SACS Warns DeKalb School Board Again
The DeKalb County schools’ accrediting agency has sent a letter to the school board outlining a new set of concerns. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools has given the board 30 days to respond. SACS says they’ve received more than 50 complaints from parents, community leaders, and employees of the DeKalb Schools.
Mark Elgart, the CEO of SACS’ parent company AdvancEd, says one major concern is the board has ignored key financial responsibilities.
“This system currently operates having two law firms on retainer because they could not agree on one law firm,” Elgart says, ” They have knowingly budgeted each year approximately $1 million for their day-to-day legal fees and each year, they are exceeding that by approximately 10-15 times what they budgeted.”
Elgart said SACS also received complaints that individual board members pressured administrators to make unethical hiring decisions.
“They’re asking them to look past the requirements of a job to hire somebody that might be a relative of a board member,” he says.
The board came under fire when an $80 million budget deficit was discovered. They’ve cut salaries and increased class size to reduce the budget gap. But board chairman Eugene Walker sees things differently. Regarding the concern that their legal expenses were excessive, Walker says they were necessary.
“How many school systems have multi-million dollar suits like we do and the one that we’re having now?” Walker asks, “SACS doesn’t know and nor do you or anybody else, how much that case will cost.”
The multi-million dollar lawsuit Walker is referring to is a legal battle between the board and construction company Heery/Mitchell. Legal fees in that case have cost taxpayers $37 million dollars so far. Walker also dismisses allegations of nepotism.
“I’m not aware of any egregious action on our part,” he says, “And to threaten the accreditation of students–and the students are the ones who would be harmed—then there ought to be evidence of some kind of egregious action. Not [a] rumor or suspicions of some disgruntled people.”
The board will respond to the letter within the 30 day period. Elgart says SACS could then launch an investigation of the district. DeKalb’s accreditation status is currently “on advisement,” which Elgart describes as a minimal sanction. He says if the allegations are found to be true, that status could slip to “probation,” which precedes a loss of accreditation.
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