Conversations have been held by the Fayette County School Board in past months over the upcoming state-mandated switch to the Investing in Education Excellence (IE2 and called IE-squared) model or whether to consider a charter system model or simply to have things stay as they are now.

The board Monday voted to submit a letter of intent relating to IE2 that will trigger a study phase of the issue. A multi-part process, including public input, will be required to alter the current school model.

Gov. Sonny Perdue has mandated that all school systems convert to IE2 or to a charter system by 2013 unless the system opts for the status quo. Superintendent John DeCotis said that IE2 will likely mean less funding money but more local flexibility in meeting various state requirements.

Called into question in recent months and years has been the statewide cuts in education funds that may continue, depending on the economy. Additionally, the requirement to move to IE2 or an alternative may not survive the next gubernatorial election.

DeCotis said the letter of intent would enable the Georgia Department of Education to have someone work with the school system to put together a plan to apply to become an IE2 system if the school board and the community want it.

A portion of the initial study would include the formation of a local task force, apparently to be made up of educators and parents, to study the IE2 model.

The real issue at the state level is IE2 and the charter system. Both concepts provide local school systems greater flexibility and require more accountability.

The biggest different is that, unlike IE2 systems, charter systems require a move to local school governance, while IE2 contracts do not. So, much of the decision-making takes place at the school level through a governing council. Charter schools have more independence and a governing board within each school, DeCotis said earlier. In IE2 systems the school board retains more authority.

According to DOE, IE2 Partnership contracts are intended to provide local school districts with greater governance flexibility as a means to increasing student achievement.

As created by House Bill 1209 (2008), local boards of education can enter into multi-year contracts with the state Board of Education based on strategic plans developed in partnership with DOE and Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. Such plans must identify specific school-level student achievement goals that are in addition to current federal accountability requirements.