Appling Schools to remain on SACS probation
On Friday, January 28, Appling County Superintendent Scarlett Copeland received notification from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) that the Appling County School System will remain on an accreditation probation status with the organization. The following is a letter Copeland received from SACS AdvancED President and CEO Mark A. Elgart concerning a recent visit by a monitoring team on December 5 - 7, 2010:
Dear Ms. Copeland:
Enclosed is a copy of the report of the Monitoring Team for the visit to the Appling County School System on December 5-7, 2010. The findings and observations in the report indicate that there are significant challenges facing the Appling County School System.
Based on the findings in the Monitoring Team report and subsequent review and action by the AdvancED Accreditation Commission, the Appling County School System will continue an accreditation status of “Probation” for the 2010-11 school year.
The Monitoring Visit Team recognized some areas in which the Appling County School District is making progress toward the Required Actions outlined by the Special Review Team’s report of June, 2010. However, the school district has failed to address four of the seven Required Actions. The new leadership of Appling County School District must make significant progress in the coming months to avoid loss of accreditation. The directives provided in this report are designed to help the institution meet all of the Required Actions established by the Special Review Team within the communicated deadlines. The institution may discuss these directives with AdvancED to gain assistance and support in using them to meet the recommendations.
The institution will be expected to submit a follow-up Institution Progress Report by May 15, 2011. The Institutional Progress Report should include evidence to support actions taken and the results of those actions. A Monitoring Visit Team will visit the institution during June 2011 to assess the institution’s progress in meeting the Required Actions and Directives articulated within this report. Arrangements for scheduling and coordinating the Monitoring Visit should be made with the Georgia SACS CASI office. All expenses pertaining to the Monitoring Visits are the responsibility of the district and paid by the district.
Please note that it is the responsibility of the Appling County School System officials to share the contents of the report with the board of education and the community.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Special Review Team Report for the Appling County School System or addressing the required actions, please contact me.
Sincerely,
Mark A. Elgart, Ed.D.
President/CEO
The following is a portion of the report by the special SACS Monitoring Team’s visit to Appling in December. The team points out that of the seven required actions first noted in June 2010, the school system has only made progress in three areas and has completed none of the required actions. If the system were to lose SACS Accreditation it could result in dire consequences such as loss of scholarship monies for high school graduates, and impact school funding, etc.
About AdvancED and NCA CASI/SACS CASI
Background
Dedicated to advancing excellence in education worldwide, AdvancED provides accreditation, research, and professional services to 27,000 institutions in 69 countries. AdvancED provides accreditation under the seals of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI).
Monitoring Visit Report
Introduction
A Monitoring Team visited the Appling County School District on December 5-7, 2010 on behalf of AdvancED and it accrediting division, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). This Monitoring Team Visit was held to review the district’s progress toward addressing required actions from the Special Review Team Visit on June 27-29, 2010.
Activities of the Monitoring Team
In preparation for the Monitoring Visit, the Monitoring Team reviewed the institution’s progress report and related documentation. Once on-site, the team engaged in the following activities:
• Meetings with the board members, the acting superintendent, central office leaders, principals, and a lead teacher;
• Interviews with 11 stakeholders representing the local newspaper, the NAACP, parents, and concerned citizens;
• Artifact review of board policies, board minutes, and related documents; and
• Team deliberations and report preparation. The Monitoring Team used the findings from these activities to assess the progress the Appling County School District has made toward addressing the recommendations made by the previous review team.
Findings
The Monitoring Team’s findings are organized by each of the required actions made by the Special Review Team. For each required action, the Monitoring Team provides a progress status rating, summary of findings, and directives to guide next steps.
REQUIRED ACTION 1: With the retirement of the superintendent on June 30, 2010, and the superintendent search, which all five board members reported will resume after that date, the board and district should move expeditiously to select a new superintendent who can/will lead the efforts of the district and resolve the issues that are causing concern for the district and the community. In addition, elections will be held for three of the five board seats, and two of these members indicated that they do not plan to stand for re-election. One other indicated that he/she was undecided. Changes in the composition of board membership can have significant impact on the way the board conducts its business. The board must deliberately seek stakeholder input into the desired qualities and skills of the new superintendent.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
(X) - In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
The Appling County Board of Education sought the counsel from the law firm of Harben, Hartley, and Hawkins, LLP, and engaged the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) to serve in a consultative role in conducting their search for a new superintendent. Under the guidance of the GSBA, the application process was re-opened, a timeline was established for the selection of the superintendent, and public input was obtained through a public forum attended by approximately 75 community members. The Appling County School Board also made arrangements to receive input through an online survey with around 400 respondents.
Evidence from multiple interviews revealed that, though the board sought public input, there is no confidence among internal and external stakeholders that the Board valued that input. Stakeholders requested that the current Board allow the incoming Board the responsibility to select the new superintendent, and 47 percent of the survey respondents requested that the new superintendent possess a doctorate degree. The Board, under the direction of the chair, proceeded to post the requirement that the new superintendent possess a master’s degree or higher. The chair interpreted the survey results regarding the educational level of the new superintendent to be at a master’s degree or above. He decided that the Board should post the level at a master’s or higher since approximately 67 percent of the survey responses chose a master’s, specialist, or doctorate when combining the three levels. Moreover, the current Board chose to disregard the wishes of the public as they have recently named three finalists for the superintendent’s position. Final plans for the selection process included having the three finalists meet with the public, with incoming board members, and with the current Board for a second interview. Plans call for the naming of the new superintendent on December 20, 2010. (Since the time of the team’s visit in December, and the completion of this report, a new superintendent has been named.) Although the current Board has every right to name the new superintendent, waiting for the new Board to make that decision or, at least, allowing the new board members to be a part of the interview process, would have portrayed a strong message that the future of the Appling County School District would collectively be under the leadership and direction of a new superintendent and Board.
The perception exists among stakeholders interviewed that the selection process has been a farce and that the Board had a pre-determined choice to fill the position. The majority of stakeholders interviewed indicated that the current Board has made the decision and, without hesitation, identified the person who would be the next superintendent. These persons further elaborated that this was common knowledge throughout the community.
While the Board is to be commended for following through on accelerating the selection process for the new superintendent, and for selecting three finalists for that position, it is clear to the Monitoring Team that the Board missed an opportunity to build confidence with its stakeholders by accepting or acknowledging their input, which the Board itself solicited. The Board also missed an opportunity to dispel the notion that the choice for superintendent had already been made before the process began. The current Board could have delayed the selection until the new Board was seated, and the public may not have had the perception that the selection was preconceived. The Board squandered an opportunity to build trust among stakeholders during the superintendent qualification and selection process and failure to allow the incoming Board to select the new superintendent.
This Required Action could have been easily met by seriously considering the input of the community and briefly delaying the selection of the superintendent until the new Board assumed its responsibilities. It is imperative that the Board take authentic steps to rebuild confidence among stakeholders that their ideas are valued and that the Board’s decisions are fair, transparent and solely guided by what is best for the Appling County School System.
Directives:
• The Board and the new superintendent should establish a process whereby stakeholder input is sought and incorporated into the decision-making process on a regular basis.
REQUIRED ACTION 2: The Appling County School Board and its Superintendent must establish and implement a collaborative process to involve all stakeholder groups in the development and understanding of a system-wide vision and purpose to guide the continuous improvement process, the allocation and alignment of resources, and the daily actions of all members of the school community.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
(X) Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Interviews with internal and external stakeholders, board minutes, and agendas provided evidence that the Board has provided a 30-minute time period to allow public input prior to the beginning of each board meeting. Additional stakeholder input has been solicited through a community public hearing and an electronic survey. The focus of both the public hearing and the online survey was the superintendent search. Though these are commendable first steps, the Monitoring Team found no evidence that a broad cross-section of stakeholders has been involved in the establishment of a system-wide vision and purpose to guide the improvement process, the allocation and alignment of resources, and the daily actions of all members of the school community.
The vision and purpose is the foundation upon which all decisions should be made. These formal statements should guide the work of the district and should provide direction for the continuous improvement process within the school district; the allocation and alignment of human, material, and financial resources; and the daily actions of all members of the school community. Although the Board has provided a scheduled time to allow public comment and participation at each meeting, the perception among most interviewed was that this was done to satisfy the AdvancED/SACS CASI requirement. When asked about soliciting stakeholder input, board members interviewed stated they allow citizens to talk, but do not respond or answer questions. There is no evidence that the Board reviews, discusses, or even considers stakeholder input. Moreover, there is no evidence that the vision and purpose are the foci of the Board, and the district has not taken the opportunity to build understanding of the vision and purpose throughout the community. The Board must earnestly establish and implement a collaborative process to involve stakeholder groups in the development and understanding of a system-wide vision and purpose.
Directives:
• The Board and the new superintendent must create and implement a process by which it will identify and engage a stakeholder group that represents a broad cross-section of the district’s internal and external stakeholders and prescribe how their input will be regularly solicited. This group should revisit the vision and purpose statements and serve as a valuable resource for the district in soliciting input and creating public support.
• With authentic consideration of the input from this stakeholder group, the Board and superintendent must review, update, or revise a system-wide vision and purpose for the Appling County School District.
REQUIRED ACTION 3: The Appling County Board of Education and its Superintendent must cultivate a culture in which community stakeholders are regularly encouraged to provide meaningful input, and that input is analyzed and incorporated into the board’s decision-making process. Decisions on important issues such as adopting a budget and all other matters must be made in a timely manner. The decorum of all board meetings must reflect the professionalism required of all of those who are defining the quality of education for this community.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
(X) Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Interviews with community members and staff members revealed that actions of the Board have not fostered a culture of collaboration and trust within the school system. While the Board has allowed stakeholders to speak at board meetings, to speak at the superintendent selection forum, and to respond to the superintendent selection survey, there has been no attempt to either analyze this input or to incorporate it into the decision-making process. During interviews, board members explained they have provided opportunities for stakeholders to have a voice, but did not explain how input was considered. The Board must demonstrate to stakeholders that their input is not only heard, but that it is also welcome. Once input is received it should be analyzed and incorporated into the decision-making process.
Decisions on adopting budgets and financial reports are not made in a timely manner. The Board began the new fiscal year without having adopted a budget. In addition, the Board delayed approving monthly financial reports because one board member had a question about some checks. The adoption of many financial reports was delayed for months and the budget for fiscal year 2011 was not adopted until well into the fiscal year. Important decisions, such as adopting the millage rate, adopting the budget, and approving financial reports, must be made in a timely manner. The Appling County School Board must come to a place where routine procedures and tasks occur without delay.
Numerous interviewees reported that decorum at board meetings has not improved and that meetings continue to be chaotic and not representative of board members. The board should make sure that all meetings are conducted with the proper decorum, order and dignity that is required of a board that represents the people of the community.
Directives:
• The Board of Education must take decisive action to establish processes and procedures for the regular occurrence of key decisions in a timely manner.
• The Board must demonstrate that stakeholders input is valued, analyzed and appropriately incorporated into the decision-making process.
• The Board must ensure that all meetings are conducted with the proper decorum, order and dignity that is required of a board that represents the people of the community.
REQUIRED ACTION 4: Intensive training in effective boardmanship and the appropriate roles of the superintendent and the board members must be provided for veteran board members and any newly elected board members.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
(X) In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
The board members and the acting superintendent have participated in numerous training opportunities dealing with the appropriate roles of the board and the superintendent. These opportunities have been conducted by the Georgia School Boards Association; Harben, Hartley, and Hawkins law firm; and by the superintendent at a Board retreat. Both the school board candidates in the November 30, 2010 election and the newly elected board members were given the opportunity to participate in some of these sessions. Additionally, the board chair and the acting superintendent participated in a board governance training session conducted by AdvancED/SACS CASI. The training has been both intensive and thorough.
In spite of the plethora of training opportunities that have been provided for the Appling County School Board members in a relatively short period of time, stakeholders report that little has changed in terms of the interference of some board members in the day-to-day operation of the schools. There were reports that a board member directed the acting superintendent to fire an employee, clearly a violation of the roles and responsibilities of board members.
In another reported instance, a board member stated that the Board should get involved in dealing with staff members who used excessive personal leave. The Board decided that this was an example of the day-to-day responsibility of the superintendent and chose not to get involved; however, this is yet another example of how some members try to become involved in matters that fall under the purview of the district’s leaders. Finally, two board members expressed a need to call a meeting so they could fire some staff members before some of the current board members’ terms expired; a prime example of the abuse of the roles and responsibilities of a board member. It is not totally clear to the team whether some board members, despite the intensive training, just do not understand the difference between governing and managing, or, if they intentionally chose to ignore their defined role as a Board member despite clear guidelines under Georgia law and regulations, AdvancED Standards, AdvancED’s Required Actions for Appling County, and accepted best practices for local school board members. All the training that the Board has undergone and is further available to them will be futile until they are willing to internalize and model the behavior described in said training. The entire Board and new superintendent must demonstrate that they are accountable to the public through their actions.
Directives:
• Continued training that is specifically focused on creating an effective governance structure while adhering to defined roles as members of a governing body must be taken by the new superintendent and the board members. The Board and superintendent must demonstrate internalization of this training and adherence to their prescribed roles and responsibilities as a governing body.
• Benchmarks must also be established and reviewed to measure how well this Accreditation Standard 2: Leadership and Governance is being complied with on a regular basis.
REQUIRED ACTION 5: The Appling County Board of Education must validate that all actions and behaviors of board members are fully aligned with the official board policies and all AdvancED Accreditation Standards.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
(X) In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Board meetings are advertised in accordance with the requirements of the Georgia Open Meetings Act, and board minutes are posted online for public review once they are approved by the board of education. The board also adopted a Code of Ethics on September 13, 2010 to comply with the state’s mandate. There is no evidence that it provides a framework to monitor the actions and behaviors of board members, since there are several instances cited within this report of board interference that have occurred void of board action or sanction.
Directives:
• Board members must take appropriate action should one or more of its members be found in violation of the board’s Code of Ethics or state laws that govern school board member behavior.
REQUIRED ACTION 6: The Appling County Board of Education and the Superintendent, in collaboration with system staff and community representatives, must develop a comprehensive, systematic plan for recruiting, selecting, promoting, evaluating and developing system personnel so that staff are strategically placed in positions where they will function effectively.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
(X) Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Board members continue to get involved in the day-to-day personnel issues such as directing the superintendent to fire employees. Their roles should be confined to making policy and leaving the day-to-day administration to the superintendent.
Directives:
• The board and superintendent must address this Required Action in January 2011. As a part of this Directive, an existing professional staff member should be given the responsibility for coordinating the Human Resource function of the school district. The current absence of such oversight may invite board
members to become involved in Human Resource matters.
REQUIRED ACTION 7: Board members must not convene executive sessions in a whimsical manner, but rather follow the clearly stated requirements for convening an executive session. Executive session is appropriate “when discussing or deliberating upon the appointment, employment, compensation, hiring, disciplinary action or dismissal, or periodic evaluation or rating of a public officer or employee.” (Georgia Open Meetings Act). It is not legal to move into executive session for the generic reason “to discuss personnel.” Further, the system must file any and all required affidavits and disclosures regarding the proper use of executive session. This will help to alleviate public concerns regarding the abuse of executive session and show the system’s compliance with the Georgia Open Meetings Act.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
(X) Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Recent board member training included information on guidelines for convening executive sessions of the board and on the requirements set forth in the Georgia Open Meetings Act. Based upon the frequency of board meetings and the length and frequency of executive sessions, it is clear that the board members do not understand that executive sessions must be occasional and must be rigidly in compliance with that part of the Georgia Open Meetings Law that allows occasional executive sessions. The Monitoring Team realizes that the interview of candidates for superintendent had to take place in executive session. Even so, these frequent meetings away from the public eye that may have nothing to do with the superintendent’s search do very little to demonstrate transparency and build trust among stakeholders. The board must confine itself to meeting in executive sessions involving personnel only “when discussing or deliberating upon the appointment, compensation, hiring, disciplinary action or dismissal, or periodic evaluation or rating of a public officer or employee.”
Conclusion
The Monitoring Visit Team recognized some areas in which the Appling County School District is making progress toward the Required Actions outlined by the Special Review Team. However, the school district has failed to address four of the seven Required Actions and is in serious danger of losing accreditation. The Board of Education has not demonstrated progress in critical areas including: establishing a shared vision and purpose, involving stakeholders, developing a personnel plan, and exhibiting appropriate decorum at board meetings. Also significant are the lack of timely decision-making and the inappropriate use of executive session. It is apparent that the prior leadership of the Appling County School District failed to sustain any sense of working collaboratively as an effective team to improve the school district on behalf of the students they serve.
The new and remaining leadership of Appling County School District must make significant progress in the coming months to avoid loss of accreditation. The directives provided in this report are designed to help the institution meet all of the Required Actions established by the Special Review Team within the communicated deadlines. The institution may discuss these directives with AdvancED to gain assistance and support in using them to meet the recommendations.
Recognizing that a new superintendent has just been hired and three new members joined the Board in January, the Monitoring Team recommends that Appling County School District remain on Accredited Probation. The institution will be expected to submit a follow-up Institution Progress Report by May 15, 2011. The institution will use the report to document the additional actions it has taken to address the required actions of the Special Review Team. The Institutional Progress Report should include evidence to support actions taken and the results of those actions. A Monitoring Visit Team will visit the institution during June 2011 to assess the institution’s progress in meeting the Required Actions and Directives articulated within this report.
Superintendent Scarlett Copeland issued the following response to The News-Banner regarding the SACS report.
“As superintendent of Appling County School System, I have made it a priority to stay in constant contact with Dr. Mike Bryans with AdvancED concerning the completion of the Appling County School’s Monitoring Team Report from December. Once received, it was the intention of the Board of Education and me to be as transparent as possible concerning this information.
“Once the report was received by email, I reviewed this information with the Board of Education at their Budget Meeting on Friday, January 28. Once reviewed by the Board and Superintendent, it was emailed to our local media. On Monday, January 31, I met with the Leadership Team which consisted of County Office Personnel and the Principals and shared the report. They were instructed to share the report Monday afternoon in a called faculty meeting at their respective schools.
“The Board of Education and I have a sincere, vested interest in the Appling County School System and we have jointly committed to regaining our accreditation. This process will be challenging and require much attention, but it can be done. It will require everyone working together as a team of stakeholders to find solutions and make resolutions to place our children first in Appling County. Let this new journey for excellence in governance and leadership begin!”
Enclosed is a copy of the report of the Monitoring Team for the visit to the Appling County School System on December 5-7, 2010. The findings and observations in the report indicate that there are significant challenges facing the Appling County School System.
Based on the findings in the Monitoring Team report and subsequent review and action by the AdvancED Accreditation Commission, the Appling County School System will continue an accreditation status of “Probation” for the 2010-11 school year.
The Monitoring Visit Team recognized some areas in which the Appling County School District is making progress toward the Required Actions outlined by the Special Review Team’s report of June, 2010. However, the school district has failed to address four of the seven Required Actions. The new leadership of Appling County School District must make significant progress in the coming months to avoid loss of accreditation. The directives provided in this report are designed to help the institution meet all of the Required Actions established by the Special Review Team within the communicated deadlines. The institution may discuss these directives with AdvancED to gain assistance and support in using them to meet the recommendations.
The institution will be expected to submit a follow-up Institution Progress Report by May 15, 2011. The Institutional Progress Report should include evidence to support actions taken and the results of those actions. A Monitoring Visit Team will visit the institution during June 2011 to assess the institution’s progress in meeting the Required Actions and Directives articulated within this report. Arrangements for scheduling and coordinating the Monitoring Visit should be made with the Georgia SACS CASI office. All expenses pertaining to the Monitoring Visits are the responsibility of the district and paid by the district.
Please note that it is the responsibility of the Appling County School System officials to share the contents of the report with the board of education and the community.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Special Review Team Report for the Appling County School System or addressing the required actions, please contact me.
Sincerely,
Mark A. Elgart, Ed.D.
President/CEO
The following is a portion of the report by the special SACS Monitoring Team’s visit to Appling in December. The team points out that of the seven required actions first noted in June 2010, the school system has only made progress in three areas and has completed none of the required actions. If the system were to lose SACS Accreditation it could result in dire consequences such as loss of scholarship monies for high school graduates, and impact school funding, etc.
About AdvancED and NCA CASI/SACS CASI
Background
Dedicated to advancing excellence in education worldwide, AdvancED provides accreditation, research, and professional services to 27,000 institutions in 69 countries. AdvancED provides accreditation under the seals of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI).
Monitoring Visit Report
Introduction
A Monitoring Team visited the Appling County School District on December 5-7, 2010 on behalf of AdvancED and it accrediting division, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). This Monitoring Team Visit was held to review the district’s progress toward addressing required actions from the Special Review Team Visit on June 27-29, 2010.
Activities of the Monitoring Team
In preparation for the Monitoring Visit, the Monitoring Team reviewed the institution’s progress report and related documentation. Once on-site, the team engaged in the following activities:
• Meetings with the board members, the acting superintendent, central office leaders, principals, and a lead teacher;
• Interviews with 11 stakeholders representing the local newspaper, the NAACP, parents, and concerned citizens;
• Artifact review of board policies, board minutes, and related documents; and
• Team deliberations and report preparation. The Monitoring Team used the findings from these activities to assess the progress the Appling County School District has made toward addressing the recommendations made by the previous review team.
Findings
The Monitoring Team’s findings are organized by each of the required actions made by the Special Review Team. For each required action, the Monitoring Team provides a progress status rating, summary of findings, and directives to guide next steps.
REQUIRED ACTION 1: With the retirement of the superintendent on June 30, 2010, and the superintendent search, which all five board members reported will resume after that date, the board and district should move expeditiously to select a new superintendent who can/will lead the efforts of the district and resolve the issues that are causing concern for the district and the community. In addition, elections will be held for three of the five board seats, and two of these members indicated that they do not plan to stand for re-election. One other indicated that he/she was undecided. Changes in the composition of board membership can have significant impact on the way the board conducts its business. The board must deliberately seek stakeholder input into the desired qualities and skills of the new superintendent.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
(X) - In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
The Appling County Board of Education sought the counsel from the law firm of Harben, Hartley, and Hawkins, LLP, and engaged the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) to serve in a consultative role in conducting their search for a new superintendent. Under the guidance of the GSBA, the application process was re-opened, a timeline was established for the selection of the superintendent, and public input was obtained through a public forum attended by approximately 75 community members. The Appling County School Board also made arrangements to receive input through an online survey with around 400 respondents.
Evidence from multiple interviews revealed that, though the board sought public input, there is no confidence among internal and external stakeholders that the Board valued that input. Stakeholders requested that the current Board allow the incoming Board the responsibility to select the new superintendent, and 47 percent of the survey respondents requested that the new superintendent possess a doctorate degree. The Board, under the direction of the chair, proceeded to post the requirement that the new superintendent possess a master’s degree or higher. The chair interpreted the survey results regarding the educational level of the new superintendent to be at a master’s degree or above. He decided that the Board should post the level at a master’s or higher since approximately 67 percent of the survey responses chose a master’s, specialist, or doctorate when combining the three levels. Moreover, the current Board chose to disregard the wishes of the public as they have recently named three finalists for the superintendent’s position. Final plans for the selection process included having the three finalists meet with the public, with incoming board members, and with the current Board for a second interview. Plans call for the naming of the new superintendent on December 20, 2010. (Since the time of the team’s visit in December, and the completion of this report, a new superintendent has been named.) Although the current Board has every right to name the new superintendent, waiting for the new Board to make that decision or, at least, allowing the new board members to be a part of the interview process, would have portrayed a strong message that the future of the Appling County School District would collectively be under the leadership and direction of a new superintendent and Board.
The perception exists among stakeholders interviewed that the selection process has been a farce and that the Board had a pre-determined choice to fill the position. The majority of stakeholders interviewed indicated that the current Board has made the decision and, without hesitation, identified the person who would be the next superintendent. These persons further elaborated that this was common knowledge throughout the community.
While the Board is to be commended for following through on accelerating the selection process for the new superintendent, and for selecting three finalists for that position, it is clear to the Monitoring Team that the Board missed an opportunity to build confidence with its stakeholders by accepting or acknowledging their input, which the Board itself solicited. The Board also missed an opportunity to dispel the notion that the choice for superintendent had already been made before the process began. The current Board could have delayed the selection until the new Board was seated, and the public may not have had the perception that the selection was preconceived. The Board squandered an opportunity to build trust among stakeholders during the superintendent qualification and selection process and failure to allow the incoming Board to select the new superintendent.
This Required Action could have been easily met by seriously considering the input of the community and briefly delaying the selection of the superintendent until the new Board assumed its responsibilities. It is imperative that the Board take authentic steps to rebuild confidence among stakeholders that their ideas are valued and that the Board’s decisions are fair, transparent and solely guided by what is best for the Appling County School System.
Directives:
• The Board and the new superintendent should establish a process whereby stakeholder input is sought and incorporated into the decision-making process on a regular basis.
REQUIRED ACTION 2: The Appling County School Board and its Superintendent must establish and implement a collaborative process to involve all stakeholder groups in the development and understanding of a system-wide vision and purpose to guide the continuous improvement process, the allocation and alignment of resources, and the daily actions of all members of the school community.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
(X) Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Interviews with internal and external stakeholders, board minutes, and agendas provided evidence that the Board has provided a 30-minute time period to allow public input prior to the beginning of each board meeting. Additional stakeholder input has been solicited through a community public hearing and an electronic survey. The focus of both the public hearing and the online survey was the superintendent search. Though these are commendable first steps, the Monitoring Team found no evidence that a broad cross-section of stakeholders has been involved in the establishment of a system-wide vision and purpose to guide the improvement process, the allocation and alignment of resources, and the daily actions of all members of the school community.
The vision and purpose is the foundation upon which all decisions should be made. These formal statements should guide the work of the district and should provide direction for the continuous improvement process within the school district; the allocation and alignment of human, material, and financial resources; and the daily actions of all members of the school community. Although the Board has provided a scheduled time to allow public comment and participation at each meeting, the perception among most interviewed was that this was done to satisfy the AdvancED/SACS CASI requirement. When asked about soliciting stakeholder input, board members interviewed stated they allow citizens to talk, but do not respond or answer questions. There is no evidence that the Board reviews, discusses, or even considers stakeholder input. Moreover, there is no evidence that the vision and purpose are the foci of the Board, and the district has not taken the opportunity to build understanding of the vision and purpose throughout the community. The Board must earnestly establish and implement a collaborative process to involve stakeholder groups in the development and understanding of a system-wide vision and purpose.
Directives:
• The Board and the new superintendent must create and implement a process by which it will identify and engage a stakeholder group that represents a broad cross-section of the district’s internal and external stakeholders and prescribe how their input will be regularly solicited. This group should revisit the vision and purpose statements and serve as a valuable resource for the district in soliciting input and creating public support.
• With authentic consideration of the input from this stakeholder group, the Board and superintendent must review, update, or revise a system-wide vision and purpose for the Appling County School District.
REQUIRED ACTION 3: The Appling County Board of Education and its Superintendent must cultivate a culture in which community stakeholders are regularly encouraged to provide meaningful input, and that input is analyzed and incorporated into the board’s decision-making process. Decisions on important issues such as adopting a budget and all other matters must be made in a timely manner. The decorum of all board meetings must reflect the professionalism required of all of those who are defining the quality of education for this community.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
(X) Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Interviews with community members and staff members revealed that actions of the Board have not fostered a culture of collaboration and trust within the school system. While the Board has allowed stakeholders to speak at board meetings, to speak at the superintendent selection forum, and to respond to the superintendent selection survey, there has been no attempt to either analyze this input or to incorporate it into the decision-making process. During interviews, board members explained they have provided opportunities for stakeholders to have a voice, but did not explain how input was considered. The Board must demonstrate to stakeholders that their input is not only heard, but that it is also welcome. Once input is received it should be analyzed and incorporated into the decision-making process.
Decisions on adopting budgets and financial reports are not made in a timely manner. The Board began the new fiscal year without having adopted a budget. In addition, the Board delayed approving monthly financial reports because one board member had a question about some checks. The adoption of many financial reports was delayed for months and the budget for fiscal year 2011 was not adopted until well into the fiscal year. Important decisions, such as adopting the millage rate, adopting the budget, and approving financial reports, must be made in a timely manner. The Appling County School Board must come to a place where routine procedures and tasks occur without delay.
Numerous interviewees reported that decorum at board meetings has not improved and that meetings continue to be chaotic and not representative of board members. The board should make sure that all meetings are conducted with the proper decorum, order and dignity that is required of a board that represents the people of the community.
Directives:
• The Board of Education must take decisive action to establish processes and procedures for the regular occurrence of key decisions in a timely manner.
• The Board must demonstrate that stakeholders input is valued, analyzed and appropriately incorporated into the decision-making process.
• The Board must ensure that all meetings are conducted with the proper decorum, order and dignity that is required of a board that represents the people of the community.
REQUIRED ACTION 4: Intensive training in effective boardmanship and the appropriate roles of the superintendent and the board members must be provided for veteran board members and any newly elected board members.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
(X) In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
The board members and the acting superintendent have participated in numerous training opportunities dealing with the appropriate roles of the board and the superintendent. These opportunities have been conducted by the Georgia School Boards Association; Harben, Hartley, and Hawkins law firm; and by the superintendent at a Board retreat. Both the school board candidates in the November 30, 2010 election and the newly elected board members were given the opportunity to participate in some of these sessions. Additionally, the board chair and the acting superintendent participated in a board governance training session conducted by AdvancED/SACS CASI. The training has been both intensive and thorough.
In spite of the plethora of training opportunities that have been provided for the Appling County School Board members in a relatively short period of time, stakeholders report that little has changed in terms of the interference of some board members in the day-to-day operation of the schools. There were reports that a board member directed the acting superintendent to fire an employee, clearly a violation of the roles and responsibilities of board members.
In another reported instance, a board member stated that the Board should get involved in dealing with staff members who used excessive personal leave. The Board decided that this was an example of the day-to-day responsibility of the superintendent and chose not to get involved; however, this is yet another example of how some members try to become involved in matters that fall under the purview of the district’s leaders. Finally, two board members expressed a need to call a meeting so they could fire some staff members before some of the current board members’ terms expired; a prime example of the abuse of the roles and responsibilities of a board member. It is not totally clear to the team whether some board members, despite the intensive training, just do not understand the difference between governing and managing, or, if they intentionally chose to ignore their defined role as a Board member despite clear guidelines under Georgia law and regulations, AdvancED Standards, AdvancED’s Required Actions for Appling County, and accepted best practices for local school board members. All the training that the Board has undergone and is further available to them will be futile until they are willing to internalize and model the behavior described in said training. The entire Board and new superintendent must demonstrate that they are accountable to the public through their actions.
Directives:
• Continued training that is specifically focused on creating an effective governance structure while adhering to defined roles as members of a governing body must be taken by the new superintendent and the board members. The Board and superintendent must demonstrate internalization of this training and adherence to their prescribed roles and responsibilities as a governing body.
• Benchmarks must also be established and reviewed to measure how well this Accreditation Standard 2: Leadership and Governance is being complied with on a regular basis.
REQUIRED ACTION 5: The Appling County Board of Education must validate that all actions and behaviors of board members are fully aligned with the official board policies and all AdvancED Accreditation Standards.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
(X) In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Board meetings are advertised in accordance with the requirements of the Georgia Open Meetings Act, and board minutes are posted online for public review once they are approved by the board of education. The board also adopted a Code of Ethics on September 13, 2010 to comply with the state’s mandate. There is no evidence that it provides a framework to monitor the actions and behaviors of board members, since there are several instances cited within this report of board interference that have occurred void of board action or sanction.
Directives:
• Board members must take appropriate action should one or more of its members be found in violation of the board’s Code of Ethics or state laws that govern school board member behavior.
REQUIRED ACTION 6: The Appling County Board of Education and the Superintendent, in collaboration with system staff and community representatives, must develop a comprehensive, systematic plan for recruiting, selecting, promoting, evaluating and developing system personnel so that staff are strategically placed in positions where they will function effectively.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
(X) Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Board members continue to get involved in the day-to-day personnel issues such as directing the superintendent to fire employees. Their roles should be confined to making policy and leaving the day-to-day administration to the superintendent.
Directives:
• The board and superintendent must address this Required Action in January 2011. As a part of this Directive, an existing professional staff member should be given the responsibility for coordinating the Human Resource function of the school district. The current absence of such oversight may invite board
members to become involved in Human Resource matters.
REQUIRED ACTION 7: Board members must not convene executive sessions in a whimsical manner, but rather follow the clearly stated requirements for convening an executive session. Executive session is appropriate “when discussing or deliberating upon the appointment, employment, compensation, hiring, disciplinary action or dismissal, or periodic evaluation or rating of a public officer or employee.” (Georgia Open Meetings Act). It is not legal to move into executive session for the generic reason “to discuss personnel.” Further, the system must file any and all required affidavits and disclosures regarding the proper use of executive session. This will help to alleviate public concerns regarding the abuse of executive session and show the system’s compliance with the Georgia Open Meetings Act.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
(X) Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Recent board member training included information on guidelines for convening executive sessions of the board and on the requirements set forth in the Georgia Open Meetings Act. Based upon the frequency of board meetings and the length and frequency of executive sessions, it is clear that the board members do not understand that executive sessions must be occasional and must be rigidly in compliance with that part of the Georgia Open Meetings Law that allows occasional executive sessions. The Monitoring Team realizes that the interview of candidates for superintendent had to take place in executive session. Even so, these frequent meetings away from the public eye that may have nothing to do with the superintendent’s search do very little to demonstrate transparency and build trust among stakeholders. The board must confine itself to meeting in executive sessions involving personnel only “when discussing or deliberating upon the appointment, compensation, hiring, disciplinary action or dismissal, or periodic evaluation or rating of a public officer or employee.”
Conclusion
The Monitoring Visit Team recognized some areas in which the Appling County School District is making progress toward the Required Actions outlined by the Special Review Team. However, the school district has failed to address four of the seven Required Actions and is in serious danger of losing accreditation. The Board of Education has not demonstrated progress in critical areas including: establishing a shared vision and purpose, involving stakeholders, developing a personnel plan, and exhibiting appropriate decorum at board meetings. Also significant are the lack of timely decision-making and the inappropriate use of executive session. It is apparent that the prior leadership of the Appling County School District failed to sustain any sense of working collaboratively as an effective team to improve the school district on behalf of the students they serve.
The new and remaining leadership of Appling County School District must make significant progress in the coming months to avoid loss of accreditation. The directives provided in this report are designed to help the institution meet all of the Required Actions established by the Special Review Team within the communicated deadlines. The institution may discuss these directives with AdvancED to gain assistance and support in using them to meet the recommendations.
Recognizing that a new superintendent has just been hired and three new members joined the Board in January, the Monitoring Team recommends that Appling County School District remain on Accredited Probation. The institution will be expected to submit a follow-up Institution Progress Report by May 15, 2011. The institution will use the report to document the additional actions it has taken to address the required actions of the Special Review Team. The Institutional Progress Report should include evidence to support actions taken and the results of those actions. A Monitoring Visit Team will visit the institution during June 2011 to assess the institution’s progress in meeting the Required Actions and Directives articulated within this report.
Superintendent Scarlett Copeland issued the following response to The News-Banner regarding the SACS report.
“As superintendent of Appling County School System, I have made it a priority to stay in constant contact with Dr. Mike Bryans with AdvancED concerning the completion of the Appling County School’s Monitoring Team Report from December. Once received, it was the intention of the Board of Education and me to be as transparent as possible concerning this information.
“Once the report was received by email, I reviewed this information with the Board of Education at their Budget Meeting on Friday, January 28. Once reviewed by the Board and Superintendent, it was emailed to our local media. On Monday, January 31, I met with the Leadership Team which consisted of County Office Personnel and the Principals and shared the report. They were instructed to share the report Monday afternoon in a called faculty meeting at their respective schools.
“The Board of Education and I have a sincere, vested interest in the Appling County School System and we have jointly committed to regaining our accreditation. This process will be challenging and require much attention, but it can be done. It will require everyone working together as a team of stakeholders to find solutions and make resolutions to place our children first in Appling County. Let this new journey for excellence in governance and leadership begin!”
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