Georgia Department of Education visits Anna K. Davie

♦ This is the second year the school is listed as eligible for state intervention.

Georgia Department of Education officials visited Anna K. Davie Elementary on Wednesday to perform a school assessment in regard to the district plan of support.

At a Tuesday school board work session, board members discussed the ins and outs of what the visit means for the school, along with details of the district plan of support.

The plan was created in 2019 in response to the school being listed as eligible for state intervention. This is the second year in a row that AKD found itself on the Turnaround Eligible list, meaning the school performed in the bottom 5% on the CCRPI.

According to RCS officials, state officials will also provide feedback and have a “next steps” session sometime next week.

Rome City Schools has had a school on the state’s turnaround eligible list since it was established in 2017. The first year, Main Elementary was on the list.

According to the plan of support, the district has added on extra personnel at the elementary school, including reading specialist Tiffany World, to help struggling readers.

Meanwhile, Capitol Beat news service is reporting that some state lawmakers are concerned that the elimination of the chief turnaround office will affect the program aimed at helping struggling public schools.

State School Superintendent Richard Woods said the office will be folded into a different arm of the education department run by Stephanie Johnson, the deputy superintendent for school improvement.

“I don’t foresee we will miss anything at all with that. In fact, I think we will probably be stronger,” Woods said during a Wednesday gathering attended by Capitol Beat staff writer Beau Evans.

During their work session, the Rome City Schools board also decided there should be more avenues to allow for community input.

A clear path for such has not made its way to the forefront just yet, but Superintendent Lou Byars said providing more ways to receive input is a goal of his.

Board member Alvin Jackson pointed out that there hasn’t been much community input at board meetings. He said he wouldn’t mind a time just for public comment.

“I’d like to see more participation in our board meetings,” Jackson said. “I think even the citizens and the taxpayers should have a voice in our decisions.”

While there is not a set time for public comment at the school board meetings, Byars said the public is always welcome to comment on policies they may or may not like. Right now, residents must request time in advance to speak at a school board meeting. But Byars said anyone can express their concerns to school officials or board members outside the session.

One thought was to establish an open forum for discussion. Board member John Uldrick said he would not want that.

“I wouldn’t vote for that because I don’t think it’s lawful,” Uldrick said. “But, I think we do need to develop a process to receive input from the community.”