DeKalb County School District officials recently announced plans to end a popular eighth-grade program for DeKalb School of the Arts, but walked back plans after parents complained the hasty nature of the news.
Among the complaints from parents is the district made the decision with no parent input and many felt officials side-stepped a rule that changes needed a year’s notice when done for redistricting.
Students from DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts and other students across the district vie for a chance to enter the high school during their eighth grade year to get a head start on the high school experience, and to immerse themselves sooner into the school's culture.
The district opened its School Choice process last month and it appeared to indicate an eighth-grade program would continue at DeKalb School of the Arts. The move was announced to parents Jan. 24, though students already had been preparing auditions to get into the program. The next day, Interim Superintendent Ramona Tyson sent a note to parents — prompted by concerns raised by parents — that the program would continue for the 2020-2021 school year.
“The rising (DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts) eighth grade students have been working hard to prepare their portfolio for upcoming auditions through the school choice lottery process. We need to support the students in those efforts,” Tyson said. “This will be a one-time condition for the transition year for (school year) 2020-2021. Starting with (school year) 2021-2022, (DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts) will house eighth grade and (DeKalb School of the Arts) will be a 9-12 school.”
The eighth-grade program was part of an introduction-to-high-school process that used to be more common in DeKalb schools. It is now one of the few remaining in the district.
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