Mixed signals

AJC "Get Schooled" | Feds promise relief from No Child Left Behind goals to states moving in right direction. Georgia seems a shoo-in.
Responding to predictions that waves of U.S. schools would be proclaimed failing, the Obama White House delivered on its promise to offer states relief from the controversial provision of No Child Left Behind that all children demonstrate proficiency in math and reading by 2014.

They're going to blame this on President Bush yet. See if they don't.
(Later: Surprise! GPB | State Will Apply For No Child Law Waiver)

AJC "Political Insider" | A divide over prosecution in the APS cheating scandal
[Attorney General Sam Olens] said that the granting of immunity to teachers, principals and some school administrators by state investigators would make it harder to chase down malefactors at the top.

That's not the way immunity usually works, or else no one would ever grant it, let alone two such experienced prosecutors as (previously Georgia A.G.) Mike Bowers and (previously Dekalb D.A.) Bob Wilson. More likely, Olens is looking at this situation and seeing a very narrow margin of success amidst a strong possibility of disaster. A canny politician who doesn't have to get involved clearly wouldn't.

WCGL | APS appoints new deputy superintendent/chief of staff
[Steve] Smith has held executive positions with Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. and Georgia Public Broadcasting. He is also a former principal and teacher in Fulton County Schools.

Ah, here he is. I find myself encouraged by the fact that although he has experience in education, he isn't a career educator -- not unlike interim superintendent Erroll Davis. I dare to hope that Davis is laying the groundwork for what will follow him. But he may be tainted by his association with the Chamber of Commerce, and through it the Blue Ribbon Commission.

WABE | First Day of School & New Era For Atlanta Public Schools
Monday, August 8th, was the first day of school for thousands of students in the metro area.
Today, Atlanta, Clayton, DeKalb and Gwinnett all began the 2011-2012 school year.
In Atlanta, a new era begins as the district tries to move forward from the cheating scandal.

This is pretty much the traditional evergreen "first day of school" story: Nothing new here. So why mention it? Well, everyone remembers that the ABE in WABE stands for "Atlanta Board of Education", right?

AJC | Atlanta school board picks new, temporary member
Longtime Atlanta resident Nisha Simama was selected Monday night to fill the interim District 2 seat on the Atlanta school board. Simama, whose children graduated from the district, will occupy the position until a special election set Nov. 8.

That makes it sound like she's a random parent they picked out of line at the West End Kroger CitiCenter. Here she is. She's been employed for 18 years at Paideia School, where she is "multicultural coordinator." Looks like business as usual at the school board.