Survey Results List Call For New Montgomery Public School Leadership
7 out of 10 Montgomery residents believe Montgomery Public Schools are in crisis and blame that crisis on the district’s leadership. That’s according to a new poll conducted by the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce.
“We wanted to see what the community felt, does the community feel the same sense of urgency about this that the business and economic development feels” – CHAMBER REP
According to the survey nearly 75% of those surveyed rated the overall quality of MPS and the job performance of the Montgomery Board of Education as Fair to Poor.
75% also laid the blame for MPS’s financial problems and low test scores on the Montgomery Board of Education.
More than half (55%) of those surveyed favor replacing the Montgomery School Board Members when they come up for re-election.
Full survey results and details of the poll are available here.
Several Montgomery Public School Board members have provided a response to the seemingly overwhelming call for new leadership.
Vice President of the board Lisa Keith, said the results are not surprising. “I can not agree more with the need and a call for new board members, even if it means getting rid of myself”.
Board member Melissa Snowden however, explained the problems within the school system are deeper than a need for new leadership. “It is certainly understandable that people are frustrated…I think that there are some massive socio-economic issues that we deal with”.
President Robert Porterfield also said the blame does not fall solely on the shoulders of the school board adding “If we want to address the real concerns it would certainly number one would be funding”.
Board member Arica Watkins-Smith said she believes the purpose of the survey stemmed from more than just an interest in public opinion. “To me because we did not sell Georgia Washington , we have been bashed by the Chamber of Commerce and others by pointing out all of the negative things in regards to MPS” she explained.
The Montgomery School Board had approved selling Georgia Washington Middle School to the Town of Pike Road for 11 million dollars, which would have solved issues within the school’s budget for the next school year.
The board ultimately decided not to sell and instead to cut around 114 teachers. State intervention officials have had some hesitation with that proposal, which has left the school system with no easy answers to solve its financial problems or low test scores.
