Recently, Atlanta counties have been implementing changes to their public schools, some for students and others for teachers, in an effort to improve our education system for the future.
All the Atlanta counties — Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, Clayton, and DeKalb —are revising their schools in different ways. Fulton County, for example, faces student suicide prevention, while Clayton County finds itself needing to consolidate its schools.
Fulton County
One board policy that was just put in place by Fulton County aims to help students who are facing self-hate and potentially suicide. This policy is divided into four parts: General Guidelines, Staff Training, Student Training, and Crisis Response protocols.
In the general guidelines, it states, “The Fulton County Board of Education acknowledges Georgia Law and authority, including but not limited to, the ‘Jason Flatt Act – Georgia’ that requires annual suicide prevention education training for all certificated district personnel.” In essence, the policy conforms to Georgia law to require yearly suicide-prevention education for people within the district. This statement asserts that both teachers and students will be required to participate in awareness and prevention training.
The crisis response protocol is the other central part of the policy that addresses information in the “how to help” section. Fulton County Schools will employ mental health professionals and suicide prevention experts.
Prioritizing fighting youth suicide would help many students. In fact, in an article by Capital B Atlanta, it’s stated that “Suicide also ranked as the second leading cause of death for children ages 10 to 14 and the third leading cause for those between 15 and 24 years old. In total, 249 Georgians under the age of 24 died by suicide in 2023. Experts highlight several contributing factors, including social isolation, reduced adult supervision, and lack of daily routine.”
By providing an education and supporting structure to the students of Fulton, the problem of suicide will hopefully be reduced.
DeKalb County
DeKalb County has also undergone a drastic change, with Dr. Horton announcing his resignation as superintendent on October 15th. Dr. Horton served about 2 years as superintendent before he was indicted by the Evanston-Skokie School District in Illinois, a district where he had previously worked. This federal indictment accused him of 17 charges, including tax evasion, wire fraud, and a kickback scheme with three other affiliates. Such charges have led to the early termination of his contract.
An early termination, under usual circumstances, would have DeKalb pay Dr. Horton’s remaining salary. However, under the separation agreement, he receives approximately $30,000 in addition to benefits until his resignation becomes effective on November 15th.
Brandon Favors, a high school student, says, “I think the school board will see it as a positive, but the students will see it as more of a real negative and a change.” In contrast, state Senator Emanuel Jones, in a letter to his constituents, has stated, “I am calling for the immediate dismissal of Superintendent Devon Horton; the allegations of wire fraud, embezzlement, and tax evasion outlined in the federal indictment are deeply troubling and indicate that he is incapable of leading the DeKalb County School District.
Cobb County
Updates within Cobb County also happen with the closure of the Finn v. Cobb County Board of Elections case. This case was initially filed by the League of Women Voters in 2022, which claimed that the districts within Cobb were racially gerrymandered and demanded a change.
The plaintiffs argued that the Latino and Black students were packed into three of the seven districts. After about a year in court, a decision was issued prohibiting the use of the previous map, as the new, arguably fairer map was enacted. This new map was subsequently used for the 2024 Cobb County school board elections. Following the school district’s final appeal, the case was dismissed for lack of standing, and the case was closed in September 2025 with the new map.
Gwinnett County
Minor changes have also been occurring within Gwinnett County, with the approval of the proposed Board/Superintendent Team Development and Training plan for 2025-2026.
In the last Gwinnett County Board of Education meeting in August, members approved a plan proposed to “require[s] that local boards of education engage in mandatory yearly training as individual members and as a collective governing board.” This program covers a range of topics, most notably the school system’s financial decisions, the student body’s focus areas, and a potential transition of the superintendent. While many details are still up in the air, this training plan may improve local education in Gwinnett County and create a more organized learning community.
Clayton County
On the south side of Atlanta, Clayton County has been considering school consolidation due to declining enrollment.
In the past, Clayton County had its accreditation revoked by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools due to allegations of governance abuse. This tarnish on their reputation has led many students to leave the county, with some estimates by the local board of education expecting enrollment to drop by 2 to 3% over the next five years. While no schools have closed down yet, in the last board meeting, Ronick Joseph, the district’s Chief Construction Officer, stated to WSBTV that, “We are not yet prepared to present options to the board at this moment. To your point, we don’t want to alarm the community, but it is coming.”
