Atlanta

APS reveals plan to consolidate schools

ATLANTA — Discussions got heated Monday night as parents confronted the Atlanta Public Schools superintendent about merging and closing some schools.

"I know it's a lot on the community,” superintendent Meria Carstarphen told the crowd in a packed auditorium at Maynard Jackson High School in Southeast Atlanta.

In a two-hour town hall meeting, Carstarphen laid out a proposal for dozens of community members, parents, educators and students in the Jackson cluster.

"Atlanta Public Schools is a district that was built for over 100,000 students. While we have 50,000 students, about 10,000 of them are in charter schools,” Carstarphen explained to Channel 2’s Rikki Klaus.

She said the system is spread thin, given lackluster enrollment. Carstarphen explained the current mode of operation is expensive and inefficient. She acknowledged merging schools is tough but says it’s the right thing to do.

"We've stretched our resources so far that we're unable to provide the kinds of services that these smaller schools need,” Carstarphen said.

The APS superintendent proposed merging Benteen Elementary, with an enrollment of 310, into D.H. Stanton Elementary. She said the merger would bring about more services, teachers and funding. Parent Monique Torres likes Benteen as is. She says her two children are excelling there and get personalized attention.

"Having the teachers there and having that connection with the students is one of the most important things,” said Torres.

DCarstarphen also proposed closing Whitefoord Elementary and redistricting students to Toomer Elementary and Burgess-Peterson Academy. That’s where Serene Varghese’s kindergartner goes.

"I think the biggest issue overall is how can Atlanta Public Schools ensure that students have equity in their schools,” Varghese said.

The staff at all the schools affected could have to reapply, according to district officials. The superintendent says she will take town hall attendee’s questions and comments into consideration and tweak her plan before the Board of Education votes in March.