Category Archives: Board Policy

Gun Toting Soccer Moms

Posted on August 26, 2014 by | Comments Off on Gun Toting Soccer Moms

Is mom packing heat? Attorney General Sam Olens released a Frequently Asked Questions regarding the weapons law amendments that took effect July 1 of this year answering that question.
HB 60, affectionately known as the “Guns Everywhere” bill, allows licensed gun owners to carry firearms in bars, in churches that “opt-in” and in government buildings without security screening checkpoints.
HB 826, dubbed the “zero-tolerance policy”, changes provisions relating to carrying weapons within certain school safety zones and at school functions.
Sam Olen’s FAQ – Can a person with a weapons carry license carry a weapon at a school?

“Both House Bill 60 and House Bill 826 addressed this question in amendments to 0. C. G.A. § 16-11-127.1 The provisions are in conflict. House Bill 60 was signed by the Governor after House Bill 826 and is the later enactment, so the provisions of House Bill 60 control. Therefore, there is a general prohibition against carrying weapons in a school safety zone (which includes the real property or buildings of public or private elementary schools, secondary schools, technical schools, vocational schools, colleges, or universities); however, a person who possesses a weapons carry license may have a weapon when carrying or picking up a student and may have a weapon in a vehicle that is in transit through or parked within a school safety zone.”

Last month Governor Deal released a statement backing up Olens’ stance on the issue.

“During the bill signing period, I was presented with two pieces of legislation regarding the Second Amendment rights of Georgians who have gone through a background check to legally obtain a Georgia Weapons Carry License. While in the review process, it came to my attention that the two bills contained many overlapping provisions. I sought the opinions of the legislative counsel and my executive counsel regarding the possible legal conflict. I signed HB 60 after HB 826 to ensure the major substantive provisions in HB 60 became law. In doing so, any contradicting language was conflicted out in favor of the last bill signed.”

DeKalb Schools’ Student Handbook prohibits students from carrying various weapons. There is currently no board policy addressing licensed Gun Toting Soccer Moms.

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Georgia Academic Placement and Promotion Policy

Posted on July 23, 2014 by | 2 comments

According to DeKalb Schools’ 2014 CRCT Scores
20% of the third graders did not meet ELA standards
34% of the fifth graders did not meet Math standards
35% of the eighth graders did not meet Math standards

The Georgia Academic Placement and Promotion Policy requires that students in third grade must meet or exceed standards in reading on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) in order to be promoted to the next grade. Students in fifth and eighth grade must meet or exceed expectations on the CRCT in Reading and Mathematics in order to be promoted.

The goal is to assure that students are performing at grade level in these key academic areas before moving on to the next grade. It is the policy of the DeKalb County Board of Education to comply with the requirement of the Georgia Academic Placement and Promotion Policy.
When a student does not perform at grade level on the CRCT and also does not perform at grade level on a second additional opportunity, then the principal or the principal’s designee shall retain the student for the next school year except as otherwise provided in this paragraph and in accordance with O.C.G.A. 20-2-283. The school principal or the principal’s designee shall notify in writing by first-class mail the parent or guardian of the student and the teacher regarding the decision to retain the student. The notice shall describe the option of the parent, guardian or teacher to appeal the decision to retain the student and shall further describe the composition and function of the placement committee including the requirement that a decision to promote the student must be a unanimous decision of the committee.
Students must be retested on the Reading and/or Mathematics CRCT if they did not meet or exceed expectations. If the student does not meet expectations on the retest, the parent must be notified in writing of the decision to retain the student and instructions on how to appeal the decision.

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