State Ed Officials Work To Save Disabled Sports Program

Georgia education officials hope to save a sports program for disabled students funded by the state. Officials say there is a stopgap plan in-place to keep the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs running in Georgia schools. The non-profit based in Atlanta helps to provide handball, basketball and football games for about 500 state families with disabled athletes. Problems arose when funding for the programs fell victim to the budget ax, with 20-percent in cuts hitting education and other departments. Now, officials expect the program to get a little over $200,000, compared to the typical $700,000.

State sees rise in high school grad rates

State education officials say Georgia’s high school graduation rate is up to its highest level ever. Schools superintendent Kathy Cox says for this year, the final graduation rate hit 75.4 percent--that's a bump of 3 percentage points from last year. The numbers are part of the state’s final Adequate Yearly Progress report. It shows 80 percent of state schools met testing goals required by the No Child Left Behind Act.