DeKalb Schools loses its chief academic officer

ajc.com

Lisa Martin, DeKalb County School District’s chief academic and accountability officer, has left the district after less than two years, and while the district is implementing a new curriculum she helped oversee.

District spokeswoman Eileen Houston-Stewart said via email that Martin’s official last day with the school district is Feb. 15. Martin has not been seen on campus in recent weeks.

Martin came to the district before the 2016-2017 school year began, charged with enhancing the academic experience for DeKalb students. During her stint, the district undertook the curriculum revamp, which has included input from teachers before implementation and throughout its first year of use. DeKalb teachers largely have praised the plan, saying it gives them buy-in on a system that helps them reach more students at their individual starting points.

Martin's hire was credited by the district to a search firm paid more than $140,000 in 2016 to find qualified candidates for about a dozen jobs. The search firm, though, only took credit for two hires: Laura Stowell, the director of charter schools, school governance and flexibility, and Jennifer Hackemeyer, the chief legal officer.

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The AJC's Marlon A. Walker keeps you updated on the latest happenings in metro Atlanta K-12 news and DeKalb County Schools. You'll find more on myAJC.com, including these stories:

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