Barnes promises more freedom to best schools under next reform effort

ATLANTA - Governor Barnes told the state&#39;s school superintendents Wednesday that he will propose changes to his education reform plan next year to give more freedom to top-performing schools and more help to struggling schools. <br> <br> But he warned educators that his reform initiative, which is under fire from his Republican rival, Sonny Perdue, could be ``our last shot&#39;&#39; at improving public schools sufficiently to keep students and parents from defecting to private schools in droves. <br> <br> The governor told the Georgia Association of School Superintendents, ``I&#39;m not telling you that everything is perfect in education reform, and I&#39;ve said many times it is a work in progress. But we should not start over and abandon this effort. This is our last shot. We either do it now or we&#39;re going to suffer the consequences, and the public is going to make all of us suffer the consequences.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Perdue, who fought Barnes&#39; education plan in the Legislature and has promised to retool the program if elected, addressed the group later and rated the governor&#39;s reform plan a failure. <br> <br> Perdue said, ``Roy Barnes has not been an education governor. He&#39;s been an education failure and Georgia&#39;s students are paying the price.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Perdue vowed to include educators ``in undoing the damage that the governor has done to our education system.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The GOP nominee&#39;s plan calls for reduced red tape and paperwork to give teachers more time with students.