Georgia’s lowest-performing schools should know by the end of the year whether they’ll be subject to state intervention.
Among the schools that will be considered are eight in the Bibb County district, three in Dooly County and one in Peach County.
Eric Thomas will lead school improvement efforts as the “chief turnaround officer” and starts work Thursday. The state school board hired him on Oct. 25 to fulfill the requirements of a new law, the First Priority Act, that passed in the spring.
The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement identified 104 schools on its Turnaround Eligible Schools List, released Nov. 3. The schools on the report have three-year-average College and Career Readiness Index scores in the bottom 5 percent of the state…
Boys at Hartley Elementary School got free haircuts on Monday, Nov. 13, 2017, during the “Books with Barbers” event at the school. A partnership between several local barbers and the school’s Family Engagement program made the haircuts possible. The boys read books while the barbers cut their hair.
MEDIA CONTACT: Meghan Frick, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 463-4246, mfrick@doe.k12.ga.us
November 8, 2017 — The Georgia Department of Education has named five local school systems as pilot participants in its new Economic Development Partnership (EDP) program. Pilot work will begin with Whitfield County, Marietta City, Newton County, Muscogee County, and Wayne County this school year, with plans to roll out to all interested school systems in the 2019-2020 school year.
The EDP program seeks to promote improved relationships between local school districts and business/industry. The program, which is loosely modeled on GaDOE’s STEM and STEAM certification for schools, aims to meet the workforce development needs of Georgia’s current and future employers and expand opportunities for students. The designation is endorsed by the Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA).
“We have been pleased to partner with the Georgia Department of Education in the development and rollout of the Economic Development Partnership,” GEDA President Kevin Shea said. “We are excited about the potential for an improved partnership with school districts and GEDA member economic development organizations throughout the state of Georgia, to enhance communication and opportunities for business and quality of life and place.”
Alignment of common priorities among education and industry leadership is a central tenet of the program. Pilot systems will work with Department staff to ensure smooth program delivery and broad applicability across the state.
“It’s our primary goal and responsibility to equip students with the tools they need to live successful, rewarding lives after they complete their K-12 education,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “As the primary emphasis for so many businesses has shifted from physical location to future talent, it’s critical that we facilitate a stronger connection between our educational system and the business/industry community. The EDP program will make that connection an ongoing reality in Georgia’s public schools.”
The Economic Development Partnership will include required leadership trainings and a review of local Career Pathway offerings, as well as components that can be scaled or modified to fit individual communities.
“The ability of CTAE to keep up with changes in technology and workforce trends is dependent on building and maintaining open lines of communication and lasting partnerships with business and industry,” said Dr. Barbara Wall, State Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) Director.
A new class at Rutland Middle School involves everything from goats and innovative plant-growing systems to drones and wood projects. The Macon school started its agribusiness program this year, and around 275 students are already involved.
It’s a connections class that students in grades six, seven or eight can take. Andrew Reeves and Robbie Bartlett came from Houston County schools to become the agribusiness teaching team this year. Rutland Middle is one of the only middle schools in the state to have two agribusiness teachers, Principal Richard Key said.
Congressman Hank Johnson of Georgia’s 4th congressional district welcomes attendees to the Region II NNPA/ESSA Black Parent’s Town Hall Meeting on Educational Excellence at the Ebenezer Baptist Church.
The congressman invited parents to join him in his efforts to ensure children receive the education they deserve by getting involved and staying engaged in their child’s school.
By Dr. Elizabeth Primas (Program Manager, NNPA/ESSA Public Awareness Campaign)
Georgia is making every effort to ensure that students have a better chance of performing at proficient or advanced levels on all state exams. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) prioritizes narrowing the achievement gap. As states move to implement ESSA, according to federal guidelines, this priority serves as a guiding force. Georgia proposes a target of decreasing the achievement gap by three percent, annually, which is a small number, when compared to the aggressive goals of ESSA’s predecessor, No Child Left Behind (NCLB), which required the achievement gap be closed by the 2013-14 school year. Educators believe that Georgia’s adjusted target is more attainable. NCLB primarily focused on accountability; this translated into more and more assessments and little attention was paid to the actual instructions and interventions that would guarantee that students receive the quality education needed to advance academically. Schools quickly realized that the targets and goals of NCLB were unrealistic and unachievable.
Under the recently submitted ESSA proposal, Georgia has indicated that they believe substantial progress can be made in closing the achievement gap in 15 years. Georgia will re-evaluate and adjust strategies for improvement every five years using the state’s proposed three percent annual decrease of the achievement gap as a benchmark. This will ensure steady progress towards the goal of 100 percent of students attaining scores at/or above grade level by 2032.
The Every Student Succeeds Act requires each state to provide a detailed plan as to how aggressive goals to close the achievement gap will be met. Georgia has decided to use assessment scores from the 2017-2018 school year to determine the baseline for each student subgroup. That means that they will identify the starting point for each subgroup based on data they collect this school year. Georgia will then determine how much each subgroup should move in a brief period (1-5 years), and how much they should move over the long period (1-15 years), thus establishing short- and long-term goals. Georgia will then look at each student subgroup (diverse populations) to determine where each group is scoring on the English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies tests. After an analysis of the data, Georgia will set incremental goals for each subgroup that align with state-wide short-term and long-term goals.
Throughout the planning process, Georgia has engaged parents, community members, colleges and universities, teachers and administrators, as well as governmental agencies to help set realistic expectations for Georgia’s students.
Several key components emerged from the stakeholder meetings including:
End-of-course exams should be aligned to the actual instructions the students received.
Once students complete core requirements (English, math and science classes) they are eligible to take advanced courses. The advanced courses are offered through a variety of venues…on-line, before and after school, and during the school day.
Georgia will offer dual-language immersion in eight Local Educational Agencies (LEAs), with Spanish and English as the dual-languages.
Students will have the opportunity to earn advanced credits through accelerated enrollment programs, which may be offered through AP/IB and/or dual-enrollment. Georgia pays the tuition for all dual-enrollment high-school students, making this program accessible for disadvantaged and low-income students.
A common thread across statewide feedback sessions emerged: “parents want to ensure that students are exposed to a well-rounded curriculum.”
It appears Georgia is determined to engage the community in a meaningful way and bring community partners into the school improvement process.
Get involved with education in your community and learn more about the Every Student Succeeds Act at www.nnpa.org/essa.
Dr. Elizabeth Primas is an educator, who spent more than 40 years working towards improving education for children of diverse ethnicities and backgrounds. Dr. Primas is the program manager for the NNPA’s Every Student Succeeds Act Public Awareness Campaign. Follow Dr. Primas on Twitter @ElizabethPrima3.
It’s a rainy day in Walker County, Georgia. In most schools, this would mean a day indoors with children and teachers wishing they could be outside. At Gilbert Elementary, you can look out the window and see a group of kindergarteners, in lime green rain suits, splashing their way across the playground on their way to the forest. These students will spend the next two hours making mud pies, building boats from found materials and observing the differences rain makes in their environment.
Gilbert is home to two Forest Kindergarten classes. Rain or shine, hot or cold, the students spend half of their instructional day in the 300 acres of forest. The concept is not a new one. Kindergarten after all means “children’s garden,” but in the days of high-stakes testing and ever-changing standards, the name has come to mean something very different. Forest Kindergarten is a return to the original intent. Students learn to be creative, solve problems and build relationships with their classmates and their environment.
The Forest Kindergarten program at Gilbert is in its third year. The students are performing above their peers on grade level assessments, and they leave the program with the relationship skills, creativity and grit necessary to be successful in the future.
When these students leave Kindergarten, they continue to have opportunities for outdoor and environmental education. The Gilbert Elementary curriculum is built around year-long research projects at each grade level. Kindergarten students raise chickens. First grade has a pollinator project with the Tennessee Aquarium. Second grade does a native plant study with partner schools from around the state. Third graders are organic gardeners. In fourth grade, students manage the forest. They use trail cameras to track wildlife and work with an arborist. Fifth grade focuses on energy conservation and alternative energy. There is also an indoor aquaponics lab, the SPLASH Lab, and a school-wide recycling program.
Gilbert Elementary is proof that change can be made in a traditional public school. The school is 25 years old. There were no grants or outside benefactors, no changes in requirements from the state and no overhaul of the staff. With 87 percent of students qualifying for free and reduced priced lunch, the staff relied on hard work and small donations to make the vision for the school a reality. Gilbert was named a 2017 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School, earned STEM certification from the state of Georgia and been recognized as a Title I Reward School for High Growth, all while moving away from the teach-to-the-test mentality that is so prevalent in education today.
The vision is expanding across Walker County. Other Forest Kindergarten programs are being planned; outdoor education and gardening programs are sprouting up at several elementary schools; and Ridgeland High School’s STEM academy incorporates agriculture in their program. The goal is to create a cohesive vision across Walker County that begins with Kindergarteners splashing across the playground on a rainy day.
Matt Harris is Principal of Gilbert Elementary School. Damon Raines is Superintendent of Walker County Schools.
September 27, 2017 – Georgia’s high school graduation rate has increased for the fifth straight year, from 79.4 percent in 2016 to 80.6 percent in 2017.
This is the first year Georgia’s graduation rate has risen above 80 percent using the adjusted cohort calculation now required by federal law. Fifty Georgia school districts recorded 2017 graduation rates at or above 90 percent.
The graduation rate continues to rise as Georgia’s schools and districts increase students’ access to unique, personalized learning opportunities that keep students engaged – including Career Pathways, dual enrollment, AP and IB programs, work-based learning, and internships. Local districts and schools are utilizing data more effectively to identify students’ individual learning needs; there is increased emphasis on a balanced curriculum that supports the whole child and a positive school climate that allows students to learn in a safe, supportive environment.
“It’s wonderful to see Georgia’s graduation rate continue to rise – and rise above 80 percent this year – because we’re not just talking about data points,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “We’re talking about individual students who are moving on, ready and prepared, to their next phase of life. Georgia’s teachers, districts, and schools are personalizing education for each individual student, making sure those students are motivated and encouraged to stay in the classroom because they’re engaged in their learning, because they see how their education connects with their future goals. I’m thrilled to see 80.6 percent of our students graduating, but we can’t stay here at 80.6 – we need to ensure opportunity for every single student in the state of Georgia. I’m confident we’re on our way and will reach that goal.”
Georgia calculates an adjusted cohort graduation rate as required by federal law. This is the first time Georgia’s state graduation rate has risen above 80 percent using the adjusted cohort calculation.
The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate is the number of students who graduate in four years with a regular high school diploma divided by the number of students who form the adjusted cohort for the graduating class. From the beginning of ninth grade, students who are entering that grade for the first time form a cohort that is subsequently “adjusted” by adding any students who transfer into the cohort during the next three years, and subtracting any students who transfer out.
While all states use the same calculation, each state sets its own requirements for students to earn a regular high school diploma. Georgia has some of the highest requirements in the nation for students to graduate with a regular diploma.
Washington — As part of its ongoing efforts to aid Hurricane Harvey relief efforts and in the wake of Hurricane Irma, the Department of Education released the following update:
Higher Education
Last week (Sept. 6 and 7), FSA conducted pre-disaster outreach to nearly 2,400 institutions in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, foreign schools located in the Caribbean, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. FSA also continues to reach out to institutions in Texas and Louisiana impacted by Hurricane Harvey.
On Sept. 8, 2017, FSA issued a post-disaster email to more than 260 institutions in the Caribbean impacted by Hurricane Irma. In the coming days, FSA will send the post-disaster email to institutions in the continental U.S. impacted by Hurricane Irma.
FSA has established contact with nearly 20 institutions in Puerto Rico affected by Hurricane Irma and is responding to requests for regulatory relief and reporting flexibilities.
FSA has invited 446 impacted institutions to participate in a webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 10:00 a.m. Central Time. FSA and other U.S. Department of Education officials will provide updates on the Department’s guidance related to Hurricane Harvey, as well as ongoing assistance.
FSA has updated the StudentAid.gov/naturaldisaster page to provide general information relevant to students, parents and borrowers affected by a federally declared natural disaster (including hurricanes Harvey and Irma, as well as the wildfires burning in the western U.S.).
K-12
The Department’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) has entered into discussions with the Texas Education Agency about its Project School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV) program. Project SERV grants support activities and services that enable schools to restore the learning environment after a natural or man-made disaster.
OESE will be conducting a webinar on Sept. 19 in collaboration with FEMA on its Public Assistance Program. The Public Assistance Program provides supplemental federal disaster grant assistance for debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement or restoration of disaster-damaged publicly-owned facilities.
OESE is working with its Federal partners and reaching out to State educational agencies in localities impacted by Hurricane Irma to understand the nature and scope of the damage that Irma has inflicted on their educational institutions.
The Department’s Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) has contacted charter schools or their representatives in state affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma regarding their emerging needs. These states are still assessing damage, and the Department expects to provide technical assistance and support as needed in the coming weeks.
OII has contacted the major private school associations in Puerto Rico, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Kentucky via email, in addition to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for their VI schools, to receive updates on the status of their schools in Irma-impacted areas. OII will send a message to all hurricane-impacted areas on Sept. 12 regarding the upcoming ED/FEMA Public Assistance webinar on Sept. 19, 2017.
Office of the Inspector General
On Sept. 10, a team of 10 agents from the Office of the Inspector General arrived at a staging area at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, as part of a quick response team in support of the Federal government’s Emergency Support Function #13 (Public Safety and Security) for Hurricane Irma. They have been assigned to provide security for a Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) in the Florida Keys.
The Department’s K-12 and Higher Education stakeholders who are seeking informational resources as well as those seeking relief from Department-based administrative requirements should contact the Department toll free at 1-844-348-4082 or by email at HarveyRelief@ed.gov and Irmarelief@ed.gov.
By Dr. Elizabeth Primas (Program Manager, NNPA/ESSA Public Awareness Campaign)
