During a State Board of Education conference call today, Innovative School District Superintendent Eric Hall recommended Charlotte-based Achievement for All Children to serve as the operator to take over Southside Ashpole Elementary in Robeson County.
The Board will discuss and vote on the recommendation at its April Board meeting.
“I am impressed with both AAC and The Romine Group (TRG) for their willingness to engage with the ISD in the challenging work to improve outcomes in low-performing schools and participate in a very rigorous selection process,” Hall said, according to a press release. “I also want to extend my gratitude to the community panel members from Rowland and surrounding Robeson County who participated in the selection process; their input was essential in making sure our recommendation was the right fit for the students at Southside Ashpole, their families and the Rowland community.”
The two finalists to take over Southside Ashpole were Achievement for All Children and Michigan’s The Romine Group. At the February State Board of Education meeting, Hall told Board members that he could not recommend either of the organizations at that time, but since then he has been working with them and allowing them to submit supplemental materials to their pitches.
Once the operator is in place, Southside Ashpole is slated to officially operate under the ISD at the beginning of the upcoming 2018-19 school year.
Under the Innovative School District, five schools will be selected to be taken over by operators which could include for-profit charter or education management organizations. The schools will no longer be run by their traditional school districts during the five years they are under ISD authority.
