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,, . · ROUGH DRAFT SCHOOL DISTRICT ORGANIZATION FOR EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT IN THE ATLANTA METROPOLITAN AREA Tentative Report of the Local Education Commission of Atlanta and Fulton County Georgia �t -" ... LOCAL EDUCATION COMMISSION OF ATLANTA AND FULTON COUNTY Thomas M. Miller . P. L. Bardin, Chairman Otis M. Jackson, Vice Chairman W. Kenneth Stringer, Secretary Mrs. A. L. Ritter & Treasurer Wallace H. Stewart Dr. R. H. Brisbane William M. Teem, III J. H. Cawthon Fred J. Turner Dr . Rufus E. Element James White, Jr. Dr. James L. Miller, Jr. EX-OFFICI O Dr . John W. Letson Dr. Paul D. West Oby T: Brewer, Jr. W. L. Robinson Earl landers Alan Kiepper STAFF Dr . Truman Pierce, Co-Coordinator Dr. Curtis Hens on, Recording Secretary �r TABLE OF CONTENTS I. IL III. IV. v. VI. VIL VIII. IX. x. XL INTRODUCTION. ..... . . .. . 1 WORK OF THE COMMISSION 2 REVIEW OF PREVIOUS STUDIES 3 ADVANTAGES OF A SINGLE DISTRICT ..... 5 DISADVANTAGES OF A SINGLE DISTRICT . 16 DECISION OF THE COMMISSION 20 NEXT STEPS. .... IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ..... .... .... .... 21 22 AFTER THE REFERENDUM? 29 DEVELOPMENTS SINCE CREATION OF THE COMMISSION 32 APPENDIX. .. ................ 34 �SCHOOL DISTRICT ORGANIZATION FOR EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA INTRODUCTION The present generation is witnessing a revolution in education. Underlying causes of this revolution include social and economic changes of unparalleled speed and magnitude, the development of an immensely complex society and a rapidly accelerating accwnulation of useful knowledge. No useful role for the uneducated remains and the cost of ignorance is more - than society can afford. The necessity for all persons to secure more edu- cation of higher quality than ever before and to continue the quest for learning throughout ·life becomes more apparent with each passing year. Major characteristics of the educational revolution are: enrolling children in school at an earlier age, extending the upper limits of formal schooling, providing programs of education adapted to the cultural background of the student in order to equalize educational opportunity, an enormous increase in the kinds and amounts of instructional materials, use in school of a larger nwnber and variety of specialists, technological advances which enhance the effectiveness of teaching, improvement in organization for teaching and improvement in the quality of teaching. Fast growing dimensions of school systems include junior colleges, vocational-technical schools , early childhood education programs and adult education programs. Additions and improvements in schools are greatly increasing the cost of education. Upward trends in cost will continue into the indefinite f uture if schools are to meet the demands placed upon them by the public. �2 The revolution in education places a premium on wise, long-range planning by school districts. Metropolitan areas with their population growth and diversity of educational need pose difficult problems which require much study. Careful long-range plans for educational advancement are essen- tial in these districts as in others if schools ar e not to suffer in the future. School personnel, members of boards of education and other citizens in the metropolitan area of Atlanta are well aware of these conditions and are giving thought to the further advancement of education in the area. Such planning for the future was given official status by the General . Assembly of Georgia in 1964 when it created the Local Education Cormnission of Atlanta and Fulton County. The Cormnission was authorized, To study the desirability and feasibility of combining the school systems of Fulton County and the City of Atlanta, including the portion thereof lying in DeKalb County$ to provide that said Cormnission may draft a plan or plans for the combining of such school systems and submit same to members of the General Assembly from Fulton and DeKalb Counties. WORK OF THE COMMISSION The tasks a ss igned by the General Assembly to the Cormnission were both formidable and complex. After considerable study, a plan was adopted through which the responsibilit ies of the Cormnission were to be discharged. This plan was revi s ed fr om time to time as the study progr essed and modifications could improve t he study. Ther e follows a description of the work of the Cormniss ion organi zed into a ser ies of steps. 1. A review of pr evi ous studies relevant to the functions of the Cormnission. 2. A study of social, ec onomic and educational t r ends in the met ropolitan area of Atlanta . �3 3. A study of developing educational needs and programs. 4. A study of the Atlanta and Fulton County schools with particular attention to finance. 5. An analysis of the educational reasons which support the creation of a single school district. 6. An analysis of the disadvantages of a single school district. 7. The identification and description of steps necessary to create a single school district. 8. Tasks which should be completed in effecting a transition from the present districts to a single district. 9. Deciding on whether to reconnnend a single district. Throughout the entire course of the study the overriding concern of the Connnission has been to reach the decision that would serve the best interests of those to be educated in the Atlanta and Fulton County school districts. The deliberations of the Connnission and the more relevant information considered in these deliberations are sunnnarized briefly in the following pages. REVIEW OF PREVIOUS STUDIES The charge of the General Assembly to the Connnission springs from a background which spans years of citizen concern for good schools in the Atlanta metropolitan ar ea . During these year s , several special studi e s· of the metropolitan area have paid attention to the schools and their problems of advancement . The Local Government Connnission of Fulton County recommended in 1950 a Greater Atlanta Development Pr ogram. The r eport of the Connnission i ncluded �4 reference to the schools and the possibility of merging the Atlanta and Fulton County school districts. It took the position that merger was ulti- mately desirable, but not at that time because of differences in expenditure levels and school programs of the two districts. The General Assembly created a Local Education Connnission in 1958 to study the two school systems and to submit a plan or plans for their improve- ment to members of the General As~embly from Fulton and De"Kalb Counties. This Connnission also studied the question of merging the two school systems and concluded that while this would be desirable in the future, it was neither desirable nor practicable at that time. It ·recommended the creation of a Metropolitan School Development Council which would make it possible to achieve some of the advantages of consolidation. The proposed council was established and has become an effective instrument for carrying out joint programs of the two school systems. Among these programs are the following: the- Juvenile Court School, Educational Broadcasting, Public Information Services and In-Service Education. The Fulton County Board of Education appointed a study connnission in 1963 to find and recommend ways to the Board for overcoming the financial crisis in which the Fulton County Schools found themselves because of the Atlanta annexation program recommended by the Local Government Connnission in 1950 and carried out in the early fifties. As a result of the annexation program, 72 per cent of the t axable wealth of the Fulton County School District and nearly 50 per cent of the students were annex ed by Atlanta. The report of this Commission also took the position that merger of the school districts should take place when feasible and recommended that steps be taken to determine what would be involved in bringing about a single district. �5 Thus, all studies of education or which have concerned themselves with education in Atlanta and Fulton County since 1950 have given serious consideration to the creation of a single school district in place of the two existing districts. All studies have taken the position that this step should be undertaken when feasible. Meanwhile, the two districts have grown closer together in levels of financial support and in educational programs. Furthermore, there has been a marked increase in the number of cooperative undertakings in pursuit of common interests. However, differ- ences remain which would have to be reconciled if a single district is created . .. ADVANTAGES OF A SINGLE DISTRICT Major advantages of a single district over the two present districts number fifteen. There follows a statement of each advantage and a brief discussion of its meaning. A Better School District Will Be Provided Adequate criteri a for det ermining t he soundnes s of a school dist rict have been developed by educational authorities . These criteria are con- cerned wi th such thi ngs as a suff icient number of children in the di str ict t o be educat ed to a s sure reasonable educational effectivenes s and cost economy, adequacy of the distr ict as a unit of local government , availability of a n a dequat e local tax ba s e , a dequate bonding capacit y, r eas onabl e tax leeway and some degree of fiscal independence. When these criteria are applied to the present districts of Atlanta and Fulton County, neither is a �6 satisfactory district. Fulton County meets only- one of the six criter±a, the number of children to be educated. When the two districts are combined, the resultant district is much more adequate than is either when considered separately. ./ In addition, maintaining and fostering good relationships with other units of local government would be enhanced by a single district because its boundaries would correspond to those of the county. These factors are ob- viously related to the ease and convenience of governing the local schools. Educational Opportunities Can Be Equalized More Easily The right of every individual to secure an education is inherent in a democracy. The modern definition of this right• is that every individual must secure an education appropr iate to his purposes , interests, abilities and needs. Equality of educational opportunity, ther ef or e, does not mean the same education f or all, but it does mean the same level of quality f or all ins ofar as t his is possible. The extreme diversity of cultural i n- terests and backgrounds which are f ound i n the metropolitan area of Atlanta , and in any other metropol itan area, require a wide range of educational programs adapted to these ba sic dif ferenc es in people . Current nationwide concern for providing more realistic educat i onal pr ograms f or children in slum areas is an indication of this kind of need. . The Atlanta district is heterogeneous i n composition whi le the Fulton Count y dis trict is more homogeneous. Combining the two would make it possible to provide the variety of educational programs which are needed in a more economical and efficient manner . �7 The equalization of educational opportunities in the Atlanta metropolitan area is virtually impossible under the present district organization. A single district would contribute much to making this a manageable task with minimum difficulties. New and Needed Educational Programs Could Be Provided More Economically Neither school district has yet provided post-secondary educati on programs f or which there i s great need. Perhaps the fastest growing trend in American education is the development of comprehensive junior colleges. These institutions provide two years of academic work either for terminal purposes or for transfer to a senior college. They also usually offer pro- grams in vocational-technical education and in adult education. It is in- creasi ngly clear that continuing education is a must for the adult citizen of t omorrow. Fur thermore, the kind of world i n which we l ive requires i n- creadi ng amounts of education. A recent Educational Polici es Connnission repor t takes the position that two years of education beyond the high s chool should be pr ovided at public expense f or all hi gh school graduates . Fulton County is not financially abl e • t o pr ovide junior colleges under its pres ent t ax st r ucture. It would not be the most economical plan for each di st rict to pr ovide its own j unior col l eges. A pr ogram to serve the metropolit an area woul d provide t he best means of meeting t his merging educati onal need . The two districts have a l ready f ound it prof itable to cooperate in the provision of vocational education as shown by the new vocational school which i s t o s erve both distr icts and ~revi sions now being made for a second such institution. �8 More Adequate Curricula for Special Student Groups Can Be Provided The variety of curricula required to meet the diverse educational needs referred to above means special educational programs for small groups of selected students. These programs serve children with serious physical handi- caps~ those suffering from severe mental retardation, children with extreme emotional difficulties, the exceptionally bright, and those with unusual talents. Since such programs are needed for only small numbers of children, they can be provided more economically if the student population to be served is drawn from the entire metropolitan area rather than if the two present school districts offer duplicate programs. Furthermore, the educational quality of offerings can be more readily improved in a unified district. Certain Educational Programs and Ser-vices Can Be Provided More Satisfactorily The richness and depth of both teaching and learning are being enhanced by new discoveries concerning human growth and development. The contributions of science t o the effectiveness of tea ching and learni ng processe s is i ncreasing at a rapid rate . Integrating into curricula the accelerating flow of new and useful subj ect mat t er whi ch the modern school program must offer if it is t o remai n ef fe ctive i s a n increas ingly difficult pr oblem. The modern school must be sta ff ed by professional pers onnel who keep up with t hes e continui ng developments that a ff ect their productivi ty. System- wide and continuous career devel opment programs f or personnel have become a necessity. This educational service can be provided better on a metropolitan- wide basis rather than in terms of the present separate districts. The �9 development and use of various learning resources and t ~e appropriate utilization of technological advances in teaching can be stimulated and fostered better through a single school district. Needed Improvements in Educati onal Quality Can Be Achieved More Readily The search for better schools i~ a common thread running through all considerations i nvolved in deciding the consolidation question. Unless the ultimate consequence of unifying the two school districts is a better quality of education, there is little need to prusue the issue. Changes in financing school s , i n administrative and supervisory services and i n the scope and variety of educational offerings can be justified only if they bring about better education. The educational advancement which is essential to sound progress of the Atlanta metropolitan area requires a unified approach and not a series of s epar ate and str ucturall y unrelated s chool programs. The search for educational quality is now both universal and continuous. The pursuit of quali ty is complex because it is concer ned with ever ything that ha s a beari ng on t he educa tional pr ogr ams offer ed by a school distric t . The unification of efforts to improve quality would certainly maximi ze both opportunities and res ources for enrichment of educational of f er ings . Compr ehensive, Long- Range Planning Can Be More Ef fective The i ncrea sing magnitude of educational re sponsibility ha s been stressed in earlier statements . continue to i ncrea s e. The quantitative demands of this res ponsibility will Proj ecti ons which have been made thr ough the next �10 several years show no letdown in the rate of population growth in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The indicated increase in the educational load calls for the most intelligent planning of which the people responsible are capable. Since this growth ignores school district lines, adequate planning for new enrollment must also ignore these lines insofar as actualities permit . . Comprehensive, long-range planning cannot be satisfactory if it is segmented on the basis of school district lines which have no constructive significance in the context of the metropolitan area as a whole. More Effective Solutions to Common Educational Problems Are Possible Educational problems are not confined to areas marked off by school district lines. Some educational problems are unique to certain types of districts, as is true of Fulton County and Atlanta. But many such problems are comm.on to the districts of an area, state, region or nation. lems which are common seem to be on the increase. Those prob- The school district which embraces as nearly a self-sufficient socio-economic unit as is possible provides the best structural framework for the consideration of educational problems. Solutions to these problems should not be restricted by arti- ficial district lines which ignore the facts of life. A unified district would provide for a more constructive approach to problem solution than does the present dual approach. This is all the more important since most of the educational problems to be faced are connnon to the two districts. �11 ~ Effective Research Pro~rams Can Be Stimulated and Executed As good schools have become more central to personal and community advancement, the place of research in education has become more apparent. Sound analyses of existing programs, the identification and description of strengths and weaknesses, and the determination of grounds for change require research. Planning ahead to be sure there will be adequate classrooms and teachers for the children in school at the beginning of a given year rests on research. School systems without strong research programs cannot achieve their maximum effectiveness. The complexity of a metropolitan area and the i nter rela tionships of roles of its different segments require comprehensive research programs based on trends and needs of the entire area rather than of subuni ts which are separate school di stricts. Furthermore, economy and wise management dictate a metropolitan-wide approach to research. Needed Experimentation and Educational Invent ion Can Be Achi eved More Readily Ma j or a dvances i n our s ociet y depend heavily on i nventi on and experimentation. nology. This fact is well recognized in the world of science and tech- The r ole of i nvent i on and experimentation in the improvement of social institutions such as the schools i s equal ly impor t ant. Schools , l i k~ t he world i n which they exist , must change as society changes . New curricu- lum materials should be developed and tested on exper imental bas es. New knowledge of human growth and development should be applied to teaching and learning on experimental bases. New teaching procedures and methods should be tested through tryout and evaluation. �12 Heavy reliance upon invention and experimentatio~ are crucial to needed educational advancement. There is no need for the school systems within the metropolitan area to engage in separate programs of this nature. The in- terests of both districts can be served better by unified programs , to say nothing of economies which could be effected . . More Extensive Use of Selected Educational Facilities and Learning Resources Is Possible Centers for acquiring , creating, distributing and servicing curriculum materials, filmstrips, video tapes, films and the necessary equipment for appropriate use of these materials are becoming common . The creation of teaching materials for local use and on the basis of needs unique to the local situation is an important function of these centers. The use of television in teaching and in professional development programs is increasi ng. The ne eded facilities for extensive television programs in the metro- politan area can be centered easily in one location. I t is not nece ssary to duplicate the facilities and resources mentioned above in diffe rent school districts serv ing the same metropolitan area. A single center can provide a constant flow of materials far richer and more comprehens ive than would be possible if available financial support is used to provide center s i n the separate districts . Equity and Balance i n Financ i al Effort and Support Can Be Achi eved An axiom of educational f inanc e whi ch is ac cepted uni versally i s t ha t wealth should be taxed where i t i s in oraer to educat e children where they are. The most glaring deficiency in the struct ure of public educat~on in �13 the Atlanta area violates this axiom. is the City of Atlanta. The center for conunerce and industry Contributions of most Fulton County citizens to the economy of the metropolitan area are made largely in the City of Atlanta where they do their work. This wealth enriches Atlanta primarily, although earnings paid to the individual may be spent wherever he chooses. The City already recognizes these facts of the economy of the area by helping to support schools in the Fulton County Dist~ict through al½ mill countywide property tax. The industrial wealth of the metropolitan area which is a major source of school revenue lies largely within the City of Atlanta. No equitable system of financial support and effort is possible which does not take into account these economic facts. A single tax program for the metropolitan area with the revenues distributed according to educational need is the only satisfactory answer to the problems of providing adequate support for the schools. This is Atlanta's problem as well as Fulton County's problem because of the highly complex interdependence of the metropolitan area. A single school district would be the most simple and prudent way to a chieve the goal of equity and balance in financial effort and support. Greater Financial Stability is Possible The disadvantage s of heavy reliance on the property tax for the support of schools are well known. The primary advantage is that revenues from property t axes fluctuate less than do revenues fr om more sensitive barometers of economic health. Desirable stability in the financial structure of a school system in the final analysis is related to the soundness of the economy of the district and the fairness of its system of taxation. The better balanced the tax program, the more stable the financial base of the �14 schools. The more complete the area served by the school district is as an economic unit in its own right, the more stable will be the local tax base for schools. It is obvious that combining the Atlanta and Fulton County districts into a single school system would provide a far sounder economic base for year-to-year stability in school support. Economies Are Possible Consolidation cannot be justified solely as an economy measure, if this means an -actual reduction in expenditures. Any plan for innnediate unifica- tion of the two districts would really cost more than the sum of the current budgets of the two systems because costs would need to be equalized upward instead of downward, assuming that the same quality of education is to be provided in the entire district. Nevertheless, some financial economies are possible because of the elimination of duplicate programs and services which can be handled better through single systems. In this connection, special reference is made to experimentation, invention, research, certain district-wide programs and services, specialized curricula fo r small student groups and others enumerated in an earlier listing. These programs could be provided at higher quality levels on a unified basis at a lower unit cost than would be possible in dual programs. However , the greatest economic gain to consolidation would be in t he creation of opportunities to pruchase more with the educational dollar rather than in the utilization of fewer dollars. This kind of economy is of much greater importance than the mere saving of money. A good test of a school district is not how little money it spends, but how much education it buys for its expenditures . �15 New Educational Developments Can Be Better Accommodated As shown earlier, the revolution in education which is underway is composed of both problems and opportunities. A large school district is in better position than a small district to stay abreast of such developments because of its more complex and varied interacting elements. Problems and needs often fall into sharper focus in a large district where the dynamics of change appear to express themselves with greater vigor. Opportµnities for new developments in education to be put into practice prevail to a greater degree in the ·large district. Many resources not for- merly available to improve schools are now being made available. The major source of this new support is the Federal Government through numerous pieces of legislation. It is much easier to take full advantage of the funds thus made available if a single district is created. The complexities of govern- ment relations to education are vastly increasing. It is far more satis- factory to handle these relationships for the metropolitan area through a single agency than through two agencies. ' The above identification and description of advantages of a single school district ar e predicated on certain assumptions concerning the proposed new district . Among these assumptions are the following: 1. An a dequate legal base for the new district will be provided. 2. An administrative structure which will make possible the necessary leadership for educational advancement in the metropolitan area will be created . 3. An adequate plan for financing the new school district will be adopted. �16 4. Emphasis on continuously improving educational quality and extending educational services will be continued. Consolidation as such is of no value. It is valuable only as it results in educational advancement, improved educational opportunities for children, youth and adults, but it will not guarantee such advancement. DISADVANTAGES OF A SINGLE DISTRICT The Commission was as much interested in identifying and analyzing the disadvantages of one school district ·as it was in identifying and anlayzing the advantages. Without weighing advantages and disadvantages against each other, no objective way of making a decision was open to the Commission. Concern at this point was with both real and possible educational disadvantages of a single district rather than with problems and issues which would have to be f aced if the two present districts are dissolved and a new one is created in their stead. studied. However, the latter problems and issues were They are reviewed in a subsequent section of this report. Possible disadvantages of the larger distr ict ·are presented next. Di ffi culties in Provi ding School Programs Needed Because of Differences i n Att endance Areas The capacity of schools to make a daptations which t ake i nt o proper account the educational needs of t heir neighbor hoods is related to the size of districts. Considerable unifor mity of educat i onal pr ograms in the various attendance centers within districts has been t raditional. Because of the range of soci o-economic conditions which exi st in metropolitan areas �' I 17 a greater variety of educational needs are present in metropolitan school districts which require greater variations in school programs than are needed in smaller more homogeneous districts. Current efforts to develop more realistic school programs for children in slum areas of cities is an example of the need for different kinds of programs according to connnunity backgrounds. A reasonable degree of control must be vested in the local school community if these variations in educational needs are to be met. Neighborhood control generates local responsibility, interest and initiative which are essential to good schools . Unhealthy Reliance on Bureaucracy Where at least some degree of local control is not present, decisions are necessarily removed from the local scene. Instead of the healthy exer- cise of connnunity responsibility for schools , directives from a central office r emoved from the community take the place of local initiative. Thus , bureaucratic controls grow up which inevitably stress uniformity and di s courage t he community autonomy which . has been one of the great strengths of public education in Amer ica . There is evidence to show that the larger t he di strict the greater the likelihood that authority over the neighborhood s chool will be centrali zed in administrative offices which are too far away to be re spons i ve t o local interests and needs . Inadequate I nvention and Exper iment ation Historically, many very large school districts have been notably lacki ng in educational invention and experiment ati on . Some of t he ma j or current edu- cational ills of our country are found in the sl ums of l arge city distr icts �18 where until recently little effort has been made to develop school programs which would serve these areas realistically. Innovation is difficult in situations which do not encourage the exercise of individuality. and invention are not compatible. Uniformity Excessive use of rules, regulations and directives inhibit creativity. Problems unique to large school districts in metropolitan areas have been the subject of much study in recent years. Experiments with new methods and procedures for utilizing the -. interests and abilities of citizens in neighborhood school centers have been successful. At present, the nature of educational needs of the culturally deprived, curriculum materials and teaching procedures which are adapted to their backgrounds are subjects of important research and experimentation. The ·Elementary and Secondary Edu- cation Act of 1965 provides more than one billion dollars to improve education programs for socially disadvantaged children. Current trends are pointing to ways of stimulating innovation and experimentation in all s chool districts. Poor Communication The difficulties of maintaining satisfactory channels of communication increase with the si ze of a school district . The threads which hold a school system together become tenuous as the distr ict gr ows larger . Gr eat er depend. ence must be place on fo r mal and impersonal means of communication in l arge districts . Opportunities f or misunderstanding and conflicting opini ons are greater where pers onal and i nformal contacts are missing . Too Much Centralized Decision Making The disadvantages of bigness in util izing democratic participation in r eaching decisions stems par tly from the lack of an adequate structure for �19 such participation and partly from the slowness of action characteristic of large units of government. The fact that both the soundness of decisions and an adequate understanding of their meanings are enhanced by participation in their making is of great importance in education because of the nature of teaching and learning. It has been difficult for large school districts to avoid making many decisions in central offices which might be made more satisfactorily in local attendance areas. Loss of Personal Identity Many studies have shown that a close relationship exists between the productivity of a person and the degree to which he feels himself to be an integral part of the enterprise which provides his employment. The more he is made to feel that he is but a mere cog in a machine, the more he acts as though this were true. There is no substitute for warm personal re- lationships in achieving satisfaction and success in one's work. The kind of environment which encourages such relationships is very hard to maintain where large numbers of persons are involved. The Atlanta and Fulton County school districts, if combined, would be about eleventh in size among all districts in America. In 1963-64, the total school enrollment in the two districts was 157,140, about one-sixth the enrollment in New York City which has more than one million pupils and enrolls more pupils than any other district in the Nation. Both the Atlanta and Fulton County districts have already reached the size of school systems which have suffered from the ills described above. Therefore, combining the school districts would scarcely create problems of bigness beyond those which already exist, if the proper safeguards are observed in the creation and establishment of the new district. �20 Just as creating a single school district would not guarantee the educational advantages discussed in this document, neither would the ills described inevitably follow. Knowing the disadvantages to avoid should be sufficient forewarning to assure the provision of an adequate legal base for the new district, satisfactory administrative leadership and sufficient financial support. DECISION OF THE COMMISSION After carefully balancing against each other the educational advantages and disadvantages of one district in place of the two existing districts, the Commission then defined and examined the steps which would have to be taken in order to create a single school district for Fulton County and the tasks which would have to be completed in the transition from one to two districts. Neither set of undertakings appeared to be faced by insurmountable barriers , hence the Commission was free to make its decision on strictly educational grounds. The evidence before the Commission scarcely permitted a recommendation other than the creation of one school district for all of Fulton County. This is the recommendation. The Atlanta and Fulton County school districts should be dissolved, not merged. An entirely new district should be created. In this way none of the limitations of the present districts need be pre~ served and the advantages of both can be combined in the new district . Furthermore, desirable features of a school district not present in either Atlanta or Fulton County can be incorporated in the new district . �r 21 NEXT STEPS The foregoing presentation outlines some of the steps taken by the Commission in reaching a decision on the question of merger. Having de- cided that in its opinion the educational programs needed by the children, youth . and adults of Atlanta and Fulton County can be provided better by a single district, the Commission then turned to a study of the actual steps which would be necessary to achieve merger. The legislation creating the Commission in addition to directing the Commission "To study the desirability and feasibility of combining. . 11 (the Atlanta and Fulton County School Systems) also stated that the Commission "may draft a plan or plans for the combining of such school systems." The decision on whether or not there will be a single district can be decided only by the voters of the present districts. Hence, if the members of the _General Assembly from Atlanta and Fulton County accept the Commission's recommendation, their next step would be to draw up and submit for passage necessary legislation for holding a referendum on the issue. Since the voters are entitled to all information that can be provided in order for them to make the best decision , legislation authorizing the referendum should also spell out the essential charact eristic s of the proposed new district . The Commission recommends that this legislation include the following: 1. A definition of the necessary legal basis for dissolving the present districts and creating the new district. 2. A description of organizational, administrative and tax structures of the new district. �22 3. Provisions for safeguarding present commitments and obligations of the two existing districts. 4. The date on which the new district would come into being. 5. Provision for setting up the machinery required to make the transition from the two present districts. Should the majority of votes cast in the referendum in each of the two existing districts favor the single ~istrict, the proposed school district would then be created in accordance with the specifications of the legislation. The transition from two to one school district is complex and requires careful planning. be forseen. Problems and issues which will have to be resolved can Their exact nature will depend to some extent on the specif ic provisions made for dissolving the present district and creating a new district. But the foll owing questions may be ant i cipated , a nd satisfactory answers to them a re pos s ible a t this time . IMPORTANT QUESTIONS Si nce t he is sue of merger has been discussed fr om time to t ime during the past twenty years, opinions already have been f ormed on bot h sides of t he i ssue. I t may be assumed , however , that the vast majority of ci ti zens have had no opportunity t o become pr operly informed on the bas i c facts needed in order t o reach a wise decision. Much public discussion of the facts concerning the present distri cts and the pr oposed new district is essential to reaching a sound decision. able to all citizens. These fac t s shoul d be made avail- Many questions will be asked and properly so . zens are entitled to the best possible answers to these quest ions. CitiIt is , �23 of course, impossible to forsee just what all of thes~ questions will be, but it is safe to assume the following will be of interest. Answers to these questions are given in light of known facts. What Would the New District be Like? The Atlanta district consists of 128.395 square miles of which 8.420 miles lie in DeKalb County. The Fulton County School District includes 420 square miles of territory. Therefore, the two districts, if combined, would make a single district of 548.395 square miles of which 539.975 square miles would be in Fulton County proper. The proposed district would have had a population of 632,600 on April 1, 1964, including 126 , 400 in the present Fulton County district and 506,200 in Atlanta , of whom 43,900 were in DeKalb County. School enrollment for the f all of 1964 would have been about 145,000 pupils . Professional personnel in the new district would have numbered nearly 5,500 individuals , and other s chool employees just under 3,000 persons . There would have been 170 elementary schools, 35 high schools and 2 night high schools in the distr ict. The schools are now located as follows : 118 elementary and 24 high schools in Atlanta , 52 elementary and 11 high schools in t he Fulton County district . The school budget would have been over 61 million dollars , with expenditures equali zed by r ais ing Fulton County School District expendi tures up to curr ent Atlant a l evel s, incl uding the provis i on of kindergartens . The 1965-66 budget f or Atlanta i s $46,713, 124.92, t he Ful t on County school budget for t he same year is $13, 891 , 184 , making a total of $60 ,604 , 308 . 92. �24 The school tax digest wou+d be $1,448,147,960 a~ present assessment ratios. This is currently divided as follows: $167,691,000 in the Fulton County district and $1,280,456,960 in the City of Atlanta. What Will be the Name of the New District? The Atlanta-Fulton County School District is an appropriate name. Enabling legislation would specify the name of the district. What Would Happen to the Properties of-the - -Two - Present Districts? These properties would become the property of the new district. These assets belong to the people and are simply held for the people by the present districts. < , The new district would hold them in the same way and their value would be unaffected by the transfer. Buildings and equipment would s erve the same people they now serve and in the same ways. Children would attend the school they now attend and would be taught by the same t eacher s. What Would Happen to Debts of the Pres ent Di str icts ? Nothing. Debts of the Atlanta district amount to $41 ,894, 556, ang the Fulton County distri ct , $18, 100, 444. The se are bonded debts incurred pr i- maril y for the construction and equipment of needed s chool buildings. visions have been made already for r etirement of t hes e debts. Pr o- Thes e pr o- visions would be as binding if t here i s a s i ngl e district as t hey are at present. ( �I - - ~ 25 What Would Happen to the Teachers, Principals, and Other Employees of the Present Districts? All of these individuals would retain their present positions. The only exception would be among administrative personnel on the district-wide ·level. Some reassignment would be necessary but no one would be assigned to a position of lesser rank than he now holds, except only one superintendent would be needed. What Would Happen to Salaries of Employees? No one would take a cut in salary. In fact, those teachers now i n the Fulton County school s would receive a smal l salary increase since the Atlanta salary schedule is slightly better than the Fulton County schedule. Two salary schedules would be untenable, as would be any reduction in salari es of present employees. What Would Happen to the Present Teacher Retirement Sys t ems ? Each of the existing retirement systems would be retained f or thos e who are now members as each system pr ovides a binding contr act to its members . No teacher could possibly lose i n retirement benefit s because of a single distr ict. Some way shoul d be found to provide a sound retirement system for the proposed di stri ct with each new employee enrolling in this system. Perha ps the present State system could serve this purpose . �26 What Would Happen to the Tenure of Teachers? The proposed new district would not affect earned tenure of teachers in either of the present two school districts. All teachers would carry with them into the new district -all of the years of service and all of the benefits of tenure which they ha~e earned. What Would Happen to Positions Held !lY Teachers in the Present Districts? Nothing. Teachers would continue their work in the same schools in the same capacity in the same school communities with the same colleagues. Would the Single District Cost Less Money? No. While various economies could be effected in a single district resulting in some savings for the particular services rendered, the overall cost would be higher than the combined cost of the two present districts, because the single system would provide for the entire district those programs and services which are now provided by only one of the districts. For example, the new district would provide kindergartens for all schools as are now provided in the present Atlanta district. Provisions for pupil transportation would have to be uniform throughout the new district. If the Fulton County policy of transporting pupils who live one and one-half miles or more from school were adopted for the new district , no additional cost would be necessary. Adding kindergartens to present Fulton County schools would cost $400,000 per year. Capital outlay needs would be $1½ million for the construction of 60 classrooms for kindergartens �27 How Would the New School District be Financed? One of the major reasons for creating a single district i s to provide a mor e equitable tax base for education . . In view of the fact that Fulton County has reached the maximum tax rate for schools under present provisions and Atlanta is fast approaching .fiscal difficulties because of the present tax structure, the new district would be timely in making it possible to work out a more reasonable plan for financing education in the metropolitan area. A tax structure which differs from that of either present district should be sought. The goal sought by the new tax program would be to dis- t r ibute among the people of the entire county the cost of education on a fair basis. A single district would make possible taxing the wealth where it is and applying it to educational need where it exists -- a long-term guide to good school financing i n this country. A major source of school support should be found to take some of the burden fr om the proper t y tax and to equalize responsibility for suppor t . Would School Taxes Paid ]2_y the Average Indivi dual Be Mor e or Less Than at Present? A f lat answer to t hi s question i s not pos sible without knowi ng t he t ax structure of the new di st rict. However, it is safe t o as sume tha t t he average tax payer will be t axed more fa i rly in vi ew of one of t he main a dvantages of creating one dist r i ct. A s i ngle tax system for educa ; i on in the entire county would certainly be fairer than either of t he pr esent systems . These systems leave much to be desired, the Fulton Countv r l an �28 in particular is cumbersome and inequitable. Atlanta is now paying part of the educational bill for Fulton County as a result of annexing 72 per cent of the taxable wealth in the Fulton County School District and almost 50 per cent of the students. Should a tax be levied to broaden the base of support, the tax bill of . the property owner could be reduced. Wouldn't~ Single District Be of Greater Benefit to the Fulton County District Than to Atlanta? Perhaps initially because Fulton County's school finance problems are more severe than those of Atlanta due to the city annexation program recommended in 1950. But what is Atlanta and what is Fulton County as defined by existing boundaries is silly and unreal. The economic life of the two is so interwoven that existing boundaries simply make no sense at all as taxing units. The two districts are now taxing themselves at relatively the same rate in terms of real effort. Fulton County schools are in trouble f i scally partly because of the tax structure. spect . Atlanta is not far behind in this re- Hence , both dis tricts stand to gain from a single distri ct if a sound t ax st ruct ure is created . Can ' t ~ School Di strict Become Too lar ge ? Probably s o. The answer depends upon whether si ze is per mitt ed to foster unhealthy bureaucracy. districts in the Nation . Atl ant a is al r eady one of t he largest s chool The new district would occupy about the position among large districts that Atlanta now occupies . �,------ - -- --~ - 29 Are There Examples of Similar New Districts? Yes. One of the latest to be created is the Nashville-Davidson County School District. All units of local government were merged in this instance. Charlotte-Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, is another fairly recent example of the same kind of change. districts have been successful. Others could be mentioned. All such No failures are known at present. Is There~ Trend in Metropolitan Government to larger Units, Including larger School Districts? There are some indications of such a trend, probably due to a growing recognition of the need to streamline metropolitan governments and minimize ·over lapping and duplication. No doubt , many additional questions will be asked concerning the proposed new district. Objective answer s should be provided insofar as it is possible to do so . It is hoped that every citizen will familiar ize himself wi t h the facts concerning schools in the present districts and the arguments fo r and against cr eating a single distr ict . AFTER THE REFERENDUM? If t he voter s a ppr ove the s i ngle distri ct proposal , the time table defined in t he enabling legislation would be set in moti on . Much work will have to be done to effect t he transit ion. The autonomy which l ocal school di stri cts i n Georgia are free to exercise is considerable. The Atlanta and Ful ton County school districts have �30 freely exercised this autonomy. Being entirely sep~rate districts , they have developed their own policies, procedures and operational patterns. While many similarities exist in these matters , there are also differences. Creation of a new district would require careful attention to such guides and pr actices. Changes which are necessary. must not work injustices on school personnel or reflect unwisely on educational programs. Careful and tedious study are required which wj ll result in the development of policies, procedures and operational patterns needed by the proposed new district and which may or may not currently exist in either of the present districts. Some of the several aspects of this problem are listed below with types of needed action indicated. Additions to this list are likely to be neces- sary in the event a single district is created. 1. Development of a system of personnel records for professional and other school personnel. 2. Development of a system of records for pupil accounting. 3. Development of necessary guides and procedures for budgeting. 4. Development of purchasing plans and procedures. 5. Development of plans for appropriate financial accounting. 6. Development of a salary schedule for professional and other personnel . 7. Development of a retirement system, or systems. 8. Development of policies concerning employment practices, pr ofessional and other. 9. Devel opment of poli ci es r egar di ng s ick l eave , vacat ions , l eaves of ab s ence, profess ional growth, etc . 10. Development of pol icies r egar ding size of schools. �31 11. Development of general school regulations, _such as length of the school day, number of days in the school year and holidays. 12. Development of a school calendar. 13. Reach decisions on the school program having to do with kindergartens, special education, vocational education and other program areas. 14. Reach decisions on pupil~teacher ratios to be established and maintained. 15. Reach decisions on services to be provided by the school district, such as food, transportation and health. 16. Reach decisions on instructional materials and supplies which are to be provided. 17. Reach decisions on special professional personnel to be provided such as librarians, school psychologists, counselors and reading specialists. 18. Reach decisions on administrative and supervisory services to be provided. 19. Reach decisions on non-professional personnel to be provided, such as lunch room workers, custodians and secretaries. 20. Determine the curriculum adjustments which are necessary and suggest how they are to be made. 21. Recommend policies regarding expansion of school programs with special reference to junior college education, vocational and technical education and adult education. 22. Propose a method of combining the two central office staffs. �r , 32 23. Propose a plan for the internal organization and administration of the new school district, answering questions such as: Will there be area superintendents? Will there be junior high schools? How many grades will be in the elementar y schools? 24. Reconnnend the future of the Metropolitan School Development Council. Will it have served its purpose if the new school district is created? If not, should it be extended to include the entire metropolitan area? 25. Reconnnend plans ·£or ·handiing- textbooks ·and instructional supplies. 26. Make reconnnendations concerning teaching loads. 27. Make reconnnendations concerning the visiting teacher program. 28. Make reconnnendations concerning organizations which exist in the respective school districts, such as Parent-Teacher Associations, local teacher associations and the various student organiza~ions. 29. Make a budget f or the new school distri ct. DEVELOPMENTS SINCE CREATION OF THE COMMISSI ON This document begins with a par agraph which states that -a r evolution in education is underway due to swiftl y moving cult ural changes of prof ound impact on all areas of civilization. Several developments occurred durtng the course of this st udy which have maj or bearings on the reconnnendation for one school district t o serve Fulton County. Among these developments are the following: 1. Mounting sentiment for a new Atlanta annexation program. Any such move could only further aggravate the already serious financial �33 problems of the Fulton County schools und~r the present district organization. 2. A statewide educational study has been completed which strongly reconnnends fewer, more efficient, school districts for the State. While main emphasis is on districts of sufficient enrollment to provide economically the wide range of educational programs and services needed, the basic concern is with sound districts. 3. The Federal Government has passed an education support bill for elementary and secondary schools which seems to signal a new and far stronger role of the National Government in education for the future. Other Federal legislation which influences schools supports this conclusion. The i.Jnpact of this changing role on school dis- trict organization is not clear at this time. But present indi- cations point clearly to the importance of strengthening local school districts. 4. The proposed new Constitution for the State of Georgia, if passed, will encourage the consolidation of school districts and make it easier for consolidation to be achieved. TMP : jp 7- 30- 65 �APPENDIX �35 TABLE I ESTIMATED SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS IN THE ATLANTA AND FULTON COUNTY DISTRICTS 1965-1973 Years Atlanta Fulton County Total 1965-66 112,129 35,020 147,149 1966-67 115,113 36,210 151,323 1967-68 118,097 37,441 155,538 1968-69 121,081 38,714 159,795 1969-70 124,065 40,030 164,095 1970-71 127,049 41,391 168,440 1971-72 130,033 42,798 172,831 1972-73 133,017 44,253 177,270 �