Board Bulletin for 10/24/2025

 

The Fulton County Board of Education met on Thursday, October 23, 2025, for its regularly scheduled School Board meeting at the South Learning Center. The full agenda is available via Simbli, a website that makes the Board agenda and all supporting documents available online. Meetings are streamed live on the FCS homepage, with recordings available within 48 hours.

Superintendent’s Report

Having recently returned from the Georgia School Superintendents Association’s fall conference, Dr. Mike Looney shared that State Superintendent Richard Woods publicly applauded Fulton County Schools for its recent successes, such as record-breaking graduation rates, SAT scores, and ACT participation. Dr. Looney commended school staff and students for their hard work, dedication, and continued commitment to improvement and academic excellence.

Chief Academic Officer Brannon Gaskins provided more detail on the accolades:

• 100% Graduation Rate. Global Impact Academy Principal Johnathan Hall and members of his staff were recognized for the school’s second consecutive year earning a 100% graduation rate.
• 2025 ACT Performance. With a district composite score of 21.6, Fulton students exceeded both state and national ACT averages for the ninth consecutive year. In 2025, nearly 4,000 students took the ACT – the highest number in Georgia and representing 17% of the state total.
• Title I School Achievement. The Georgia Department of Education recently recognized the state’s top-performing Title I schools. Amana Academy was named a Distinguished Title I School for placing among the highest-performing 5% of Title I schools statewide. Stonewall Tell Elementary School and Parklane Elementary School were recognized as Title I Reward Schools for their 2024-2025 performance, ranking in the top 5% of Title I schools making the most progress.

State Support Lists

Mr. Gaskins also gave an update on the progress and key action steps for the nine Fulton schools currently on the Georgia Department of Education’s support lists (CSI, ATSI and TSI) and the eight schools identified for the Georgia Promise Scholarship. Data from the 2024–2025 Georgia Milestones shows that while most schools scored below district and learning zone averages in English/Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics proficiency, many met or exceeded the state’s growth expectations. Over the past four years, all but two schools have increased their proficiency in both subjects.

For schools on the CSI list (Comprehensive Support and Improvement), the district conducts weekly site visits and holds monthly progress monitoring meetings to review assessment results, attendance, and graduation readiness data. These meetings help identify trends, adjust supports, and guide targeted interventions. Support from program specialists also has increased, and state funds are being used to provide additional resources as needed.

ATSI (Additional Targeted Support & Improvement) and TSI (Targeted Support & Improvement) schools have full-time SDI (Specially Designed Instruction) coaches to provide ongoing instructional support and guidance for teachers and school leaders. For schools participating in the Georgia Promise Scholarship program, the district is focusing on implementing and monitoring the recommendations identified through the Spring 2025 The New Teacher Project (TNTP) Opportunity Scorecard.

Family Matters Parent Engagement Events

Dr. Looney encouraged families to attend the district’s fourth annual Family Matters parent engagement events that bring students, parents, and staff together for hands-on learning, entertainment, and community connection. Held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on October 25 (Tri-Cities High School) and November 15 (Roswell High School), the free events feature interactive activities, resources, and performances designed to strengthen family involvement in student success. More information is posted at www.fultonschools.org/familymatters.

Instructional Calendar Parameters

The Board approved calendar parameters for setting the 2027-2028 school year calendar.  These will be used by district staff to develop a proposed calendar for the Board’s consideration.

Parameters include:

• Aim for 180 instructional days during the year.
• Plan as many full weeks of instruction as possible.
• Include a full week at the Thanksgiving holiday for students.
• Conclude first semester prior to the winter holiday break in December.
• Include two full weeks for students at the winter holiday break in December.
• Aim for Spring Break to be the first full week in April, following the first Sunday in April, to align with metro districts.
• Utilize remote learning in the event of state/national elections or other emergency situations.
• Conclude the last day of school for students prior to the Memorial Day weekend.
• Consider opportunities for fall and winter breaks.

Board Policy Update

The Board of Education approved the following policies this month:

Board Policy GAE(1): Discrimination Complaints

• Clarifies the scope of non-discrimination to include any legally protected status, not just those previously listed in the policy
• Refers stakeholders to file any complaint involving sexual harassment to the District Title IX webpage rather than listing a specific person and his/her contact information
• Outlines the process for complaints alleging discrimination based on any other legally protected status via the Office of Internal Affairs website
• Simplifies language regarding complaints that fall under multiple laws or policies being combined for resolution when possible

Board Policy GAEB: Sexual Harassment of Employees

• Directs stakeholders to file any complaint involving sexual harassment to the District Title IX webpage rather than listing a specific person and his/her contact information
• Notes that reports of sexual discrimination by employees or students that do not rise to the level of a Title IX violation will be addressed under other Board policy, including GAE(1) and the Student Code of Conduct

Board Policy JBCC: Student Assignment

• Aligns the requirements of Change of School Assignment with the requirements in Policy IDD to ensure there is no discrepancy between policies
• Clarifies the consequences for non-compliance, including probation, withdrawal for ongoing violations, and clear reapplication procedures for those withdrawn

Regulation IDD: Specialized Schools (presented as information to the Board)

• Details the application process; each specialized school manages its own timeline, criteria, and lottery separate from change of school assignment
• Outlines that admissions and placement are offered only to students who meet criteria; if qualified applicants exceed seats, a lottery occurs, and families must accept or decline by the deadline
• Requires that parents/guardians are responsible for transporting students to the district-designated hub, with buses provided from the hub to the specialized school
• Allow full-time employees to apply for their child during the annual window or within 30 days of hire; acceptance depends on criteria and space, with transportation only provided via the hub
• Include probation and revocation; students not meeting attendance, academic, or behavior expectations may be placed on probation, and continued issues may result in revocation by the School Assignment Committee and Superintendent
• Explains the administrative placement process

Board Recognitions

Each month, the Board recognizes outstanding students, staff, and schools honored at the state, national, or international level. Honorees must have placed first at the regional or state level or be among the top finishers at the national or international level. The following teams and individuals were honored at the meeting:  

• Northview High School Student, Minakshi Chilagani, Wins National School Bus Safety Poster Contest
• Northview High School Quiz Bowl Team wins 2nd Place in the National Academic Quiz Tournaments (NAQT)
• Dr. Shalun Matthews Named 2025 Toyota Family Teacher of the Year by the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL)

2025-26 Community Meetings with Board Members

Each member of the Fulton County Board of Education sponsors a monthly meeting open to all community members. The sessions provide an opportunity for direct contact with community members and give Board members a chance to listen to local issues and concerns. Click here to see the meeting schedules of all Board members.