Robert Boyd, Superintendent Michael Thurmond, and Ramona Tyson
Estimate cost for dual accreditation is a steal
by Viola Davis RN BSN
The number one goal for Interim Superintendent Michael Thurmond’s ninety day action plan is to address AdvancED/SACS action items and work to achieve unconditional accreditation status.
Click to access 90-day-plan.pdf
Restore DeKalb is proud to announce our active role to help Michael Thurmond with his number one goal to achieve unconditional accreditation status. We have “kicked off” this goal by inviting Robert Boyd, a consultant with the Georgia Accrediting Commission (GAC), to be a featured speaker to educate parents and homeowners about a second accrediting agency located in Georgia since 1904. By qualifying with the Georgia Accrediting Commission, the DeKalb County School System will have a “second” or “safety net” accrediting agency to protect all the high schools.
We are pushing for dual accreditation for all high schools because we want to ensure DeKalb’s seniors have access to financial aid for technical school and/or college. We have called dual accreditation our “safety net”. We strive to protect our students against the worst case scenario, SACS taking extended time to return our school system to full accreditation. Dual accreditation is a “solution” to a worst case scenario.
Dual Accreditation will prevent and protect the high schools throughout DeKalb from losing its accreditation. It will decrease the business community and public worries about accreditation.
Restore DeKalb had a town hall meeting at the Sanford Realty Company conference room on June 15th to address critical issues such as accreditation, graduation rates, and cell towers.
The featured speakers included Robert Boyd, Ramona Tyson, and the unexpected appearance of Interim Superintendent Michael Thurmond who drove back from Savannah to attend the meeting. District 9 Board of Education member, Mr. Thaddeus Mayfield, also attended. We also had Commissioner Lee May to show his concern.
Michael Thurmond voiced concerns about the amount of resources that will be expended qualifying for two accrediting agencies at once which include:
•AdvancED/SACS
•Georgia Accrediting Commission (GAC)
Robert Boyd gave a presentation to educate the parents and homeowners about GAC and show that GAC was not trying to compete with SACS. Boyd later forwarded a document titled, “Estimate of cost for GAC Membership”, to Restore DeKalb that detailed the financial cost of having a second accrediting agency.
Restore DeKalb was informed of three top facts concerning GAC:
1.GAC membership is $50.00 per school/per year.
2.GAC has offered for the accreditation process to occur in late January or early February 2014 to prevent interfering with SACS.
3.If approved, the accreditation would be retroactive to the beginning of the school year 2013-2014.
The initial cost was estimated to be approximately $50,000 to $70,000 dollars to qualify for GAC by Restore DeKalb; however, the cost to update our qualifications with GAC were reduced to as little as $10,000 to $15,000 dollars.
Dunwoody Councilman Terry Nall stated that he would have no problem getting the support of the business community to help finance the cost of secure the “safety net” accreditation. Restore DeKalb see the second accrediting agency as a “win-win” for the students, parents, community, and businesses with little financial cost. What a Deal – What a Steal!
What do you think?
Visit the Georgia Accrediting Commission website and note the accrediting commission has served Georgia’s schools since 1904.
http://www.coe.uga.edu/gac/index.html
Email and Call DeKalb Board of Education: DeKalb County School District – 678-676-1200
Chairman Dr. Melvin Johnson District 6 Melvin_Johnson@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
Vice Chairman James L. McMahan District 4 Jim_McMahan@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
Mr. John W. Coleman District 1 John_W_Coleman@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
Mr. Marshall D. Orson District 2 Marshall_Orson@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
Mr. Michael A. Erwin District 3 Michael_Erwin@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
Mr. David Campbell District 5 David_Campbell@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
Dr. Joyce A. Morley District 7 Joyce_A_Morley@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
Ms. Karen W. Carter District 8 Karen_Carter@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
Mr. Thaddeus Mayfield District 9 Thaddeus_Mayfield@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
Contact Person: Viola Davis at RestoreDeKalb@gmail.com or phone 770-267-0034
Please view the document prepared by Robert Boyd, a GAC consultant, for Restore DeKalb:
OCCUPY DEKALB 