Moral Duty Or Impending Threat? Georgia Ballot To Include Proposed State Takeover District
Moral Duty or Impending Threat? Georgia Ballot to Include Proposed State Takeover District
Update on September 27th: Critics of the proposed Georgia Opportunity School District have taken legal action against the state’s ballot language, claiming that it is misleading and biased. They argue that the wording of the ballot influences the outcome of the decision being made. The lawsuit has been filed by a teacher, a parent, and a minister, on behalf of all Georgia voters, against the governor, lieutenant governor, and secretary of state. On the other hand, supporters from Opportunity for All Georgia have dismissed the lawsuit as a pointless media ploy, asserting that it will unnecessarily harm students’ education in failing schools, only to grab attention in the news.
In March of this year, the Atlanta school board adopted a comprehensive reform plan for the city’s schools. The plan included various measures such as school closures, charter management, rehiring of teachers, increased funding for tutoring and other services, and the possibility of longer school days and years. The goal of this plan was to provide better educational options for Atlanta’s children and prevent the state from taking over almost twenty schools in the city. These schools would have been included in a newly established district for struggling schools across Georgia.
Superintendent Meria Carstarphen, at the beginning of the school year, expressed the urgency of addressing the academic and social-emotional needs of Atlanta’s students. She acknowledged that the proposal of a state takeover through the Opportunity School District had placed a time constraint on their efforts. Although she would have preferred more time for careful consideration, she stressed the importance of taking immediate action.
While Georgia voters will be focused on various important races in November, such as the U.S. senator, members of the House, and the competitive presidential contest, there is another crucial question on the ballot that might not receive as much attention. This question pertains to whether Georgia should adopt a policy similar to Louisiana and Tennessee, allowing the state to intervene in failing schools. The language on the ballot is concise: "Should the Constitution of Georgia be amended to enable the state to improve student performance by intervening in consistently underperforming public schools?"
Supporters of this change, including Governor Nathan Deal, argue that it is a moral obligation to help struggling students. Governor Deal stated during his 2015 State of the State address that it is essential to ensure equal educational opportunities for all children, regardless of their circumstances.
If Georgia voters approve this constitutional amendment, schools that are deemed "persistently failing" (scoring below 60 out of 100 on state school ratings for three consecutive years) will become eligible for state takeover. What sets Georgia’s plan apart from those of other states is the way schools will be evaluated. Instead of using a relative scale, such as the bottom 5 percent, schools will be judged on an absolute scale. Advocates argue that this approach encourages districts to take charge and improve their schools independently.
In fact, some areas in Georgia have already begun implementing radical changes, as demonstrated by Atlanta’s proactive agenda. The state grants districts the autonomy to make substantial changes under a 2008 law, but in exchange, they must meet certain standards set by state officials.
Supporters of the Opportunity School District hope that every district will rise to the challenge and take action to eliminate failing schools. If the program is successful, it might even become unnecessary in the future.
If the ballot measure is passed, the first group of schools will be selected by April 1st of next year, and state supervision will commence in the 2017-2018 school year. Based on the CCRPI scores (a measure of college and career readiness), there are currently 127 schools that could potentially be included. A significant number of these schools are located in the Atlanta area, with 22 in the Atlanta system and 28 in DeKalb County, which is adjacent to the city.
The superintendent of the Opportunity School District would determine the appropriate course of action for each selected school, which could include continued local management under state oversight, direct state management, conversion into a charter school, or closure. The district would assume control of a maximum of 20 schools per year, for a duration of five years each, eventually reaching a total of 100 schools.
Critics of the Opportunity School District are emphasizing the potential loss of local control to gain voters’ attention.
"I have not witnessed any instance where the state’s intervention has resulted in a successful model," she remarked, highlighting the failures in housing and the healthcare system. "Nothing functions efficiently when the state is in control. It is too large and burdened with bureaucracy."
In a September advertisement, funded by Keep Georgia Schools Local (primarily supported by $125,000 from the Georgia Educators Association according to the latest campaign finance report from August 30), there was a warning regarding the substantial costs that local taxpayers would incur. Instead of utilizing the funds for smaller class sizes, higher teacher salaries, or improved school resources, the ballot would "force us to pay for an entirely new group of bureaucrats and an unaccountable political appointee," a female narrator asserts.
Teachers unions are expected to persistently campaign against the proposition as well. The National Education Association has declared a significant expenditure on the campaign, estimated at $1.5 million by Governor Deal, as reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The state branch of the NAACP and several clergy groups have also expressed opposition to the measure.
Opponents argue that their main concern is that voters are not aware of the potential harmful impact the seemingly innocuous question could have on state districts for years or even decades.
"This is a substantial piece of legislation that profoundly affects our state, and people should be informed and comprehend it," states Justin Pauly, the director of communications for the Georgia School Boards Association, an organization that is not affiliated with other campaigns. Several local school boards have passed resolutions opposing the ballot question.
The PTA is encouraging its members to utilize their online resources to gain a better understanding of how to effectively lobby voters. Haygood, the president of the PTA, asserts that the organization is targeting various stakeholders, ranging from superintendents and school boards to homeowners associations and scout meetings. "We aim to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that people comprehend the actual content of the legislation," she adds.
(In addition, the group has released a dramatic video, resembling a horror movie more than a political ad, to warn of the consequences should the measure pass. Haygood explains that it is primarily aimed at millennial voters who may be participating for the first time or are not well-informed about the issue.)
Among the proponents, Governor Deal frequently promotes the proposal, claiming his inspiration from the success of Louisiana’s recovery district in New Orleans and his desire to reduce the number of juvenile inmates in Georgia prisons, as stated by his aides.
"He travels extensively throughout the state, using his speeches, meetings, and media interactions to emphasize the issue and explain the necessity for it," says Jen Ryan, the deputy chief of staff for communications. "The governor strongly believes that no child should be trapped in a failing school, hindering their opportunities simply because their parents cannot afford to move."
Supporters, operating under the name Opportunity for All Georgia Students, also released an advertisement assuring high-performing districts that they will not be affected. State Senator Freddie Powell Sims, a co-sponsor of the legislation, states that the takeover presents "an opportunity to aid those students who have been struggling for decades." The inclusion of Powell Sims, who is black, in the advertisement is intended to appeal to black voters in the state, as they supported a charter school ballot question in 2012 despite opposition from Democratic groups, as reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
