Parents concerned about DeKalb County School District’s sweeping Student Assignment Project, which will touch virtually every school in the county, are taking to non-traditional methods to register their displeasure.
In Dunwoody, parents at Vanderlyn Elementary School, slated for closure or repurposing as a ninth-grade academy, are surveying the public about what closure could mean for the attendance zone’s economic future.
Dozens of parents also attended a March 22 Dunwoody Homeowners Association meeting, imploring the board and the Dunwoody community to become involved in the cause.
Members of Oak Grove Elementary created a three-minute child-narrated video alleging that former school superintendent Devon Q. Horton, who has been charged with 17 counts of criminal fraud at his former school district in Illinois, is the architect of a “fishy plan” by hiring HPM, a construction management company.
The video alleges that HPM is incentivized to recommend closures and expansions, as it will benefit financially by working as a project manager to implement the changes.
The video shows news footage about Horton’s criminal charges and a “dramatic reenactment” showing a mustachioed person labeled “construction company” taking money from a child representing DeKalb County taxpayers.
According to HPM’s website about the DeKalb SAP process, the company “will oversee planning, which involves demographics research, assessing the conditions of existing facilities, and budgeting and cost analysis to determine the best approach to consolidation, renovations, and expansions for various assets.
“After this stage, HPM will oversee program management, which involves the coordination of teams, including the general contractor, architect, and subcontractors as they execute each project,” the website narrative continued. “This portion of the project involves ensuring goals are met while within budget and the allotted timeline, and includes the closeout services at the end of the program.”
HPM was paid about $5 million at the inception of the program, with a $6.3 million contract renewal approved by the school board in February.
Samuel Howe, whose sons are in third and fifth grade at Oak Grove, is one of the video’s creators. He called HPM’s plan ” a total sham” that uses false and misleading data to determine which schools should be closed and how others should be repurposed.
He said that HPM’s data showing that Oak Grove will have a dip in enrollment is false, noting that there are nearly 100 students on its waiting list to attend the school. The HPM survey indicates that Oak Grove will continue to have falling enrollment from 2026-2030, with an estimated 387 students in 2030.
In addition, the fact that Horton hired HPM, led by vice president Tracy Richter, should merit scrutiny, he said.
“The guy [Horton] who came up with this plan is the same one who was charged with fraud and corruption,” Howe said. “Why would we want to eat the meal he’s serving up?”
The video has received more than 15,000 views on social media since it was published less than a week ago, Howe said, adding that having the children deliver the message was a deliberate move.
“I’m glad that the kids got a chance to get their faces seen and voices heard,” he said. “They are not being considered at all in this scam.”
He said HPM’s recommendations for closure, consolidation, and construction are more than just “shooting yourself in the foot.”
“This is blowing off your leg with a rocket launcher,” he said. “The impact of this will be felt for decades.”