Davis Says He'll Make Own Redistricting Decision

APS School Superintendent Erroll B. Davis Jr., in a wide-ranging interview with Patch edtiors, said he is not tied to the demographers' reports in making decisions on school redistricting.

"I'm in no way bound by what the demographers have put out there," he said in the interview at APS' downtown headquarters.

Davis said that the demographers will give him a fiinal recommendation based on their series of community meetings. He said he will weigh community comments he's received, along with the set of principles he issued. Davis is to deliver a final recommendation to the Atlanta School Board in early March, with the board to vote in early April. The superintendent will hold a new series of community meetings on his proposal.

In regard to Buckhead middle school options, Davis said he will present to the school board in a work sesssion the posibility of a separate sixth grade academy as well as a K-8 option.

"Most alternative suggestions that people have I will bring in front of the board," he said.

Davis said that community calls for a sixth grade academy at the present l and a separate seventh and eighth grade at the present raise a different set of complications, such as how sports programs will be carried out.

In a comment in regard to a question about whether SPLOST funds will be spent for Mary Lin Elementary School in Candler Park, Davis said "I want to make it clear, promises were not made in SPLOST. We don't have to spend the money on those particular projects."

It was unclear how his comments might relate to Buckhead projects included in the SPLOST proposal.

See Buckhead Patch for further articles on Davis' comments.