Board Bulletin for 8/13/2025

 

The Fulton County Board of Education met on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, for its regularly scheduled work session at the North Learning Center. The full agenda is available online via Simbli, which makes the School Board agenda and all supporting documents available online. Meetings are streamed live on the FCS homepage, with recordings available within 48 hours.

Superintendent’s Update

Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney welcomed the community back to the 2025-26 school year while praising the hard work of district employees in their efforts to make the start of school a smooth transition. He then yielded the floor to Chief Academic Officer Brannon Gaskins for an update on the 2025 Georgia Milestones assessment results.

2025 Georgia Milestones Update

Fulton County Schools (FCS) continues to exceed state levels in all Georgia Milestones scores with systemwide academic growth proficiency rising in reading, math, science, and social studies. Reading achievement improved in grades 3–7, and eighth-grade students showed year-over-year cohort growth, increasing from 77.2% to 77.7%. While ELA proficiency remained steady, over 71% of students in grades 4–8 demonstrated typical or high growth, outperforming the state average of 65%.

Additionally, the district consistently outperformed both state and metro RESA (Regional Educational Service Agency) averages in end-of-grade and end-of-course assessments. RESA achievement levels are used as a benchmark to compare FCS performance against regional averages.

In math, science, and social studies, proficiency increased at every grade level. Fifth-grade and eighth-grade science and social studies saw gains of 5.2 and 3.7 percentage points, respectively. High school students also improved in biology, U.S. history, and algebra.

District leaders credited these results to focused instructional strategies and the dedication of educators. Fulton continues to outperform state and regional averages and plans to build on this momentum with targeted support and innovation. See the full presentation here.

Back to School Update

As we kick off the 2025–2026 school year, FCS leadership shared exciting updates during the August Board work session in a joint presentation. Mr. Gaskins began the presentation highlighting that new ELA (English Language Arts) standards and science textbooks are now in place across all grade levels. In addition, SchoolAI is being introduced, which is a secure, education-focused artificial intelligence platform designed to help students, teachers, and staff work more efficiently and creatively while ensuring student data privacy. Also new this year, an Accelerated Career Diploma program is launching at North Springs High School in partnership with Gwinnett Technical College.

Regarding the Student Services department, the number of In-School Academies has expanded to Centennial and Roswell high schools. In-School Academies increase the number of off-track students graduating high school by providing them access to a smaller, supportive learning environment and enrichment opportunities within their home school setting. Also, every school in the district now has a Multi-Tiered System of Support Framework (MTSS) specialist to support academic and behavioral needs. Finally, FCS has updated the Student Code of Conduct to include no cell phones in grades K–8 and new rules around artificial intelligence (AI) use.

Reflecting on staffing and leadership, Chief Human Resources Officer Dr. Gonzalo La Cava reported that FCS welcomed several new principals and assistant principals across elementary, middle, and high schools. While teacher fill rates are strong at 99%, the district continues to focus on retention and support.

Continuing the presentation, Chief Technology Officer Dr. Joe Phillips noted that the IT department was busy this summer cleaning and reimaging nearly 69,000 devices. More than 10,000 students enrolled in the district’s new Optional Device Protection program, which covers repair or replacement costs due to accidental damage, loss or theft.

Finally, Chief Operating Officer Noel Maloof presented an update on the departments of Transportation, School Nutrition and Capital Improvements. An interesting fact he reported is that FCS buses travel over one million miles monthly, transporting 78,000 students daily. The district continues to lead in alternative fuel fleet usage and offers paid training for new drivers.

School meal prices will see a modest increase for the 2025–2026 school year to help cover the rising cost of food and operational expenses. Students who qualify for reduced-price meals will continue to receive both breakfast and lunch at no cost. Families must create new accounts on MySchoolBucks to manage meal payments.

Renovations and upgrades are underway at multiple schools, including media centers, security systems, and athletic facilities. Concluding the presentation, Mr. Maloof was pleased to reflect on the positive impact of the ninth annual First Day Fulton event, which served over 8,000 families, distributed 4,000 backpacks, and provided health screenings and groceries.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to prioritize safety, academic excellence, and student success across Fulton County Schools! Click here to see the full presentation.

Millage Rate Hearing

The school board held the second of three millage rate hearings, proposing a millage rate of 17.08 and maintaining the same rate as the 2024 tax year. This proposed rate maintains Fulton County Schools' status as having one of the lowest school millage rates in the metro Atlanta area. The final hearing and the adoption of the millage rate will take place at the next Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, August 19, at 6 p.m. at the South Learning Center.

Pre-Work Session

Fulton County Schools’ pre-work session is a public meeting that takes place before each monthly work session. It is an opportunity for the Board to receive policy drafts, provide feedback, and give presentations or focus on topics of interest. Audio recordings of the pre-work session are available within 48 hours. Topics discussed at this week’s session include:

• Program Evaluation: Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) 
• Board Policy FDB Long-Range Needs Determination – Closure and Consolidation
• 2025-2026 Policy Plan

Board Recognitions

Each month, the School 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: 

• Cristal Simon, RN, MSN, a cluster school nurse in the Creekside High School community, was named 2025 School Nurse of the Year by the Georgia Association of School Nurses (GASN).

New Hires & Promotions

The following individuals were approved for a new position at the Board meeting:

• Brittney Burns | Principal, A. Philip Randolph Elementary School
• Rashida Armstrong | Principal, Bear Creek Middle School
• Ayanna Demery | Principal, Brookview Elementary School
• Laura Butler | Principal, Crabapple Crossing Elementary School
• Darrell Stephens | Principal, Langston Hughes High Schools
• Marissa Wilson | Principal, Paul D. West Middle School
• Keenan Cameron | Principal, Ronald McNair Middle School
• Monica Roberts | Principal, Sandtown Middle School
• Miranda Freeman | Principal, Westlake High School
• Kim Cerasoli | Principal, Wilson Creek Elementary School
• Aja Wilkins | Principal, Wolf Creek Elementary School
• Jovita Wallace | Principal, Woodland Middle School
• MaryKay Berry | Executive Director, Exceptional Children

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.