FCBOE Work Session - March

The Fulton County Board of Education met for their monthly work session at 3 p.m. on March 8, 2022.

• The Board is presented with the annual Enrollment Projections. View the presentation below for more information.

Graphics courtesy of Fulton County Schools

• The ninth grade enrollment for Fulton County Schools (FCS) is increasing.

• North Fulton has seen shrinkage in elementary schools in the past few years, and many high school students have been diverted to Innovation Academy.

• FCS Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney notes that many students leave FCS during middle school and return for high school. He emphasizes the need to make the community see the value in FCS middle schools.

• District 5 Board Member Linda McCain says many students have relocated to neighboring districts due to unaffordable housing in Fulton County. She believes this was the cause of stagnating enrollment growth in the last 10 years.

• Looney says FCS will have redistricting discussions this fall in response to District 2 Board Member Katie Reeves’ question.

• Chief Financial Officer Marvin Dereef presents the 2023 Budget Preliminary Revenue Forecast. View the presentation below for more information.

Graphics courtesy of Fulton County Schools

• District 2 Board Member Katie Reeves asks if the state considers exemptions. 

• District 5 Board Member Linda McCain thanks Chief Financial Officer Marvin Dereef for the presentation.

• According to Chief Financial Officer Marvin Dereef, the General Assembly plans on removing the state percentage cap for the county-based school system funding.

• District 2 Board Member Katie Reeves is alarmed that FCS will soon be providing the entire education budget without state assistance.

• Chief Communications Officer Brian Noyes questions if the amended 2021-2022 budget cap will apply to the 2022-2023 budget. Noyes emphasizes that the Board prefers a budget cap in place.

• Board President and District 7 Board Member Julia Bernath asks if the state has looked into school districts that are under-taxing residents and thereby receiving more state funding.

• District 3 Board Member Gail Dean considers the possibility of using the Board’s reserve funds to balance the budget this school year despite a slow revenue growth. 

• Looney notes that the Board has expressed its support for a significant pay raise for FCS employees. 

• The Board moves to call the meeting to order and initiate the Pledge of Allegiance.

• On March 1, Dolvin Elementary School held a Vocabulary Parade, which was attended by Looney and Chief Academic Officer Cliff Jones.

• Chattahoochee High School read and compiled 163 children's books on a Flipgrid to be used on Read Across America Day.

• River Trail Middle School seventh grader Aryan Bachu won the Region 4 spelling bee and will move on to the state championship.

• Chief Academic Officer Cliff Jones presents iItem 6.01, which would implement a new textbook adoption policy for grades K-12. 

• Dr. Gyimah Whitaker presents Item 7.02 revisions for the 2022-2023 school calendar, which include maximizing the number of full weeks of instruction, incorporating opportunities for staff, and adding more remote learning days for students. 

• If this calendar is approved, Late Start Mondays and Early Release days would be eliminated.

• District 1 Board Member Katha Stuart asks how professional development days would work for students.

• Whitaker says students would have asynchronous learning days. 

• Looney emphasizes that statewide election days should remain asynchronous.

• Looney notes that FCS should try to have as many weeks of full learning as possible, instead of having many disrupted weeks.

• Coordinator of Continuous Improvement Erin Nusnbaum presents a change in the grading policy, including a new update that students may not access just yet.

• District 2 Board Member Katie Reeves disagrees with the new update to the attendance policy where after seven absences, a doctor’s note is required to excuse an absence. She believes a parent’s note should remain sufficient even after seven days. 

  • Other Board members voice their agreement with Reeves.

• Language to include GPS tracking when possible is added. This system clarified the types of emergency use of vehicles as it relates to tax implications.

• Item 7.06 seeks to re-establish credit recovery for when a student can recover their credit 

• Item 7.07 adds that families will have to show documentation to verify residency for second, seventh, and 10th grade students.