UVA partnership credited with lifting Decatur schools’ state rankings; board reviews proposal to expand leadership work to K–2

The City Schools of Decatur on Oct. 14 received an update on its multi-year leadership partnership with the University of Virginia’s Partnership for Leaders in Education. Deputy Superintendent Karen Newton Scott described the partnership’s phases — readiness, design and launch, activation, and adaptation — and said the work has contributed to measurable gains in district performance.

Newton Scott said the district’s partnership was sponsored this year by a $200,000 donation (Chick‑fil‑A named as a donor in the presentation) and has included executive education experiences for district and school leaders, school-level activation campaigns, coaching frameworks, an instructional “toolbox” and a balanced assessment system. She cited growth in state rankings from 21% of schools in the state’s top three in 2019 to 78% in 2025 as evidence of system-level change.

Options presented to the board included continuing the UVA partnership for the district’s 3–12 schools, adding K–2 leaders to a two-year core partnership cycle, or a comprehensive option to both continue acceleration for 3–12 and bring K–2 leaders into the UVA cycle to create a K–12 leadership continuum. Newton Scott said K–2 leaders had benefited from monthly shared learning but had not yet received the same intensive executive-education cycle afforded to 3–12 leaders.

Board members asked whether principals and teachers found the UVA work valuable and how the partnership translates to classroom practice. Newton Scott said principals and district leaders reported the work “transformative” and that the partnership is leader-development focused (principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches) rather than direct teacher training; leaders are expected to translate learning into coaching and instructional supports for teachers. The board asked staff to gather additional feedback from teachers on whether improved leadership translated into classroom outcomes.

No formal board vote occurred on the partnership expansion; Newton Scott said staff would return with more teacher and principal feedback and budget implications for a potential expansion to K–2 leaders.

Ending

The board expressed support for continuing the partnership in some form but requested more evidence from teachers and principals about classroom impact before committing to expanded investment.