State Representative Bryce Berry (D-Atlanta) has responded to the Atlanta Board of Education’s recent vote approving a consolidation plan for Atlanta Public Schools. The plan, which was decided on Wednesday, will lead to the closure and merger of several schools within the district.
Berry expressed concern about the impact of these changes on local communities. “Last night’s vote was disheartening. APS has a tough job, and I know these school closure decisions aren’t made lightly. Still, I worry about what this means for families — especially in Southwest Atlanta — who rely on neighborhood schools for stability, connection and community,” he said.
He also addressed broader issues related to state education funding and policy pressures. “For years, some state leaders have insisted that districts ‘do more with less,’ pushing them to shrink their budgets, while demands on classrooms keep growing. That pressure doesn’t fall on abstract systems; it lands on real students, real educators and real neighborhoods now facing the loss of their local schools,” Berry stated.
Berry emphasized his commitment to supporting public education at the state level. “As your state representative, I’ll keep fighting for a state that invests in its schools instead of cornering and bullying districts into impossible choices. Our students and families deserve strong, fully supported neighborhood schools, not a constant squeeze that leaves communities to bear the consequences.”
Burns is a Republican who was elected to the Georgia State House in 2005 representing District 159 after Ray Holland.
