The Atlanta school board unanimously approved a plan Monday to move current Superintendent Lisa Herring into a consultant role and to make former Associate Superintendent Danielle Battle the district’s interim chief.
After the vote, some board members thanked Herring for leading the district since the summer of 2020, shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic caused schools to close.
“You came in during a time of uncertainty for all of us … and the last three years have been challenging to say the least,” said Board Chair Eshé Collins. “There has been some great work that has come out of this district under your leadership and I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that.”
Herring gave some parting remarks, after which she received a standing ovation.
“(Being a superintendent is) not always easy and with that comes criticism,” she said. “Whether you are a critic or a champion for this work, focus on the children.”
Herring will remain superintendent until Aug. 31. Battle will consult with the district until that date. Then, the two will essentially switch roles. Herring will consult for APS, and Battle will take over daily operations of the district. Herring will step down entirely on Dec. 31.
The board announced in June that it didn’t have the votes to extend Herring’s contract past its initial end date of June 30, 2024. Board members are currently looking for a firm to conduct a nationwide search for Herring’s replacement.
Battle is a 19-year veteran of APS. She was hired as the principal of Parkside Elementary School in 2002 after teaching in North Carolina for several years. In 2008, she became the principal of Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School. Battle also served as associate superintendent and interim chief of schools and academics before retiring from the district in 2021.
The school board also held two millage rate hearings Monday. APS Chief Financial Officer Lisa Bracken recommended the district keep the current rate of 20.5 mills. Bracken said because property values have risen in Atlanta, keeping the rate steady will mean a revenue increase for the district, which has a $1.66 billion budget for the 2023-24 school year. She said a home valued at $325,000 with a homestead exemption would see a $137 tax increase this year.
Bracken urged the board not to decrease the rate in case there’s an economic downturn. It would also affect budget projections, she said. The budget year started July 1.
“A full rollback of the millage rate would mean that we would need to decrease our revenue projections by about $30 million for the upcoming year,” Bracken explained.
A third and final hearing will take place at 6 p.m. Aug. 14 at the APS central office at 130 Trinity Ave. SW, Atlanta. The board is expected to vote on the proposal after the hearing.
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