Mark Riley

Email: mriley@urbanrealtyatlanta.com

Address:

222 Piedmont Avenue, NE Atlanta, GA 30308

Phone: 404-653-1420
Fax: 404-653-1575

Qualifications

• Founder and Partner of Urban Realty Partners, a real estate investment and development company focused on intown redevelopment and revitalization
• Formerly Vice President with Cousins Properties and prior to that an attorney with King & Spalding
• Director of the Sartain Lanier Family Foundation, a charitable foundation with a focus on improving education options in the metro Atlanta area
• Co-Chair of Good Government Atlanta School Board Elections Committee (1993)
• Graduate of Leadership Atlanta (1994)
• Board member of Charis Community Housing, a division of FCS Urban Ministries
• Board member of Collaborative Education Partnership, a summer education program for disadvantaged APS students
• Past Board Member, Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation
• Past Board of Directors, Vanderbilt Alumni Association and President of Atlanta Vanderbilt Club
• Steering Committee, Atlanta District Council of Urban Land Institute
• Member- All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Downtown Atlanta
• Past Board Member, Springlake Civic Association

Platform

The Atlanta School System needs Board Members who can create a strategic vision for educating our children and who have the desire and the skills to work with the Superintendent to:

• Streamline central office bureaucracy and move more authority and resources to local schools for improving the educational opportunities for all children in the system.
• Implement smaller class sizes in accordance with the A+ Education Reform Act.
• Aggressively lead teacher recruitment and training to recruit the most capable people to this important community role (since some estimates indicate that up to 85% of APS teachers will become eligible to retire in the next 5 years).
• Help the Board operate as a true board of directors rather than micromanaging the Superintendent and senior administration.
• Explore alternative approaches to quality public education such as charter schools and alternative teacher certification.
• Promote neighborhood schools, which will in turn strengthen the City’s neighborhoods and the quality of our community as a whole.

1. Please describe generally your views on charter schools.

I am an ardent supporter of charter schools as a way to explore innovation in teaching, curriculum, and attracting parent involvement. I believe they play a major role in injecting competition into the process that forces the traditional public schools to be more responsive and accountable.

2. If elected, what factors will you consider in deciding whether or not to support a charter petition that is submitted to APS?

I think the major factor is assessing the strength and quality of the sponsorship and the charter proposal. The impact on adjacent APS-run schools should not be a major factor in approval.

3. If the Atlanta Public School system (APS) has surplus school buildings available, should it provide a school facility to an approved charter school on the same basis as it does to traditional public schools? If not, why not?

Yes

4. Should charter schools in the APS system be allowed to apply for and receive funding for facilities construction and renovation on the same basis as other schools in the APS system? If not, why not?

Generally, yes, after the determination has been made that it is a viable entity that will be justifiable. (To avoid a major public investment in a high risk venture – some of these still may be appropriate to explore.)

5. Should charter schools in the APS system be able to take full advantage of the buying power of Atlanta Public Schools for items like furniture, books, and equipment? If not, why not?

Yes

League of Women Voters of Atlanta-Fulton County

1. What is your vision for public education in an urban school system?

My vision is for a school system that is a community anchor supporting and celebrating learning in the entire community where all children, regardless of circumstances, are able to receive a quality education and preparation for a successful life. The system should be responsive to the needs of all the children and must be flexible to be able to address these disparate needs. The system must be insistent on maintaining strict discipline in order for the few not to disrupt the learning experiences of their classmates. Finally, the system must champion the role of public schools as part of the glue of a community's social fabric. Schools must actively market themselves to families and other citizens and other community stakeholders to elicit their support.

2. What will be the impact/effect of Georgia's A+ Education Reform legislation on the Atlanta Public School System?

The legislation mandates smaller class size which will lower the student-teacher ratio. This should be very beneficial to improve student achievement in APS. A short-term negative impact from this may be to exacerbate the shortage of high quality teachers. The local school councils mandated by the legislation should help increase community involvement and support for the schools. The legislature decreased the protection provided for under-performing teachers which should allow systems to dismiss poor teachers rather than shifting them to schools with less vigilant principals and parent groups. Finally, the impact of the state-wide testing will give administrators and parents an important reference point to hold schools accountable for how well their students are learning.

3. Who do you consider to the stakeholders in public education and what will be your role in building their capacity to support student learning?

I believe the stakeholders in public education are all citizens and organizations (both non-profit and businesses) in the City. Our entire society benefits from a well-educated citizenry and suffers from a poorly educated one. APS, under Dr. Hall's leadership, has made great strides in welcoming the involvement of the business and non-profit community through programs such as Project Grad, Hands On Atlanta in Schools, and the Chamber of Commerce Partnership with Business. I believe that with my involvement in the business and foundation communities, I can be effective in generating additional support from these sectors, as well as enhancing these programs.

4. Define what you believe is your role as a School Board Member.

I believe the role of a School Board member is to establish with the Board a vision and strategic plan for raising student achievement in the system, but not to try to "run" the school system. This vision and plan should only be adopted after research and discussion (including discussion with leading experts and an understanding of best practices around the country) then consensus being reached by the Board with concurrence from the Superintendent and senior management. The plan should set forth specific objectives and milestones for the Superintendent and senior management. Thereafter, the Board's role should be to monitor compliance with these objectives and to hold the Superintendent and senior management accountable for the results. I think the Board also plays an important role in celebrating the importance of education and the role of principals and teachers in the community.