AJC/ACC Voter Guide - School Board Questionnaire

Tene earned a Bachelor of Arts in Afro-American Studies, a master's degree in education from Howard University, and a Ph.D in educational policy studies from Georgia State University. She and her husband Jarvis have two children and attend Berean Christian Church in Stone Mountain, GA. She currently serves on Rockdale County’s Public Facilities Authority and is chairperson of the Lorraine Elementary Local School Council. 

Tene Davis serves as the National Benevolent Association’s Young Adult Leadership Development Director. She was previously the Associate Director of Georgia State University’s Early College Program. Before that, she worked in the Atlanta Public Schools system as an elementary school teacher.

Tene Davis' bid for County Board of Education Member is her first entry into politics. 

To increase engagement, she co-designed a survey during the 2022-2023 school year, as a part of the PTO/PTA Collaborative of Rockdale County Elementary Schools.

- To increase engagement, she co-designed a survey during the 2022-2023 school year, as a part of the PTO/PTA Collaborative of Rockdale County Elementary Schools.

Access to Education

Aims to improve school performance via supplemental instruction, more social-emotional learning, more parental involvement, and professional development for teachers.

Supports more parental involvement in school decisions.

- Aims to improve school performance via supplemental instruction, more social-emotional learning, more parental involvement, and professional development for teachers.
- Supports more parental involvement in school decisions.

School Curriculum

As of June 17, 2025, Tene Davis’s website did not contain information on this issue.

School Facilities & Resources

Prioritizes the safety and security of school environments.

- Prioritizes the safety and security of school environments.

Student Wellbeing

Plans to prioritize teacher recruitment and retention.

- Plans to prioritize teacher recruitment and retention.

Teachers

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Tene Davis

Rockdale County Board of Education Post 5

Akita received a bachelor's degree in accounting and business from Troy University and a master’s degree in business administration from Central Michigan University. She is an Executive Board Member of the JJG STEaM Foundation, Inc.

LinkedIn

Akita is an auditor for the Georgia Department of Revenue, where she has worked for the last four years. Previously, she was a senior technical project manager at AT&T.

Akita Parmer is a member of the Rockdale County Board of Education. She was elected in 2020 and has served one term.

Serve on multiple committees providing scholarships to students in Rockdale County.

- Serve on multiple committees providing scholarships to students in Rockdale County.

Wants schools to foster college and career readiness.

Secured funding for Memorial Middle School S.T.E.M. Program.

- Wants schools to foster college and career readiness.
- Secured funding for Memorial Middle School S.T.E.M. Program.

Said, "To ensure that all students succeed, adequate funding for competitive salaries and classroom resources [is] essential."

Said, "A healthy budget allows for the provisions of essential resources for students, recruitment and retention of quality teachers, school safety, and mental support for our students."

- Said, "To ensure that all students succeed, adequate funding for competitive salaries and classroom resources [is] essential."
- Lists budget restraints as a top issue.
- Said, "A healthy budget allows for the provisions of essential resources for students, recruitment and retention of quality teachers, school safety, and mental support for our students."

Said, "Many of these students have challenges in health, well-being, literacy and adequate parental support. Research shows many of these children lack school readiness skills, which require additional support staff and additional resources."

Said, "Maintaining a safe and secure school environment is essential...Various improvements have been made such as the weapons detection systems, clear book bags, hiring additional SROs at each high school, and enhanced camera surveillance at our schools."

Wants to use funding to maintain safety policies and procedures.

- Said, "Many of these students have challenges in health, well-being, literacy and adequate parental support. Research shows many of these children lack school readiness skills, which require additional support staff and additional resources."
- Said, "Maintaining a safe and secure school environment is essential...Various improvements have been made such as the weapons detection systems, clear book bags, hiring additional SROs at each high school, and enhanced camera surveillance at our schools."
- Wants to use funding to maintain safety policies and procedures.

Wants to recruit and retain "quality teachers."

Wants to implement additional training for teachers and professional learning for alternatively certified teachers to combat teacher shortages and "quality issues."

- Wants to recruit and retain "quality teachers."
- Wants to implement additional training for teachers and professional learning for alternatively certified teachers to combat teacher shortages and "quality issues."

Akita Parmer

- The Board of Education runs the public school system. The Board of Education is entirely independent from the rest of the county 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.
- Board of Education members are elected to four-year terms in nonpartisan elections.