Governor Perdue Appoints Special Liaisons to Assist Warren County School System

ATLANTA – Today Governor Sonny Perdue announced two Special Liaisons to assist Warren County School System in regaining its accreditation.

“Just as we did with Clayton County, we will do everything within our power to help,” said Governor Perdue. “Through these liaisons, the state will provide special assistance to support Warren County’s teachers, parents and, most importantly, students.”

The two Special Liaisons will serve in an advisory role and offer guidance to Warren County in the completion of steps outlined by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Committee by July 30, 2010. Governor Perdue has asked James Bostic, Jr., and William “Brad” Bryant, both members of the State Board of Education, to serve in this capacity. The two liaisons will regularly update Governor Perdue on Warren County School System’s progress.

Both Bostic and Bryant served in the same capacity in 2008 when Clayton County lost its accreditation. They both worked with the Clayton school system while it regained its accreditation.

Governor Perdue has also renewed his call for the General Assembly to pass School Board Governance legislation first introduced last year. The legislation will improve school board training and governance across the state, helping to prevent other school systems from losing their accreditation in the future. It would also give the state the ability to move proactively when a system is in danger of losing accreditation. The legislation passed the Senate last year and is being heard in the House Education Committee tomorrow.

“It is incredibly frustrating to watch the fallout from a dysfunctional school board undermine earnest teachers and jeopardize their students’ potential,” Governor Perdue said. “That’s why we brought this legislation last year, and now we find ourselves in a similar situation with yet another school system facing loss of accreditation.”

The legislation will standardize board ethics policies and board training, clarify the law delineating the roles and responsibilities of superintendents and board members, create minimum qualifications for board candidates, and give the state the ability to find responsible citizens to serve on school boards when existing members fail to serve the interests of their students.

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