More Schools in Georgia Making Progress

Standardized testing shows more schools in Georgia are making progress year to year. Annual Yearly Progress is the standard indicator of school performance. This year, seventy nine percent of public schools in Georgia made AYP-- that’s a ten percent jump from this time last year.

The State Department of Education partly attributes the leap to better math scores on standardized tests.

“We saw a lot of improvement in CRCT scores in mathematics, especially in elementary and middle schools,” said Spokesperson Dana Tofig, “and we think that’s what played into more schools making AYP this year.”

Math is a subject many schools struggle with across the state, including Radloff Middle School in Gwinnett County north of Atlanta. It’s had a needs improvement status for the past 3 years. But this year it shed that label. Principal Patty Hietmuller shares how.

“We provided 40 minutes of extra math instruction everyday," said Hietmuller. She also touts goal setting as key to their success.

Schools that under perform in any given for two years in a row get a needs improvement status. Then they have to work with the state to make a plan to get better. This year, 334 schools are on the needs improvement list; that’s 6 fewer than last year.

Parents at those schools must be notified so they can choose whether to send their children to a different school.

Lawmakers Lure Math, Science Teachers with More Money

Governor Sonny Perdue's plan to attract more math and science teachers to the state passed the Senate Thursday with flying colors.

Georgia has a critical shortage of teachers in math and science. One estimate says 1,800 are needed by next year.

That's why the governor wants to pay new math and science teachers at the same rate as fourth-year educators for grades six and up. And elementary teachers certified in either field would get a $1,000 bonus as well.

Perdue hopes the incentive drives more educators to the state.

Teachers already working in schools would get the same benefits.

But eligible teachers would have to meet performance standards to keep the extra cash.

Because the Senate made minor changes, the bill now heads back to the House.

Gifted middle schoolers get more credit

Gifted eighth-graders taking high school math can now count their work toward graduation. The state Board of Education has approved the waivers. The waivers benefit high-achieving students in 21 school systems.

More math and science next year for high schoolers

Next year's high school freshmen will take more math and science than their predecessors. The changes are expected to be approved next week by the state Board of Education. The goal is to increase Georgia’s high school graduation rate and the number of students entering college. The new rules would do away with the state's four-tiered diploma system that required different classes for students depending on their post-graduation plans.

Georgia lacking science and math teachers

Georgia isn’t producing enough math or science teachers. That’s according to a new report by the University System of Georgia. The report says in the next three years, schools will need nearly seven times more math and science teachers than the state is currently producing. In response, the university system is launching a statewide campaign to boost math, science and engineering graduates from 4,700 to 7,200 over five years.