Business
(2009-08-18)
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Today, she gave her 6th State of the Schools address to city business and education leaders.
When parents are considering a place to live in Atlanta or anywhere for that matter, there's at least one thing they want to know.
ALEXANDER: "How good are the schools"
When prospective buyers asked Jim Alexander that question, the Atlanta Board of Realtors President admits his answer wasn't good.
ALEXANDER: "I think we as realtors had the idea that the schools were old, they were falling down, they didn't have great test scores."
When Dr. Hall heard realtors' opinions, it bothered her. It was last year; 9 years after she started as Superintendent.
HALL: "It really doesn't matter if everyone from policy makers in Washington D.C. to educators in China know about the Atlanta Public Schools dramatic progress when some key individuals right here in the city do not."
So, APS and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce gathered data for the area's real estate community. The information included the district's plan to make high schools better. That plan started with Carver High School.
APS turned the school into what's known as a small learning community. It's when you break up a school into small college-like campuses for each subject. Hall says the old Carver's graduation rate was about 14 percent.
HALL: "However, this past May, according to data released by the state, the New Carver delivered a graduation rate of 94 percent."
APS has turned 6 of its high schools into learning communities. Officials will makeover the city's final 3 high schools next school year.
HALL: "As a result, the state of our schools this morning can be described in one sentence. Atlanta Public Schools is becoming a model urban school district."
While APS has received notoriety and recent accolades, Realtor President Jim Alexander says it's too early to know if the work is convincing potential home owners to close on Atlanta.
ALEXANDER: "It's a slow process. You've got to change minds. You've got to change the way people think. But that is actually happening as we speak."
Other reforms include a pilot program where students in 4 Atlanta middle schools will have fewer teachers. Usually, 6th grade students can have 5 different teachers. One for each subject. With the pilot program, students will have 2 teachers: one for math and science and the other for english, language arts and social studies. Hall points to studies showing students do better in middle school if they have fewer teachers.
Disclosure note: WABE is licensed to the Atlanta Public School Board. © Copyright 2009, WABE
