Atlanta Public Schools, Tamara Jones

Atlanta Civic Circle, At a glance: the 2023 Atlanta Public School board elections 

Atlanta Civic Circle, Tamara Jones

Tamara has lived in Atlanta for 27 years. She has a bachelor's degree from Wake Forest University and a master's in architecture from Georgia Tech University. She lives with her husband, Mark, in Inman Park. They have three children: two graduates and a high schooler.

Tamara is a self-employed architect and urban planner.

Tamara Jones is currently a city board of education member representing District 7 At-Large. She was first elected in 2021 and has been in office for one term.

Said, "...the board cannot balance the budget at the expense of pushing out existing residents due to tax increases on rising property values. "

Wants to consider new ways to generate revenue, like renting facilities and exploring innovative ways to use vacant properties.

Plans to evaluate the effectiveness of expenditures to find areas for potential savings.

- Said, "...the board cannot balance the budget at the expense of pushing out existing residents due to tax increases on rising property values. "
- Wants to consider new ways to generate revenue, like renting facilities and exploring innovative ways to use vacant properties.
- Plans to evaluate the effectiveness of expenditures to find areas for potential savings.

Taxes & Budget

Said, "Every child can learn to read. If we fail to teach reading, we fail to provide adequate education."

Wants to introduce curriculum that teaches students academic skills and financial literacy.

Advocates for identifying the needs of individual students, schools, communities, and clusters and crafting strategies and resources to address those needs.

- Said, "Every child can learn to read. If we fail to teach reading, we fail to provide adequate education."
- Wants to introduce curriculum that teaches students academic skills and financial literacy.
- Advocates for identifying the needs of individual students, schools, communities, and clusters and crafting strategies and resources to address those needs.

School Curriculum

Plans to create a comprehensive wellness strategy that includes social and emotional learning, mental health, nutrition, physical health, social workers, etc.

Supports devoting resources to and working with communities to determine barriers to attendance in order to address and remove them.

Advocates for a strong working relationship with neighborhoods and Neighborhood Planning Units (NPUs).

Wants to create an engagement infrastructure that is authentic, reliable, and equitable.

- Plans to create a comprehensive wellness strategy that includes social and emotional learning, mental health, nutrition, physical health, social workers, etc.
- Supports devoting resources to and working with communities to determine barriers to attendance in order to address and remove them.
- Advocates for a strong working relationship with neighborhoods and Neighborhood Planning Units (NPUs).
- Wants to create an engagement infrastructure that is authentic, reliable, and equitable.

School Facilities & Resources

Wants the Board of Education to ensure that each school's Emergency Operations Plan is fully developed and shared with the community, so they will know what to expect.

- Wants the Board of Education to ensure that each school's Emergency Operations Plan is fully developed and shared with the community, so they will know what to expect.

School Safety & Discipline

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Tamara Jones

- The Board of Education runs the public school system, and it is entirely independent from the rest of the city government. 
- Board of Education members work together to make school policy, set the budget, and appoint the superintendent to run the schools day to day. 
- Some Board of Education members are elected by the entire city, while others represent specific districts. 
- Board of Education members are elected to four-year terms in nonpartisan elections.
