The new superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools, Bryan Johnson, was inaugurated on the first day of the new school year and is ready to work with teachers, students, parents, and the Atlanta Board of Education to help them get off to a great start.
Earlier this year, Johnson was announced as the sole finalist for the superintendent position and sworn in on Aug. 5.
“I deeply appreciate the Board’s unwavering focus on children and excellence throughout the search process. That same unwavering focus will be reflected in our efforts to catapult our urban school district to one of the top schools in the country, with initiatives focused on literacy, STEM, and workforce development,” Johnson said.
SaportaReport reached out to Johnson to see how he is ready to lead one of the largest school districts in the state.
SaportaReport: In the four years you led Hamilton County Schools in Tennessee, you quickly pushed the school up in the ranks in several categories. What best practices are you going to take from that time to APS?
Bryan Johnson: We were laser-focused on developing a culture of excellence. Improving student achievement was at the forefront of everything we did. Explicit instruction with clear targets, aligned assessments, and effective instructional strategies were at the core of our work. We also worked to engage the community and used the insights shared to inform our decisions.
SR: Besides K-12 leadership, you also have experience in higher education as the former vice chancellor for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. How do you plan to use your expertise in that field with the over 50,000 students?
BJ: While we know that not everyone will attend college or wants to, that is indeed the goal for many of our students. My experience at that level provides an excellent vantage point to lead the work required to prepare students for post-secondary education.
I not only know what they need to get there, but I also know what to expect when they arrive and what it takes for them to secure their degree. I also had the privilege of working in the private sector in transportation and logistics as an executive. I look forward to leveraging these experiences to support the children of Atlanta in reaching their full potential.
SR: Under the direction of the last Superintendent, APS raised its graduation rate slightly over the state average. How will you maintain or improve that rate in the 2024-2025 school year?
I appreciate the work that’s been done with graduation rates.
BJ: We want to sustain that work, but we also want to ensure that we improve the number of graduates who walk across APS stages at commencement and are ready for their next step. Whether it’s a four-year university, technical school, military or directly to work, we want APS graduates to continue to do what so many APS graduates have done — lead. It will take all of us pulling together to ensure our children don’t just graduate but graduate ready to thrive in life.
SR: You met with students and parents during town hall meetings last month. How were your interactions with them, and what were some interesting points that they addressed with you? How would you like to facilitate relationships with parents, guardians, and students moving forward?
BJ: My interactions were very insightful. All parents want the same thing: what is best for their child and a good education. The parents of APS conveyed that they are concerned about equity, access, and literacy, and they are worried about their students with disabilities receiving the services they need to be successful.
Moving forward, I want parents to know that this is a partnership and my staff and I are committed partners to their children’s education. I want them to know that I am here to listen. I’m not here to listen to hear; I listen to understand, and that’s key to any relationship.
SR: Data has shown that the system’s teacher retention rate has dropped in the last two years. How do you plan to keep teachers in our classrooms?
BJ: Monetary incentives can be a strong motivating factor for retention, but it’s not the only factor. Teachers or any employees will not stay where they don’t feel valued or appreciated or they are not treated with respect. Work culture is paramount to retention.
In addition to continuing to offer competitive salaries, we’ve got to ensure every employee in Atlanta Public Schools knows and feels their worth every day they walk into their worksite. Employees must want to stay, but if they decide to leave, we need to understand why.
Equity and access? For whom? Atlanta Public Schools are: 73% Black, 15% White, 8% Hispanic, 4% “Other”. APS spends more per pupil than any other school system in the metro area (probably more in the entire state). And none of that includes all the soft money and social services going into APS programs. Y’all’s problems are way bigger than this man understands, and he gonna learn “the Atlanta way” real fast.