Cheating Sparks Law Debate

The head of the state's Senate education committee wants to create a law that would levy criminal charges against educators who change answers on standardized tests. Sen. Dan Weber is calling for the new law in response to an audit released last week by the state showing that someone altered answers on the fifth-grade Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests to improve scores at four elementary schools last summer. At one of the schools - Atherton Elementary in DeKalb County - the principal resigned and the assistant principal was reassigned late last week after officials discovered they tampered with the tests. The higher scores helped all four schools meet federal No Child Left Behind standards.

(Associated Press)

Forsyth County Schools OK'd For 'Flex Contract'

The Georgia school board has approved the state's second district to join a new program freeing schools from many education mandates. The board voted 11-1 on Thursday to allow the Forsyth County school district to enter into a "flexibility contract" with the state. The contracts give districts a break from state requirements like class size and teacher pay in exchange for promises that students will perform better than is required under the federal No Child Left Behind standards.

Gwinnett County, the state's largest district with 158,000 students, was the first to enter into such a contract based on a 2008 state law. Forsyth County schools have about 32,500 students.

-The Associated Press-

Another County Gains Education Flexibility

The Georgia school board has approved the state's second district to join a new program freeing schools from many education mandates. The board voted 11-1 on Thursday to allow the Forsyth County school district to enter into a "flexibility contract" with the state. The contracts give districts a break from state requirements like class size and teacher pay in exchange for promises that students will perform better than is required under the federal No Child Left Behind standards. Gwinnett County was the first to enter into such a contract.

(Associated Press)

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.

Georgia bucks national education trend

Georgia bucks the national trends on school performance under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, according to a new report. Unlike most states, the Center on Education Policy says fewer Georgia schools are facing the stiffest sanctions under the law. The number of Georgia schools taking last resort measures to improve fell from 51 in 2004 to 46 last year. But the report from says the drop could be because Georgia sets the bar too low for what is considered proficient.

(Associated Press)

Schools May Come Under State Control

When the state Department Of Education’s AYP or Adequate Yearly Progress report is issued later this month, it’s estimated nearly 70 schools will be designated as needs improvement.

Under a pilot program sponsored by the federal government, those schools will be allowed to participate in an alternative accountability plan.

The new plan calls for Georgia schools faced with more than five years of needs improvement status to come under direct supervision of the state.

The federal Differentiated Accountability Plan allows schools to design alternative plans to the highly structured No Child Left Behind Act.

Previously, the state waited to intervene until a school was in needs improvement status for seven consecutive years.

Dana Tofig is with the Georgia Department of Education.

“The school and state enter into a contract. And, the contract says the school is going do these things to try to improve and the state is going to do these things to try to help them. We’re just there to provide assistance. Also try to provide some level of accountability. We are now a party to a contract that says ‘we’re going to improve this school.’

The state will pay for a full-time school improvement specialist at each of the more than 60 schools expected to be deemed needs improvement.

The plan will not abolish local school board or eliminate school administrators.

Georgia educators in DC

Over 160 state educators are in Washington this weekend to press for Georgia’s needs at the National Education Association convention. Edgar Treiguts reports.

The topic of the No Child Left Behind law will get heavy discussion at the national gathering.

Jeff Hubbard is president of the Georgia Association of Educators, a teacher advocacy group. He says pressing for changes to NCLB will be a main focus of the Georgia delegation.

"The political campaign for 2008 very crucial for the next 4 years and regards to talking about the re-authorization of NCLB. Health care has been a very dramatic issue-or the lack thereof-, for our children and education employees. These are 2 things we’re going to very carefully be looking at".

Hubbard says he’s thrilled with this week’s announcement that Georgia and some other states will get more flexibility in the implementation of NCLB.

However, concerning recent state CRCT scores, Hubbard says teachers need more training on the new math curriculum.

Schools Superintendent wants pushback of school year

State Schools Superintendent Kathy Cox wants local districts to push back the start of classes to late August. The request is aimed to help Georgia’s place in federal ‘No Child Left Behind’ requirements. The extra time would allow state education officials to include retesting numbers for many students, instead of using the failing marks that many receive the first time they take Georgia’s standardized exams. The request is voluntary for each of the state’s 180 school districts—the change would be effective in fall 2009. Cox will present the proposal at the Georgia School Boards Association meeting this coming weekend in Savannah.

Muscogee Co. schools win state awards

Four schools in the Muscogee County School District recently received honors from the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement as Single Statewide Accountability System (SSAS) institutions. They are:

• Britt David Elementary Magnet Academy - Platinum
• Columbus High School - Platinum
• Mathews Elementary - Bronze
• Gentian Elementary - silver: "Greatest Gain Winner."
  

Awards are presented to schools that show excellence in student achievement and/or progress in student achievement, according to a release by the school district. More information is available here: http://www.gaosa.org/

Click here for more GPB coverage of educational affairs.

Many schools fall short of No Child Left Behind standards

The number of troubled public schools not making enough progress as required by the No Child Left Behind act is growing. But overall, more schools have passed the requirements.

About 81 percent of the state's public schools made adequate yearly progress, which is an improvement from last year's 79 percent. But many schools are failing to meet that standard for two years in a row, and the number of them has risen after a drop last year.

Over 320 schools are now on the state's "needs improvement" list. Seventy percent of them did not meet the standards in English. Only 39 percent have met the standards in Math. Officials say that's why Math must get more focus in Georgia these days.

In order to get off the "needs improvement" list, these schools have to meet the federal standards for two years straight. They often offer extra tutoring and student transfers to better schools.