The Atlanta Board of Education has unanimously voted to extend the contract of Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Meria J. Carstarphen, Ed.D., for another year through June 30, 2019, citing the district’s progress and her individual contributions as superintendent.
Atlanta Board of Education Chair Courtney D. English provided an update on Carstarphen’s mid-year evaluation during the monthly board meeting January 9, reporting that the Board remains pleased with her progress in implementing their collective vision for the system. “We are on target with the five-year strategic plan, and we are confident that she will remain a strong leader for us as we strive to create a caring culture of trust and collaboration to prepare every student for college and career.”
Under Carstarphen’s leadership, APS has seen the graduation rate improve by 12 percent, now at 71.1%, and has planted the seeds for growth for many other indicators of achievement and success in the district. In addition, the district has accomplished the following during the first semester of the 2016-2017 school year:
· Launched Atlanta Public Schools’ new Safety and Security Department, bringing all school resource officers in-house to train them in the national TRIAD model
· Successful Day One APS attendance campaign, where 900 more students came to school on the first day than in the previous year
· Opened schools with a 9.5 percent teacher vacancy rate – one of the lowest rates across the state of Georgia
· Completed first semester as a charter operating system during the 2016-17 school year with local school governance teams in place at all schools
· Launched the Atlanta College and Career Academy with Atlanta Technical College to provide students with career pathways and dual enrollment opportunities
· Completed major construction projects at Boyd ES, Kimberly ES, Brown MS, and King MS
During the meeting, Carstarphen thanked the employees of the district for their hard work, stating she could not do this work alone.
“I am truly honored to continue serving the students of Atlanta,” said Carstarphen. “I want to thank the Atlanta Board of Education and our school community for entrusting me and this team to continue the work of transforming this district by removing barriers, expanding opportunities for our kids and positioning them for choice filled lives.”
“The map for the Journey of Transformation is clearly laid out, and we are confident that if we follow such a path with determination and fidelity, we will succeed in the turnaround we asked Dr. Carstarphen to lead,” said English. “We need her leadership now and long into the future.”
The Atlanta Board of Education voted unanimously to hire Carstarphen in April 2014 and she began her new role as APS Superintendent in July 2014. Last year, the board amended Carstarphen’s contract to extend her term of employment with APS to June 30, 2018.