The Atlanta Board of Education voted 7-2 to approve recommendations for school changes in alignment with the district’s Transformation Strategy during the March 6 board meeting.

Over the last three months, Atlanta Public Schools (APS) Superintendent Meria J. Carstarphen, Ed.D has engaged the community in conversations about these possible changes. Throughout the process, Carstarphen, members of the Atlanta Board of Education and other APS leaders listened closely to the community’s input and ideas, and adjusted recommendations to the Board based on that feedback.

The following school changes were approved:

• Jackson Cluster– At the start of School Year 2017-2018, close Whitefoord Elementary School, redistricting students to Toomer Elementary and Burgess-Peterson Academy. Redistrict a portion of Parkside Elementary School students to Benteen Elementary School.

• Mays Cluster– At the start of School Year 2017-2018, close Adamsville Primary, restructuring Miles Intermediate as a PreK-5 school and redistricting some Adamsville and Miles students to West Manor Elementary.

• Douglass Cluster– At the start of School Year 2017-2018, relocate the Business, Engineering, Science and Technology Academy at the Benjamin S. Carson Educational Complex (BEST) to the Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy (CSK) with two 6-12 single gender academies on the CSK campus.

Beginning with School Year 2017-2018, phase out the closure of Harper-Archer Middle School by serving only 7^th and 8^th grade at Harper-Archer next school year. 

Phase in and create a new middle school at the current BEST facility, serving 6th grade only in School Year 2017-2018. The school will add a grade each year thereafter until it becomes the new 6-8 middle school for the Douglass Cluster in School Year 2019-2020.

At the start of School Year 2019-2020, close Fain Elementary School and Towns Elementary School and open a new elementary school at the renovated Harper-Archer MS facility. 

At the beginning of School Year 2019-2020, launch a new PreK-8 partnership school at Woodson Park Academy (WPA) with KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools.  This school will be operate by KIPP, but will not be a charter school, ensuring that all students zoned to WPA will be able to attend.

At the beginning of School Year 2020-2021, close the current Woodson Park building and open a new campus in the former Woodson Primary site to include a new school building, a YMCA, an early childhood center and a health clinic. 

• Citywide – At the beginning of School Year 2017-2018, relocate West End Academy to Crim Open Campus High School. West End and Crim will streamline their staff in order to realize savings through a shared campus model.

"These are complicated issues and difficult decisions, but that is what leadership is all about,” said Atlanta Board of Education Chair Courtney D. English. “The Board deeply appreciates the input by parents, teachers and neighborhood leaders throughout the city.  Not everyone will be happy, but I believe our kids will benefit, receive a better education, and be better prepared for college and career.”

“We need to deliver strong, effective academic programs to our students and provide the most complete and essential services we can with limited resources,” said APS Superintendent Meria J. Carstarphen.  “In order for us to be successful, we must look for ways to streamline resources to reinvest in quality programming for kids. The district is confident that these changes will allow us to do just that.”

The APS school changes were developed to further the district’s Transformation effort, address the under-utilization of schools and launch strategic partnerships over key district priorities.  For more information on the plan, click here.