like a private school?’ My answer was, ‘No, we are cre
ating a charter school, and charter schools are absolutely pub
lic schools.”
—Matthew Kirby, chairman of the Atlanta Classical Academy
founding board of directors. The charter school would be located
in Buckhead.
“I’m perfectly fine with Wranglers for like $20 or $30.1 don’t
understand why anybody needs to pay $300 for jeans.”
—Atlanta Police Officer C. Smith commenting on items popular
with shoplifters at Lenox Square at Buckhead.
“Shiny new trucks.”
—Sandy Springs City Councilwoman Dianne Fries, summing
up her feelings about the city’s decision to spend $3-5 million on
new fire trucks for the Fire Department.
“ITe is a very classy gentleman. I know the volume of work
that he’s carrying, and I know the way in which he treats peo
ple respectfully. ITe provides a great model of public service, in
my view.”
—Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-Decatur, discussing the service
of Sandy Springs Rep. Wendell Willard.
8 | MARCH22—APRIL4, 2013 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net