The Fulton County Schools system will start the school year with 99 percent of its vacancies filled, AI training, and many completed construction projects, administrative leaders shared in a news conference on Saturday.
FCS administrative leaders held that news conference at Banneker High School, one of the two sites for the school district’s First Day Fulton back-to-school event. Riverwood High in Sandy Springs hosted the other event at the same time.
FCS Chief Human Resources Officer Gonzalo La Cava said the school district had 62 teacher vacancies in special and elementary education as the first day of school approaches on Aug. 5.
Last year, the school district hired more than 800 teachers, he said. This year that need was cut in half to about 400 teachers.
La Cava attributed the staff retention in part to the Level Up program, a growth opportunity for staff members. A teacher might want to become a reading coach, and Level Up creates a pathway that includes the necessary education and training to achieve that goal. A principal who one day would like to join the central office will get the help for career growth and training for the new opportunity within the school district.
In other staffing issues, the Transportation Department has successfully recruited bus drivers, but FCS still has some shortages.
“If you’re out there and you want to come and drive for us, you have a valid driver’s license and can pass our background check, we would love to have you join our team,” he said.
He asked parents to visit the online transportation hub and download the school district’s “Here Comes the Bus” app to keep up with their child’s bus.
Superintendent Mike Looney addressed the ongoing controversy and confusion concerning the Advanced Placement African American History course. He said the school district offered Honors African American History last year, which allowed students to take the exam for AP African American History.
“We did not schedule AP African American history this year because we weren’t sure that the state would approve it as a course,” he said.
Students who wanted to take an African American History course were registered for the honors version of that course for the upcoming school year. After completing the course, they will be able to take the related AP African American History exam and the school district will pay for it, Looney said.
FCS has also taken two approaches to AI (artificial intelligence), Looney said.
“We’re in the process of actually developing courses relating to how students can properly and appropriately and effectively use AI technology without compromising integrity,” he said.
The school district intends that FCS graduates complete one AI ethics course as a graduation requirement and is developing a curriculum for students to learn more about AI.
FCS is setting up guardrails on the academic side, the instructional side, as well as the operational side, as it looks for ways AI can improve efficiency and effectiveness in providing education, Phillips said. He said when teachers return to school on July 29 they will get AI training.
This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Rough Draft Atlanta.
