Gov. Nathan Deal this morning accepted an invitation
from the DeKalb Board of Education and
Superintendent Michael Thurmond to celebrate news
that an accrediting agency had removed the board
from probation.
“Today’s announcement is excellent news for the
students in DeKalb schools who ran the risk of
owning tarnished degrees and for homeowners whose
property values would have fallen precipitously,”
Deal said. “In early 2013, we faced a crisis in
DeKalb. Working together with many local leaders who
had the courage to step forward, we put aside
short-term politics for a long-term solution that is
paying dividends today. I would like to thank my
friend Superintendent Thurmond, the volunteers on
the nominating panel, my school board liaisons and
the DeKalb legislators who stood with me when we
made this announcement last year. I also want to
give a special thanks to the diverse group of public
servants who stepped up during their community’s
time of need to serve on this school board. They
have made a positive difference, and for that, we
are grateful. As I often say, my No. 1 goal is to
bring good jobs to Georgia, and education plays a
critical role in that effort. Today we celebrate
this positive development, as well as the great
example that DeKalb has set by rallying together for
the public good.”
DeKalb was placed on probation in December 2012, and
has now been moved to "accredited warned" status
within the system. Deal took the necessary steps to
save the system’s accreditation and, by extension,
the value of its students’ degrees by replacing six
members of the school board. SACS will continue to
monitor the system until May, when it returns for
another review.
Gov. Deal, along with a bipartisan group of DeKalb
legislators, announced Feb. 15, 2013, that he would
use the powers given to him by Georgia statute to
remove six members of the DeKalb school board, which
faced possible loss of accreditation.