Northwest Georgia school administrators are taking new stock in the value of an outside assessment by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools amid controversy surrounding Clayton County schools.

“It is a model that forces you to focus on what you want to do,” said Melody Day, superintendent of Chickamauga City Schools.

In February 2007, Chickamauga City Schools was one of the first in the state to achieve districtwide accreditation, a relatively new process. Before, only individual schools gained accreditation.

School officials said it takes a great deal of preparation and effort to become accredited. The process involves everyone from administrators and school board members to teachers and community members, Mrs. Day said.

It is valuable because it provides an outside assessment of each school’s and district’s progress toward goals, and motivates officials to sets new benchmarks, administrators said.

Catoosa County schools received district accreditation in March 2007, said Kim Nichols, assistant superintendent with Catoosa’s system.

Dr. Nichols said having district accreditation is important because it ensures that everyone involved in the school system is working toward the same goals. It also validates to the public that educators are constantly on task, she said.

Walker County schools have not yet achieved district accreditation, but each school meets SACS standards, officials said.

Walker County officials said accreditation also opens up schools or districts to new resources, by providing a network of other accredited schools. The process is beneficial for students because the evaluation makes sure schools are committed to excellence.

Spokesman for Whitfield County schools Eric Beavers said the school system is working toward district accreditation, and each school is individually accredited.

“SACS holds all public schools up to international standards that ensure students’ credit can transfer from school to school, as well as allowing our peers from other school districts to collaborate with us, provide their input and validate our work,” Mr. Beavers said.

The Clayton County controversy led to five school board members resigning or being voted out, and state officials said the board was to blame for the loss of accreditation, according to The Associated Press.

Members meddled in day-to-day operations of schools and squabbled frequently, violated open meeting laws and ethics codes, officials said.

Walker County Board of Education chairman Mike Carruth said the board needs to let educators do their jobs.

He said he participated some in the accreditation process, but, “The schools themselves and central office did all the real work,” he said.

Mrs. Day said that during district accreditation, her board was interviewed extensively. She said she thinks SACS representatives wanted to ensure that the board would enforce the needed standards.

She said a group effort is important for a school system.

“We try to focus on having a team approach to everything we do,” Mrs. Day said. “We try to gather all input before making a decision. We want to be strong and focused.”

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