April 21, 2026
Re: Midtown High School Go Team Request for Gap Plan for Monitor and Manage Over Utilization
Dear Superintendent Johnson, Assistant Superintendent Douglas, Deputy Superintendent Bradshaw, Dr. Danser, Mr. Drake, Mr. Usher, Board Chair Johnson, Vice Chair Zeff, and ABOE members:
We, the 2025-2026 Midtown HS Go Team, write to request that Atlanta Public Schools promptly develop and implement an interim capacity monitoring and management plan (hereafter termed “Gap Plan”) for Midtown High School. Because the proposed 300 seat addition will take several years to design, fund, and construct, Midtown will need interim strategies to manage capacity while not degrading the educational experience.
We are concerned that we have not yet heard concrete plans from APS to assist Midtown HS in managing utilization during this interim period. Our enrollment has increased at a faster pace than contemplated by the Long Range Facilities Plan (FMP). Next year’s projected enrollment is 1785, which the plan didn’t have Midtown reaching until 2029-2030. The new “choice schools” that are planned will not be open in time to provide interim relief. APS should promptly develop a Gap Plan to support the needs of Midtown HS.
While such a plan could include many components, some essential elements are:
- Ensure safety and educational suitability at all times: Provide ongoing monitoring of fire and life safety conditions, and maintain ADA and IDEA compliance for students with disabilities and 504 accommodations. Midtown already has the lowest Education Suitability Score (75) of all high schools in APS. (See the 2024 Facility Condition and Educational Suitability Assessments).
- Collect data from affected stakeholders: APS should collect data and solicit feedback from Midtown teachers and affected stakeholders, including school administrators and students, on the impacts of utilization. While APS may have already collected some such data through the Georgia School Climate Survey, the questions on the survey were not tailored to the specific needs of how Midtown HS should manage the gap period while utilization is expected to remain above 100%.
- Assist in evaluating and implementing appropriate solutions for managing over-utilization conditions: Midtown High School has already undergone an “innovation” intervention in 2023 and continues to adapt. These past interventions included identifying and converting spaces from other uses to classroom use, purchasing smaller student desks to fit more desks in classrooms, conducting a residency audit, expanding early release and late arrival to more students (this year utilized by almost 70% of Seniors and 25% of Juniors), and trying to encourage more students to participate in dual enrollment. Additional steps to monitor occupancy conditions may include:
a. Annual residency verifications and resubmittal of annual caregiver affidavits.
b. Establish enrollment and daily occupancy thresholds that trigger action by APS before the proposed addition is completed.
c. Establish a “floor” for acceptable educational suitability score.
d. Define a set of “more significant” interventions beyond what has already occurred, identify at which threshold they will be considered, and communicate these intervention possibilities clearly to the community.
4. Provide district support to Midtown HS to implement the Gap Plan: APS should identify a district administrator to assist Midtown HS administration. This support should include:
a. Timelines and critical dates for monitoring, decision points, and communication with the school community.
b. Assistance conducting surveys and other exercises required.
c. Allocating funds from the District budget, not the school-based budget, to support the Gap Plan.
d. Providing updated enrollment projections and be prepared to adapt a proposed long term solution if enrollment patterns continue to outpace the FMP assumptions.
It is essential that APS promptly and proactively support Midtown HS so it is not left to address interim capacity issues on its own.
We look forward to your response, and to collaborating with the district and school administration on these issues.
Sincerely,
The 2025-2026 Midtown High School GO Team
cc: Midtown Cluster Advisory Team
