• District 5: LaChandra D. Butler Burks
     
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    "A Voice For OUR Children"

    Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, LaChandra Butler Burks’ passion for children and commitment to education has been evident all of her adult life. As a product of Atlanta Public Schools, she considers it an honor to now serve as a member of the Atlanta Board of Education because it allows her to fight daily to have quality, public education for the children of a city she dearly loves.  It is her strong belief that everyone must be involved in making sure that children are whole and well.

    A graduate of L.P. Miles Elementary School and C.L. Harper High School with a Bachelors Degree from State University of West Georgia, (formerly West Georgia College), a Masters of Business Administration and  Masters of Arts in Teaching, Burks received most of her political experience from having worked under the leadership of three Atlanta mayors for 13 years. 

    On the Atlanta Board of Education since 2005, LaChandra previously served as Chair of the Board and Chair of the APS Budget Commission where she was responsible for facilitating her colleagues in setting and overseeing the school system’s $645 million general fund operating budget.  The approval of the budget led to maintaining the school system’s elementary school reforms, high school transformation and the start-up of two single-gender academies (The B.E.S.T. at Benjamin S. Carson and Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy).  APS continues to receive national media coverage and has received numerous honors for the systemic academic gains demonstrated as a result of these non-traditional urban school initiatives.

    LaChandra also serves on the Board of Directors for the Atlanta Development Authority, Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. and The Atlanta Education Fund.

    As an active member of Elizabeth Baptist Church, LaChandra led the efforts to start their accredited, quality early childhood program (Indelible Impressions Learning Center) and private Christian Academy (Legacy Christian Academy).  She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

    LaChandra is married to Anthony J. Burks and has a step daughter.