Fulton School Board Extends Superintendent's Contract

Submitted by the Fulton County School System

The Fulton County School Board Thursday evening unanimously approved a one-year contract extension for Superintendent Robert Avossa.

This is the third contract extension for Dr. Avossa, who came to Fulton County Schools in June 2011 after serving in leadership roles in North Carolina and Florida school districts.

He originally was hired with a three-year contract, the maximum allowed by the Georgia General Assembly, but pleased with his performance, the school board has twice extended his contract by one-year terms. With the third extension, his new contract period continues until June 30, 2017.

The extension holds his salary at the same level and does not change any other part of the benefits package except for an increased retirement supplement. His contract also is one of few in Georgia that has a penalty clause for prematurely leaving the school district, showing his commitment to staying in Fulton and getting the job done, the system said in a press release.

“I came to Fulton County Schools because I saw great opportunity to make a real difference in the way we reach and teach students,” Dr. Avossa said. “We have made incredible strides over the past three years, and we have a lot of data and individual success stories that tell the story of how we’ve improved opportunities for many children. As our Fulton team knows, I heavily praise our teachers, principals and staff, but I believe in always looking further down the road. We have a lot of work still ahead of us to reach our goals and I’m pleased that our school board has publicly instilled their belief in me with another contract extension.”

Among one of his first leadership strategies, in 2012 Dr. Avossa led the creation of the district’s first five-year strategic plan. The plan launched three main goals — that by 2017, 90 percent of Fulton students will graduate on time; 85 percent of Fulton’s seniors will be eligible for admission to a University System of Georgia college or university; and 100 percent of Fulton’s graduates will be certified work-ready.

He will deliver the district’s Year 3 progress report on meeting those goals at a State of Our Schools event next Thursday.

“Dr. Avossa’s work as superintendent has infused new energy and focus into our district,” said School Board President Linda Schultz. “Nationally, the average tenure of a superintendent in a large school district is 2-3 years and leadership continuity is critical to moving a school system forward and driving results. Dr. Avossa is leading a highly effective team that is focused on the right things, and as a governance board, we’re extremely pleased with the results we’re seeing.”

Early success stories are evident. Fulton County Schools’ 2014 SAT scores remain among the highest in Georgia, with six schools ranked in the state’s Top 20 and 10 schools reporting increased scores from the previous year. In addition, Fulton has the state’s second highest math score for 2014 and is tied for first for the writing section.

In particular, Dr. Avossa is passionate about improving performance for underrepresented students – bydefinition, students who identify as a minority, live in poverty or receive special education services – and recent SAT and Advanced Placement data shows that Fulton’s African-American and Hispanic students’ achievement is increasing. These achievements led to recent recognition from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and the National School Boards Association’ Council of Urban Boards of Education.

“We are seeing results in closing the achievement gap, and that’s due to Dr. Avossa’s strategic efforts to put the right people in the right place,” said school board member Linda Bryant. “We have leadership teams that are looking for ways to help all students be successful. We’re also expanding our school choice portfolio to offer more flexible learning options to families. As a board member who serves South Fulton, I am so excited that Westlake High School is working towards offering the International Baccalaureate program and that we are opening two new charter schools in the fall.”

During the three years he has served as Fulton’s superintendent, Dr. Avossa has set a positive tone for the district that includes more community and employee engagement, transparency in decision-making and operations, and a focus on innovation and educational flexibility. In this short time he also has shepherded the district through charter system approval status, making Fulton the largest charter system in Georgia and a model that other school systems are following.

In addition, during Dr. Avossa’s leadership the five-year, one-penny sales tax for education (eSPLOST) was re-approved by Fulton County voters by a wide margin. He also has led the school system to redevelop its approach to talent acquisition and management, particularly how teachers, school leaders and other staff are supported throughout their careers.