Residents Exploring Independent Sandy Springs School System

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — Sandy Springs residents are hoping their neighbors will contribute to a cause that would investigate whether the city could sustain its own school system. A GoFundMe page has been created by Citizens for Local Area School Systems to raise money to fund a feasibility study for the idea.

Organizers are hoping to get $25,000, which will be used to allow Dr. Christine Ries, an economics professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, to conduct the story. As of Thursday, more than $6,710 has been contributed towards the cause.

Sandy Springs City Council member Jody Reichel, a member of CLASS, said she and other residents began looking at the Fulton County School System and how Sandy Springs fits into the district. There are 11 public schools in Sandy Springs, which makes up about 10 percent of the Fulton County School System.

"We started thinking about if we kept dollars here, what could we do with paying teachers (better) and customizing programs," she added.

Georgia has 180 school systems, and the state's constitution prohibits the creation of new school systems. Alex Kaufman, a resident running for the State House District 51 seat who is also involved in this proposal, noted this movement is not about attacking the Fulton County School System. He notes the city and North Fulton is "lucky" to be part of an excellent district. However, the study is designed to start a conversation about whether Sandy Springs could or should move forward with starting its own system, Kaufman said.

Kaufman goes on to say that residents pushing for the study do not want to cause harm to any other student or school in Fulton County. The movement to incorporate the city of Sandy Springs was started by residents who wanted to have control over the future of their area, and this study on whether to create a new school system is a natural extension of that push.

“It’s more than just keeping money here," he added. "It’s question of if we can do it better."

The elephant in the room is whether elected officials in Sandy Springs would get on board with the idea of an independent school system. Reichel said she's reached out to her fellow Council members, and she said they are aware of the fundraiser. If they get enough money for the study, she said the organization will bring the results to the City Council to see what they want to do with the findings. Patch has reached out to the city and Mayor Rusty Paul to get their take on the fundraising campaign, and is waiting to hear back.

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For its part, the Fulton County School System said it supports "our citizens in exploring the interests of their community" and that it's proud of the diverse cities it represents.

"We are proud of the work happening in our schools and communities across our district, and will continue learning from one another to best meet the needs of our students," the system said in a written statement. "The success of our students and staff will continue to be top priority."

For fellow CLASS member Cheryl Barlow, the question also comes down to whether these "mega school systems" are too big to meet the needs of all students on an equal basis. While she and other parents were campaigning for a new North Springs High School, Barlow said a lot of the Fulton County School Board members "just didn't have in depth knowledge" about their school. That's unsurprising, Barlow said, as there are 106 schools in Fulton County, and it would be a cumbersome task for board members to successfully keep track of what's going on in all schools.

"We know Sandy Springs and the needs of the community and our schools, and we feel a smaller school system would do that," she said of the ability to serve its students more effectively.

Reichel said this fundraiser is just about getting the study completed, and doesn't mean Sandy Springs would have to take action. The study, she said, would provide an idea of what it would take for the city to create its own system. She also said it could be a way to provide better pay to educators and to even reduce the school tax burden for senior citizens in the city, both of which she said is "very important" to her. An independent school system would also allow the city to tailor its schools to meet the needs of its students and provide them with the best education possible.

The Council member also said it's not about bashing Fulton County Schools, as she has children who graduated from the system and went on to attend great colleges due to the education they receive.

"It’s just about doing the study and just having more information," she said.

If you want to consider making a donation, visit the GoFundMe page. Learn more about the CLASS organization by visiting its website.

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