RICHMOND COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF) – The 2015 CCRPI scores left 19 Richmond County schools eligible for Governor Deal’s proposed Opportunity School District.
“It does have a significant effect on local control,” said Richmond County School Board Chair Helen Minchew.
The state would temporarily step in to help chronically failing public schools — under the leadership of a governor appointed superintendent.
“We would cede control of those schools to the state,” said Minchew, who adds that could mean the state hiring and firing school personnel. “They also could determine to have them as charter schools, or even close schools.”
As for the local school board, the state could work out a partnership, but control would rest within the hands of the OSD superintendent.
“They’d have control of all state, federal, and also local – our local tax money,” Minchew added.
State Senator Harold Jones says the state helped put these failing schools in their current predicament.
“The schools have been lacking in funding. That came from the state,” he said. “Besides, quite frankly, a lot of states that have done this, it hasn’t worked. There’s nothing, there’s no magic dust that the state has that says they have all the answers.”
He says the best method is teaming up towards the common goal of student achievement.
“We have been working with the state. The governor has several programs that we are taking advantage of with these particular schools,” said Minchew.
The governor’s opportunity school district requires a majority approval by Georgia voters, because the state constitution would need to be amended. Schools would stay in the district for 5-10 years before being returned to local control.
Richmond County Schools eligible for Opportunity School District after three consecutive years of CCRPI scores below 60:
Bayvale Elementary School
Butler High School
Diamond Lakes Elementary School
Glenn Hills Elementary School
Glenn Hills High School
Glenn Hills Middle School
Hains Elementary School
Jamestown Elementary School
Jenkins-White Elementary School
Josey High School
Lamar – Milledge Elementary School
Meadowbrook Elementary School
Murphey Middle Charter School
Sego Middle School
Spirit Creek MIddle School
Terrace Manor Elementary School
W.S. Hornsby K-8 School
Wheeless Road Elementary School
Wilkinson Gardens Elementary School