The 2014-15 school year marked the death of Small Learning Communities at Grady. Implemented in 2011 as a replacement for the magnet system, the learning communities sorted students into four pathways, or academies, each featuring special classes to prepare students for future careers in areas like law, business, journalism or engineering.

Although most of the former academy-specific classes remain available as electives, the dissolution of the pathway system has had major effects on the school. A grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded the transition to the academy system, allowing for larger budgets for the academy-specific classes. The replacement system puts less emphasis on these courses, as reflected in their decreased budgets. Several Career Technological and Agricultural Education-specific teachers have been relocated and the administrative heads of the academies now have new positions. Counselors, who were once assigned only one academy each, have now also been assigned to grade levels.
The relaxation of Academy requirements, which forced students to choose one of four isolated communities, has granted students more flexibility in class choices. Students now have the availability to pick from a multitude of less-restrictive pathways more likely to cater to their interests. Keeping students in the same small groups throughout their classes is no longer a scheduling goal.
Assistant Principal Willie Vincent says it is difficult to determine what percentage of students were in academy classes by choice, versus being placed in to fill a schedule hole. Whatever student’s motives are, participation in some of the former SLCs has been dropping.
Enrollment for CTAE classes associated with the Biomedical Science and Engineering academy has decreased by nearly 25 percent (from 392 in the 2014-2015 school year to 296 this year), while in the Public Policy and Justice academy the decrease is closer to 50 percent (from 260 to 139). Meanwhile, enrollment in the Business and Entrepreneurship pathway classes and Communication and Journalism pathway classes have remained relatively constant. The decrease in the engineering and law courses is best explained by students switching to other pathways such as art and language.
“I think if I had the option to, I would have taken different classes in other academies, just to get a different set of classes.” Junior Denis Goldsman said.
Goldsman sees value in the ability to choose courses that interest students. He believes that newfound flexibility “will help students have a larger array of classes.”
Senior Paige Patterson, a student in the Biomedical Small Learning Community, valued the tight communities that academies created.
“We all had something in common,” Patterson said. “We were real close.”
Patterson said that clubs like Health Occupations Students of America brought students together in the Biomed pathway. HOSA allows students to compete on the state and national level against other students interested in healthcare. Competitions range from writing to CPR. HOSA raises money to compete with after-school activities like the annual haunted house. It also organizes the multiple blood drives held at Grady. Such organizations existed in all SLCs, ranging from publications to after-school competitions.
While students disagree on the merits of flexibility, the loss of SLCs came at the definite cost of class budgets. Engineering teacher Tonia Schofield said her class’s budget has been cut by 75 percent since the change. She made up the difference through grants and sponsors, however.
Many worry that students will suffer from the lack of small communities where students are familiar and administrators are accessible.
“I never see the people I used to see,” Patterson said.
Schofield agrees that the transition has disrupted student’s tight relationships within academies.
“We had established a community where students would feel comfortable with going and talking to Mr. Dawson to get their problems resolved,” Schofield said. “That closeness has been affected. I would like to see the community come back together.”
Though the BSE academy has fewer students, Schofield said her students are more engaged. More students are joining the Technology Student Association, and attendance for after-school events is increasing.
Schofield said that consistent alteration of school policy only adds to the challenges faced by teachers and students alike.
“Change is good sometimes,” Schofield said. “But when you do changes all the time and you bring in a program or you bring in an initiative, and then the next day you change it, it’s a disservice to the students.”