Fulton will offer school chief job to Charlotte leader

By Arlinda Broady


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Robert Avossa has been named a finalist for the Fulton County school superintendent’s job.
Avossa is Chief Strategy and Accountability Officer for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) in North Carolina. The district has 135,000 students and is one of the country’s largest. According to a Fulton County schools press release, Avossa led the district in driving key performance management initiatives. These included managing district and state testing, conducting independent research on student and teacher performance, and developing assessments for the district’s 2014 strategic plan.

After the required 14-day public comment period, which begins today, the board plans to offer the job to Avossa.

“Robert Avossa’s educational philosophy has been shaped by his personal and professional experiences. He is a strong coalition builder who believes that every child can learn,” said Linda Schultz, Fulton County School Board president.

Fulton has 92,000 students and 6,800 teachers. The district has schools in north and south Fulton County and is divided by the city of Atlanta, which has its own school district. The district is considering - charter status, which will free it from some state mandates.

“Robert has worked in systems that are as large or larger than Fulton and he knows how to include all stakeholders in the educational process. He has particular expertise leveraging data-driven accountability programs and demonstrated results in raising the bar and closing the gap. He will bring his vision and his skill to help us improve on what has been started in Fulton."‘Avossa will replace Cindy Loe, who is retiring at the end of this school year. School districts in Atlanta, DeKalb and Cobb counties are seeking new superintendents. The DeKalb school board recently named three finalists and expects to make a decision soon.