DEKALB COUNTY — The DeKalb County School Board voted Monday night to move forward with plans to spend more than half a billion dollars on improvements throughout the district and overcrowding.
The board voted 6-1 despite concerns from some parents who attended the meeting to ask that the board take an additional 30-90 days to re-evaluate its options. Funding for the projects is provided by a half penny sales tax extension approved by voters in May.
The district has already identified the Cross Keys area as where they want to focus their efforts to address overcrowding.
"It is not the only place where we have overcrowding," said Superintendent Dr. R. Stephen Green. "But it is the epicenter at where overcrowding exists."
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There are plans to build a new high school and an elementary school in the area. Additionally, the district plans to rebuild Indian Creek Elementary School.
Parents from Sagamore Hills Elementary School, Chamblee Charter High School, and other schools showed up to the meeting in opposition. They voiced concern over how transparent the district has been throughout the process while also questioning if the right parts of the county are receiving attention.
"Cross Keys is going to get this mega school but what would be better is if they got a normal-sized high school and Doraville got a high school," said Lara Baldwin, who has children in the district.
Additional money from the tax extension will go toward improvements to buses, musical instrumentals and more at various schools, the district said.
District officials say this is a five-year-plan.
Cox Media Group
