Zero. Nada. Not Going to Happen.

Schools and the City of Tucker, Part II

Much of the interest in forming a new city is focused on the idea that a new city, or group of cities, could form a new, independent school district, wholly separate from the DeKalb County School District (DCSD).  It has been routinely and repeatedly stated by all the new city advocates that, under current law, there is absolutely no possibility of that happening.  To rephrase that, the new cities will have absolutely no effect upon the how the schools are managed, how attendance lines are drawn or how DCSD chooses to use its resources.

Zero. Nada.  Not going to happen.

So, if anyone’s interest in supporting the formation of a new city is mainly because of their hope that this could make a major difference in the local schools, they need to look elsewhere.  This thought has surfaced so many times, and has been so thoroughly discounted at every opportunity, it is difficult to understand why this issue will simply not go away.

Cluster Charter – Autonomy and Flexibility.

That doesn’t mean there are no other options. The one option available today is the Cluster Charter. The . . .

Schools in the City of Tucker

Schools in the City of Tucker

The City of Tucker public schools are all part of the DeKalb County School District (DCSD).  There is one high school within the City, Tucker High School, while the proposed city boundaries also include areas assigned to both Lakeside and Stone Mountain High Schools.

Tucker High School's feeder schools includes Tucker Middle School and Livsey, Midvale, Smoke Rise Charter, Brockett and Idlewood Elementary Schools.

Lakeside High School's feeder schools with students living inside the City include Henderson Middle School, and Pleasantdale, Evansdale, Henderson Mill and Briarlake Elementary Schools.

Stone Mountain High School's feeder schools include Stone Mountain Middle School and Stone Mill Elementary School, although there will be no students actually living within the City, as the included areas are 100% commercial.

A common question regarding forming a new City is whether or not this would also allow the City to form an independent school district, wholly separate from DCSD.  The answer is a definite NO, as the Georgia State Constitution specifically disallows the creation of new school districts within the state.  A constitutional amendment will be required to allow the creation of a new independent school system.  Some state legislators have begun the process of enacting a bill to allow a statewide vote on such a constitutional amendment which, if it ever happens, will be several years in the making.