Georgia Education

Title I Distinguished Schools and Districts Awarded

2012-01-12T12:47:00.002-05:00

824 Schools Made AYP Three Consecutive Years or More

State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge today named 824 Georgia Title I Distinguished Schools and four Title I Distinguished Districts.

"These schools are showing that high expectations, coupled with effective educators in the building, produce outstanding student achievement," Superintendent Barge said. "I'm very pleased to recognize the educators, students and parents in these schools and school districts."

Title I schools have significant populations of students who are economically disadvantaged. These schools receive federal money to assist with the education of their students. There are two National Title I Distinguished Schools among the total 824 Georgia Title I Distinguished Schools. Title I Distinguished Schools have made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) at least three years in a row.

"With the academic bar increasing each year, it is not easy to continue making AYP," Superintendent Barge said. "These 824 schools have proven that it can be done even when there are challenges."

Title I Distinguished Schools that have made AYP for three consecutive years are awarded a certificate, while those who have made AYP eight or more years receive a monetary award, paid for out of federal funds.

TITLE I DISTINGUISHED DISTRICTS
There are also four Title I Distinguished Districts, recognizing school systems in four different size categories -- Large District, Medium District, Small District and Very Small District. The awarded districts have closed the achievement gap the most between economically disadvantaged students and students who are not economically disadvantaged in each category. The results of the reading, English language arts and mathematics portions of the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) and the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) are used to determine achievement.

The 2011-2012 Title I Distinguished Districts are:
- Large District: Spalding County
- Medium: Carrollton City
- Small District: Ben Hill County
- Very Small District: Chickamauga City

The winning districts each received $50,000 from federal funds.

NATIONAL TITLE I DISTINGUISHED SCHOOLS
The National Title I Distinguished Schools program recognizes two schools that receive Title I funding. One school is recognized for closing the achievement gap between economically disadvantaged students and students that are not economically disadvantaged. The other school is recognized for exceeding the benchmarks required to make AYP. The CRCT and GHSGT results in reading, English language arts and mathematics are used to determine the winning schools.

The two National Title I Distinguished Schools are:
- Closing the Gap: Brooks County Middle - Brooks County
- Meets and Exceeds Performance: Fayette Middle School - Fayette County

Each school received $15,000 in addition to their FY11 Title I Distinguished Schools allocation.

Distinguished Schools List - https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=1262&AID=350010&MID=21836

2011 Georgia Schools of Excellence Named

2011-12-13T19:40:00.002-05:00

Twenty-six Schools Named for 2011

State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge named the 2011 Georgia Schools of Excellence in Student Achievement today, honoring 26 schools that have shown the greatest improvement or highest achievement across the state. Each of these schools will receive a $1,000 check from Georgia Natural Gas to be used however they wish.

"These schools are showing that excellence can be achieved when they focus on providing a world-class education for their students," Superintendent Barge said. "I offer my sincere congratulations to our 2011 Georgia Schools of Excellence and my appreciation to Georgia Natural Gas for their continued support of our schools as the title sponsor. As we continue to deal with tough economic times, schools are always looking for ways to generate revenue to benefit their students. I would highly encourage principals and parents to consider getting their schools on board with True-Blue Schools immediately to generate much-needed money.” To learn more about True-Blue Schools, go to www.gfpe.org.

“At Georgia Natural Gas, we've always been committed to strengthening the communities we serve,” said Georgia Natural Gas CEO Mike Braswell. “That’s why we are a Georgia Partner in Education and proud sponsor of the 2011 Georgia Schools of Excellence and Georgia Teacher of the Year programs.”

“Through our TrueBlue Schools Program, Georgia Natural Gas is also directly impacting students and teachers in the classroom by helping Georgia schools raise $2 million to pay for books, art supplies, music programs, field trips, classroom technology and anything else they may need,” Braswell said.

United Healthcare is also a sponsor for the 2011 Schools of Excellence program.

The Georgia Schools of Excellence are honored in two categories. Qualifying schools are chosen from each Congressional District in the following categories (full criteria attached below):
- Top 10%: Schools that are in the top 10 percent in Georgia as measured by assessments in reading and mathematics.
- Greatest Gains: Schools that demonstrated greatest continuous gains in student achievement for the past three years as measured by assessments in reading and mathematics.

2011 GEORGIA SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE

GREATEST GAINS
Congressional District, School, System
1. Matilda Harris Elementary, Camden County
2. Potter Street Elementary, Decatur County
3. Rosemont Elementary, Troup County
4. Pine Street Elementary, Rockdale County
5. Clairemont Elementary, City Schools of Decatur
6. Sprayberry High, Cobb County
7. Level Creek Elementary, Gwinnett County
8. Heard-Mixon Elementary, Newton County
9. Settles Bridge Elementary, Forsyth County
10. Demorest Elementary, Habersham County
11. Hillgrove High, Cobb County
12. Heard Elementary, Savannah-Chatham County
13. Stockbridge Elementary, Henry County

TOP 10%
Congressional District, School, System

1. Oglethorpe Point Elementary, Glynn County
2. Westside Elementary, Lowndes County
3. Peeples Elementary, Fayette County
4. Oak Grove Elementary, DeKalb County
5. Morningside Elementary, Atlanta Public Schools
6. Vanderlyn Elementary, DeKalb County
7. Shiloh Point Elementary, Forsyth County
8. Alexander II Magnet, Bibb County
9. Vickery Creek Elementary, Forsyth County
10. Stevens Creek Elementary, Columbia County
11. Jones Elementary, Bremen City
12 Savannah Arts Academy, Savannah-Chatham County
13. Holly Springs Elementary, Douglas County

Georgia Virtual School Increases Opportunities for Students

2011-09-06T12:02:00.002-04:00

More Online Credit, Shared Content Among New Additions
Georgia students now possess greater choice and flexibility in how they choose to tailor their educational experience. In July, the State Board of Education increased the amount of Carnegie units that a student is eligible to take per semester. This change no longer limits students to the one full unit per semester but increases the amount of Virtual School content available to a student per semester, and even permits students to take their entire course load through the Georgia Virtual School with FTE funding.

"My vision is to Make Education Work for All Georgians," said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge. "This change to allow students to take more courses through the Georgia Virtual School is a huge step toward making education work for our students.."

Additionally, the Georgia Virtual School has made available online its full course content in many core subject areas including middle school courses, which are fully aligned to the Georgia Performance Standards. Known as Free Shared Resources, this online content includes free digital resources such as interactive video lessons, self-check assessments, and educational links to help enrich instruction for students of all levels. Any student, parent, and educator in the state can access the most current listing of shared learning content by visiting www.gavirtuallearning.org and clicking on the resources tab.

If you’d like more information about Georgia Virtual Learning, or to find out how Georgia Virtual School can enhance your child’s education, please visit www.gavirtuallearning.org or www.gavirtualschool.org.

Statement from State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge Regarding the Supreme Court's Ruling on the Charter Schools Commission

2011-05-16T14:05:00.000-04:00

Below is a statement from State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge regarding the Supreme Court's ruling on the Charter Schools Commission.

"With today's Supreme Court ruling against the legality of the Charter Schools Commission, the state stands ready to help in whatever way necessary to ensure that the education of the students in these schools is not compromised," said Superintendent Barge. "I will be working closely with the State Board of Education to see what flexibility can be offered for these schools."

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Graduation Test Scores Increase in English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies

2011-05-16T14:00:00.000-04:00

Results of the 2011 Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) show student scores increased in all content areas where there is historical data - science, social studies and English language arts. Because this is the first year the more rigorous Georgia Performance Standards (GPS)-based mathematics GHSGT was given, there is no historical data to compare from year to year in that content area.

"The results of the 2011 GHSGT are very encouraging,” State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge said. "These scores give us a good indicator that students and teachers continue to rise to the challenge of a more rigorous curriculum.”

The percentage of students passing the English language arts GHSGT (91%) increased one percentage point from 2010. In science, 93% of students passed the test, an increase of three percentage points from last year. Finally, in social studies, 80% of students passed the GHSGT, a two percentage point increase over last year’s results.

For the first time this year, the GHSGT in mathematics is GPS-based. On the mathematics exam, 84% of students passed, an expected decrease from last year’s Quality Core Curriculum-based exam (91%).

In March 2011, the State Board of Education approved Superintendent Barge’s recommendation to allow school districts to teach math with an integrated or discrete delivery method.

"We know many students have struggled with the integrated approach to mathematics,” said Superintendent Barge. “A one-size-fits-all approach is not in the best interest of all of our students, but high expectations and our rigorous curriculum are right for all of them. We expected a decline in results for the math portion of the GHSGT, but based on feedback from school districts, we anticipated a more dramatic decline.”

Project ExPreSS Offered for Students Needing Remediation in Mathematics
The Exam Preparation for Student Success (ExPreSS) program is a free, two-week summer remediation program for Georgia public high school juniors who were first-time test-takers this year and did not pass the mathematics portion of the GHSGT.

About the Georgia High School Graduation Tests
The GHSGT are given to high school students for the first time in the spring of their junior year. All four portions of the test, plus the Georgia High School Writing Test, must be passed in order for a student to receive a full diploma from a Georgia public high school. Students can retake the GHSGT as many times as needed to pass the exams.

Since 2005, the state has been implementing the Georgia Performance Standards, a more rigorous and focused curriculum in the core areas of mathematics, English language arts, social studies and science. As the curriculum is phased in, the state's tests are being aligned to match the GPS.

Since the GHSGT assess cumulative knowledge, the new curriculum must be in place for three years before the exams can be fully aligned to the GPS. The science and English language arts GHSGT were aligned to the GPS for the first time in spring 2008. The social studies exam transitioned to a GPS test in spring 2010, and the mathematics exam transitioned to the GPS for the first time this spring.

The new, GPS-aligned tests are graded on four scoring levels – below proficiency, basic proficiency, advanced proficiency and honors. The tests aligned to the old curriculum are scored on three levels – did not pass, pass and pass plus.

At their April 2011 meeting, the State Board of Education approved Superintendent Barge's recommendation to phase out the GHSGT beginning with students entering ninth grade for the first time in 2011. For details about the phase-out plan, visit http://www.gadoe.org/pea_communications.aspx?ViewMode=1&obj=2032.

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AFC Praises Improvements to Georgia Tax Credit Scholarship Program

2011-05-16T13:46:00.000-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The American Federation for Children today (May 13) praised its Georgia state allies, Governor Nathan Deal, and state legislators for the passage of revisions to a Georgia school choice program that will raise the cap on the number of eligible students, better secure their places in the program once admitted, and significantly increase the program's transparency and accountability.

Gov. Deal yesterday signed into law House Bill 325, which was passed with bipartisan support by state legislators late last month thanks in large part to the grassroots efforts of Center for Educated Georgia and the strong leadership from bill sponsors Sen. Chip Rogers, Rep. David Casas, Rep. Earl Ehrhart, and Rep. Delvis Dutton.

The bill strengthens and clarifies key provisions of the Georgia Scholarship Tax Credit Program, including the stipulation that students who enter the program can continue receiving scholarships until their high school graduation. The plan also calls for the program to expand its eligibility by eliminating the requirement that first-grade participants attend a public school the year prior to entering the scholarship program.

Other provisions include an increase in the amount of time donors have to make contributions, the ability for donors to contribute online, and a change in how individual scholarship amounts will be capped. Scholarship caps will now be based on the average per-student funding for public education in the state, the result of which will ensure that the state does not incur additional costs as a result of the program.

"This is an important step in ensuring that Georgia families are getting the access to educational options they deserve," said Betsy DeVos, chairman of the American Federation for Children. "We applaud state legislators and Governor Deal for helping make a great program that helps kids even better. These changes will benefit not only students and their families, but also the taxpayers of Georgia, too."

The new eligibility requirements and scholarship amounts are coupled with more stringent accountability standards for the Student Scholarship Organizations (SSOs)—the organizations to which donors contribute and that ultimately grant scholarships. SSOs must now maintain an independent board of directors with at least three members, in addition to the already existing requirements that they submit to annual audits and independent reviews of all financial statements.

House Bill 325 also gives authority to the state Department of Revenue to take punitive action against any SSO not in compliance with the law.

Enacted in 2008, the Georgia Scholarship Tax Credit Program currently serves over 6,000 students across the state, having more than doubled its enrollment from just a year ago. One of two school choice programs in the state, Georgia has nearly 9,000 students who are currently benefitting from school choice.

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Regents Approve ‘State College’ Status for Four USG Institutions

2011-05-11T12:48:00.000-04:00

Four of the University System of Georgia’s (USG) current two-year colleges are set to offer limited bachelor’s degree programs, following approval today (May 10) by the Board of Regents to change their institutional mission to that of a “state college.”

The four institutions are Darton College in Albany, Georgia Highlands College in Rome, and in metropolitan Atlanta, both Atlanta Metropolitan College and Georgia Perimeter College.

“The Board’s actions reflect the evolving role of our access institutions as we identify specific job-related and economic development needs throughout the state,” said Rob Watts, chief operating officer for the USG. “Officials at these institutions have made a strong and data-driven case to the Board for the mission change and for the needs in these communities for specific baccalaureate degree programs.”

The state college sector was established in 1998 and categorizes two-year, associate-degree granting institutions that have been authorized by the Board to offer a limited number of four-year baccalaureate degree programs. The University System’s other institutional categories are: research universities, regional universities, state universities, and two-year colleges. With today’s actions, there are now 12 USG institutions in the state college sector.

Two of the mission changes – at Darton College and Georgia Highlands College – reflect the regents’ ongoing focus on meeting the growing need and ongoing shortages of healthcare professionals in Georgia, specifically in nursing.

Both institutions currently offer associate’s level nursing programs. The Board’s approval will allow them to offer a bachelor of science in nursing degree, targeted to existing holders of a registered nurse license and associate’s degree who wish to complete a bachelor’s degree.

In 2006, the Health Resources and Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services reported that Georgia would have a deficit of nearly 38,000 registered nurses by 2020, absent any action by state leaders. Further, a 2010 report from the Institute of Medicine indicated the need for each state to raise the credentials of its nursing workforce towards the baccalaureate degree to improve quality of care, and reduce medical errors and costs.

A review of registered nurse job openings at area hospitals in Darton’s service area found that approximately 232 registered nurse positions exist at various hospitals and health-related agencies. Darton’s new nursing program will help to increase the production of nurses in the region, complementing the existing efforts of both Albany State University and Georgia Southwestern State University’s nursing degree programs.

Georgia Highlands College’s new nursing degree will help to meet the needs for nurses in north and northwest Georgia and serve the educational needs of local students who for time and financial limitations cannot pursue a baccalaureate degree outside the region served by the College.

In the Atlanta metro region, the change in mission status for Atlanta Metropolitan College, located in south Atlanta, and Georgia Perimeter College, which serves Atlanta’s northeast and eastern suburbs, will result in very different targeted bachelor’s degree offerings.

Atlanta Metro will offer its first bachelor of science with a major in the biological sciences. This degree is specifically designed to increase the pipeline of students who earn degrees in STEM disciplines – science, technology, engineering and mathematics. While the program as approved today by the Board does not include a teacher certification component, College officials have future plans to add this. Program graduates will have entry-level opportunities for immediate employment and offer the foundation for those students who seek a master’s or higher-level degrees.

At Georgia Perimeter, the Board has authorized the establishment of two bachelor degree programs: a bachelor of arts with a major in sign language interpreting and a bachelor of science with a major in health informatics.

While Georgia Perimeter currently offers an associate and certificate level program in sign language interpreting, a new requirement by the field’s national professional organization and certifying body that goes into effect in July 2012 will require candidates who wish to sit for the Registered Health Information Administration Certification exam to have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. The new bachelor’s degree program at the College will ensure program graduates are eligible for certification.

The U.S. Bureau of Statistics in 2008 projected a need for additional health informatics specialists, who manage patient information systems. Students will be able to enroll in the program at any of the College’s five campuses.

The start date for the five new bachelor’s degree programs at the four institutions will vary, dependent upon review and approval from the relevant accrediting organizations.

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America’s First ‘Green Flag’ Flies Over Sustainable Savannah School

2011-05-10T10:20:00.000-04:00

Editor's Note: Kudos to the Savannah Country Day School for this great accomplishment. Click here if you want information on how to make your school and Ed-School.

Savannah Country Day School in Georgia was named the nation’s first Green Flag Eco-School in a ceremony yesterday (April 28), signifying exceptional achievement in ‘greening’ school grounds, operations and curricula. The school achieved this honor through a combination of excellence by “green” management of its facilities and grounds, providing opportunities for outdoor education and by integrating environmental learning throughout its curricula.

The Eco-Schools USA program, which is hosted by National Wildlife Federation, counts nearly 500 schools and some 205,000 students among its participants, but none has achieved the program’s highest honor, the Green Flag, until now.

“The Green Flag is special – and only awarded to those schools who have demonstrated a commitment to environmental sustainability and increasing environmental literacy for its students, faculty, and wider school community,” said Laura Hickey, Senior Director of Eco-Schools USA, on hand for the official flag-raising.

Also in attendance for the event were the City of Savannah’s Mayor Pro Tem, Edna Jackson, and Environmental Affairs Officer Laura Walker. Jackson congratulated the school and thanked cheering students and staff for helping to make Savannah a “Green City.”

To win the first Green Flag, Savannah Country Day School, which completed a Silver LEED-certified lower school building in 2008, tackled a variety of sustainability projects, including lunchroom recycling and composting programs, a well-tended vegetable garden, environmental current events coursework and school-supported ‘outdoor classroom time.’ This was in keeping with Eco-Schools USA’s uniquely holistic approach—‘greening’ the school building, the school grounds and the student curriculum and experience.

Hickey’s official certification tour of the school included a visit to the previously-certified NWF Schoolyard Habitat and a demonstration of cistern use and garden upkeep by a student Eco-Action Team, but 'green living isn't limited to a select group---or grade---of students at Savannah Country Day.

In kindergarten, students tend to a natural herb garden, moving on to a fruit orchard in first grade. Second-graders study monarch butterfly eggs, and third-graders take care of a full organic vegetable garden. The entire school supports composting of pre-consumer waste and participates in a "green hour" program allowing children to be outside every week for instruction time (in addition to recess).

Among the more unique elements of sustainable life at Savannah Country Day School is lunchtime, which goes well beyond the usual tater-tots and milk cartons: produce from the school garden is regularly prepared and served to students in the dining hall, with dishes containing it identified with a "From Here" label. The school chef often creates a display of garden vegetables to entice youngsters to try them, and local food vendors are celebrated with "Meet the Farmer" signage. All kitchen scraps and food waste are added to the school's compost pile. The school's dining program is managed by SAGE Dining Services.

Many schools have implemented the Eco-Schools USA program, some earning Bronze- and Silver-level awards for their progress (Georgia alone boasts 14 Eco-Schools). The heretofore unclaimed Green Flag requires a rigorous combination of environmental audits, curriculum reinvention and internal and external monitoring.

The program is designed to help schools in a variety of ways, including saving money, reducing waste and improving student academic performance and environmental awareness (more benefits listed here). Once a school has registered and implemented the Seven Steps of the program, it can apply for an Eco-Schools award. A school is considered to be a permanent Eco-School once it has gained its fourth Green Flag.

The Eco-Schools program is an international network of 38,000 K-12 schools in 51 countries, started in 1994 by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) with support by the European Commission. It was named by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) as a model initiative for Education for Sustainable Development in 2003. NWF was named the stateside host in 2008, thus formally launching Eco-Schools USA.

The award came just days after the U.S. Department of Education announced the creation of the Green Ribbon Schools program, which will similarly recognize schools that have taken great strides in greening their curricula, buildings, school grounds and overall building operations. That program, which is to be modeled on the nearly 30-year-old Blue Ribbon Schools program that recognizes schools whose student bodies have displayed high academic achievement or improvement, will help establish guidelines for overall sustainability in American schools. NWF and other organizations had pushed for the implementation of that program for the past year.

“American schools already led the way on innovation,” said Kevin Coyle, Vice President for Education and Training at NWF. “Now, in addition to revamping their buildings and grounds, they are increasingly setting a high standard for sustainability education and becoming truly green.”

By Max Greenberg
National Wildlife Federation

Source: National Wildlife Federation

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Southern Polytechnic State University and High Museum of Art Form a Unique Alliance

2011-05-09T19:26:00.000-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) has established a unique affiliation with the High Museum of Art in Atlanta that will give students and faculty access to the museum's exhibitions, collections and programs.

"I'm happy to note that we are the first University System of Georgia institution to have such an affiliation," said Dr. Zvi Szafran, vice president for academic affairs.

He cited the following benefits to the university:

* Faculty members will be able to take their classes on field trips to the museum at no cost to the students or faculty members.
* Students can visit the High Museum of Art free of charge at any time by showing their SPSU ID; faculty members will receive a discount with ID on daily tickets and on individual, dual or family memberships.
* The museum will conduct two SPSU campus lectures or programs per year at SPSU and will provide faculty members and students with access to visiting artists and scholars.
* The museum will provide internships in Collections and Exhibitions, Education, Marketing and Communications, or Advancement for up to two undergraduate students per year (one per semester).
* The museum will host an SPSU event each year. The first one will take place on June 8, when participants of the Polytechnic Summit will tour the "Modern by Design" exhibition of work from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) just days after it opens at the High Museum of Art.

"This partnership truly allows for the integration of the visual arts into the educational curriculum of SPSU," added Dr. Szafran.

Aside from gaining interns, the museum will also benefit in another way from the expertise available at SPSU. A few select students in SPSU's mechatronics program with training in robotics are assisting with the installation and maintenance of one of the pieces in the MoMA exhibition. "Digital Matter" is a major work of art by iconic Dutch designer Joris Laarman. This kinetic installation features a robot that will construct, disassemble and reconstruct a piece of furniture over an extended period of time.

"Our affiliation with the High Museum of Art is a win-win," said Dr. Szafran. "Both institutions benefit from each others' unique strengths. We're expecting that many interesting collaborations will result from this alliance.

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State Board of Education Approves Waiver Requests For School Systems Impacted by Violent Storms

2011-05-09T19:13:00.000-04:00

The State Board of Education today (May 6) unanimously approved State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge’s recommendation to grant requests from five local school systems to waive the required number of instructional days as a result of the violent storms that swept through Georgia last week. Dade, Floyd, Meriwether, Spalding, and Walker County School Systems suffered severe damage to several school buildings during the April 27th storms that have forced them to use up their allotted emergency days. At a special called meeting today, the board voted to allow these five systems to waive the 180 school-day equivalent so that they will not be required to make up these lost days.

“These schools and communities have been struck by a terrible tragedy," said Superintendent Barge. "While we cannot replace the lives that were lost or undo the damage that was done, we can provide the flexibility they need to help facilitate rebuilding and recovery. The families and communities affected by this tragedy are in our prayers. We hope today’s action will make this recovery process a little easier for them.”

Today’s board vote specifically waived SBOE Rule 160-5-1-.02 School Day and School Year for Students and Employees. For the individual waiver requests, please visit https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/meetings/viewmeetingOrder.aspx?S=1262&MID=19505.

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2012 Georgia Teacher of the Year Named

2011-05-09T19:09:00.000-04:00

Jadun O. McCarthy, an English Language Arts teacher from Northeast Health Science Magnet High School in Bibb County, has been named the 2012 Georgia Teacher of the Year.

Mr. McCarthy was named the winner of the award at the annual Georgia Teacher of the Year banquet held at the Georgia World Congress Center. As Georgia Teacher of the Year, he will serve as an advocate for public education in Georgia.

"Jadun McCarthy is going to be a great representative of the teaching profession in Georgia," said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge. "He has such a compelling story about how education has impacted his life."

A product of the Bibb County School District, Mr. McCarthy initially was going to pursue a career in law. The night of his graduation from the University of Georgia School of Law, he realized that, instead of working in a system that locks up people, he would rather follow in the footsteps of the people who provided him the tools to be successful: his teachers.

"I wanted to have the same influence on someone that many of my wonderful teachers had on me. I wanted to stop some young man or young woman from stumbling onto the wrong path," says Mr. McCarthy. "I wanted to be a teacher."

Mr. McCarthy serves as the Academic Bowl Team Head Coach, chairs the school's 'Bridging the Gap' Eight-Step Process Achievement Initiative team, and is a member of the Georgia Association of Educators. Since 2007, he has been recognized each year as one of Northeast High School's End of Course Test Start Teachers. He also serves as the Junior and Senior Class Advisor, coordinates the Junior/Senior Prom and all Senior activities, including the annual Senior Class Trip to Orlando. Students have recognized him as the 2008, 2009, and 2010 Advisor of the Year.

As Georgia Teacher of the Year, Mr. McCarthy will represent Georgia teachers by speaking to the public about the teaching profession and possibly conducting workshops and programs for educators. He will also compete for the 2012 National Teacher of the Year.

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Accomplished Educator & Administrator Dr. Monica Henson to Lead Provost Academy Georgia

2011-04-28T13:04:00.002-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The Executive Director of Georgia's new public online high school, Dr. Monica Henson brings not only her twenty-plus years of experience in education as both an administrator and teacher; but also her leadership and vision as an advocate in the use of innovative education technology to personalize and accelerate learning for students.

Education has experienced many changes in recent years, with the most significant being that today's high school students learn much differently than students did just ten years ago," Dr. Henson observed. "They have never known a world without computers or the internet so they are skilled at continuous interaction with technology, and can benefit from an education that utilizes stimulating virtual curriculum designed specifically for them."

Provost Academy is the new state-authorized public online high school that is free of charge to residents of Georgia. Backed by global education service provider, EdisonLearning, Provost Academy's unique individualized learning experience will combine a rigorous curriculum with a personal high-touch approach to help students achieve and succeed.

"We are extremely pleased and honored that Dr. Henson has accepted the leadership role at Provost Academy," said Sherri Brown Breunig, a long-time Georgia public school educator and chairman of the Provost Academy board. "She is a unique professional educator, with a vast knowledge of learning from middle school through college, and she will add tremendous value and quality to the education experience our students receive."

Dr. Henson, a resident of Jasper, Georgia, began her career as an English teacher in the Gwinnett County (GA) School District; she went on to work as a teacher and administrator in North Carolina, Florida, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and California, holding a series of progressively responsible positions, including department chair, dean of curriculum and instruction, principal, and regional director. A consultant to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and a trainer and mentor for The New Teacher Project, Dr. Henson most recently provided a wide range of educational consulting services to traditional, charter and virtual schools.

A graduate of Western Carolina University, Dr. Henson also holds a M.A. degree in School Administration from Seton Hall University, an Ed.D. degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, and is a graduate from the Principals Executive Program of the James B. Hunt Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of North Carolina. In 2000, Dr. Henson attained certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Provost Academy Georgia is currently enrolling students in grades 9 through 12 for the school year starting this August. Since spaces are expected to fill quickly, interested families are encouraged to learn more now by calling the toll free number: 866-517-5582, or by visiting: www.ga.provostacademy.com .

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Free High School Graduation Test Remediation Offered to Students

2011-04-27T09:58:00.000-04:00

State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge announced that the Georgia Department of Education will be offering Project ExPreSS in mathematics for summer 2011.

Project ExPreSS (Exam Preparation for Student Success) is a free, two-week summer remediation program for Georgia public high school juniors who were first-time test-takers this year and did not pass the mathematics portion of the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT).

"Due to the past success of Project ExPreSS in social studies and science, we feel this program is an opportunity to fill the gap in mathematics and help students succeed," said Superintendent Barge. "With this year being the first year that our students will take the Georgia Performance Standards-based GHSGT, we anticipate that some students will need remediation with our state's best teachers, which is exactly what Project ExPreSS provides."

Project ExPreSS in mathematics will be offered June 13-24, 2011, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

There are 40 high school host sites located throughout the state to make the program accessible to students statewide.

For more information on registration and site locations for the summer Project ExPreSS, visit https://www.georgiastandards.org/resources/Pages/Tools/ProjectExPreSS.aspx.

In addition to the summer Project Express in mathematics, an online tutorial of the GHSGT is available in all four content areas at https://www.georgiastandards.org/Resources/Pages/Tools/OnlineExPreSS.aspx.

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Regents Approve Three Percent Tuition Increase For Fall 2011

2011-04-20T10:01:00.000-04:00

The uncertainty of parents and students surrounding tuition at University System of Georgia colleges and universities this fall is over. The Board of Regents approved today an across the board tuition increase of just three percent, well below what had been predicted and the 35 percent increase that would have been needed to completely make up for budget shortfalls to the System.

As a continuing tool to help preserve academic quality and access, the board also voted to increase a special institutional fee that was implemented two years ago.

Tuition will not increase for the approximately 45,000 students who are still on the Board’s discontinued Guaranteed Tuition Plan; however, these students will pay the special institutional fee.

“The state, the University System, students and parents all continue to see very tight budgets and our tuition proposal reflects these realities,” said USG Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. “We wanted a balanced strategy that meets the academic needs of our students while maintaining access and affordability.”

“As we have over the last three years, the System will offset the gap between revenues and expenditures with additional and pervasive cost-cutting measures at all institutions,” Davis said.

The three percent tuition increase means that for the four research universities (Georgia Health Sciences University, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia), undergraduate tuition this fall will be $3,641 per semester, an increase of $106 from fall 2010.

A number of USG institutions have specialized missions and tuition rates. At Columbus State University, Georgia Southern University, Kennesaw State University, North Georgia College & State University, Valdosta State University and the University of West Georgia, students will pay $2,367 per semester, an increase of $69. Tuition will be $2,564 this fall at Southern Polytechnic State University, an increase of $75, and at Georgia College & State University $3,236, a $94 increase.

Undergraduate tuition at all other state universities will increase by $64 to $2,201 per semester. This includes Albany State University, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Augusta State University, Clayton State University, Fort Valley State University, Georgia Southwestern State University, and Savannah State University.

Undergraduate tuition at the state colleges will increase $41, to $1,388 per semester, including Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC), the College of Coastal Georgia, Dalton State College, Gainesville State College, Gordon College, Macon State College and Middle Georgia College. Tuition at Georgia Gwinnett College will be $1,648 per semester this fall, a $48 increase.

Tuition at the two-year colleges will be $1,235, a $36 increase from fall 2009. This includes Atlanta Metropolitan College, Bainbridge College, Darton College, East Georgia College, Georgia Highlands College, Georgia Perimeter College, South Georgia College and Waycross College.

The special institutional fee will increase from $200 to $450 per semester at Georgia State, Georgia Health Sciences Univ. and UGA. The previously approved $200 special institutional fee at Georgia Tech will increase to $550 per semester.

At the other four-year institutions, the special institutional fee will increase from $150 to $250 per semester, and at the two-year institutions, from $100 to $200 per semester. The exceptions are Georgia Gwinnett and Coastal Georgia, where the special institutional fee will increase to $250 per semester.

The combined tuition and special institutional fee actions result in a weighted average increase of nine percent for all University System students. “The Board of Regents continues to be very concerned about affordability and access,” said Usha Ramachandran, the System’s chief financial officer, who made the budget and tuition recommendations to the Board.

Ramachandran said that three main factors drove the formulation of the tuition strategy approved by the regents. First was to maintain affordability and accessibility by keeping the overall increase in tuition and the special institutional fee to a single digit percentage, she said.

“Second, we also wanted to maintain the HOPE Scholarship payment for FY12 tuition as close to 90 percent of the FY11 tuition rate as possible,” Ramachandran said. Legislative changes this year to the popular merit scholarship program reduced the reimbursement rate for most students from 100 to 90 percent of current tuition rates. The board actions today on tuition will set HOPE reimbursement in FY12 at 87.4 percent of the new tuition rates.

“Our third priority is to maintain academic excellence at our 35 degree-granting institutions,” Ramachandran said. She noted that this is where the special institutional fee helps, as funds are used directly by institutions to support the cost of instruction – primarily by ensuring institutions have the needed faculty and student support services to meet the needs of a projected 320,000 students this coming fall.

The tuition and fees decisions reached during today’s regents’ meeting were just one part of Board actions on the University System’s Fiscal Year 2012 budget. FY12 state appropriations to the University System are $1.74 billion, a reduction of $208 million, or 10.7 percent from FY11 appropriations.

In addition, institutions for the first time will not see state funding for enrollment growth as $177 million in FY12 was not part of the final budget package. The absence of funds for enrollment growth, plus the institutional share of $146 million of the System’s reductions, and the elimination of $23 million in federal stimulus funding means the 35 colleges and universities have a $346 million shortfall in FY12.

The General Assembly also approved a capital budget for the USG that totals $180.9 million. This includes:

$45 million in Major Repair and Renovation (MRR) bond funds;

$4 million for equipment funds for previously funded projects at Atlanta Metropolitan College and North Georgia College & State University’s Forsyth County Campus;

$12.5 million for three infrastructure projects at Georgia Tech, Georgia Gwinnett College and South Georgia College;

$107.6 million for construction of 11 projects at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Clayton State University, College of Coastal Georgia, Dalton State College, Georgia College & State University, Georgia Southern University, Georgia Southwestern State University, Kennesaw State University, University of West Georgia, and Savannah State University;

$3.2 million in design funds for a project at UGA; and

$8.65 million for projects related to the Agricultural Experiment Station, the Cooperative Extension Service, the 4H Rock Eagle complex and the Georgia Public Libraries.

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State Board of Education Approves Plan to Phase Out Graduation Test

2011-04-14T13:02:00.000-04:00

The State Board of Education today(April 13) approved State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge's plan to phase out the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT). Students who enter high school in fall 2011 will no longer take the GHSGT in English, math, social studies and science, in order to graduate. This new plan will require students to pass all required courses, and the End-of-Course Tests (EOCT) would now count 20% of a student's final grade, rather than the current 15% weight.

"Georgia has been trying to eliminate the Georgia High School Graduation Test for over a decade," said Superintendent Barge. "I appreciate the State Board's vote that finally allows us to move away from the GHSGT. I don't believe the GHSGT is nearly as good an indicator of how much a student has learned as our End-of-Course Tests. The EOCTs are much more rigorous, and they test a student immediately following a course, rather than waiting until a student's Junior year to determine whether or not he or she has mastered the content of our curriculum."

Today's vote by the State Board of Education formally changed two rules: Rule 160-3-1-.07 TESTING PROGRAMS and Rule 160-4-2-.13 STATEWIDE PASSING SCORE. With these rule amendments, students entering ninth grade on or after July 1, 2011 no longer must take or pass the GHSGT to receive a high school diploma. The rule amendments also reflect the change in the EOCT accounting for 20% of a student's final course grade. Students must pass all required courses, including those courses with EOCT.

These rule amendments also allow flexibility for students who entered ninth grade between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2011 to meet graduation requirements by either passing the GHSGT or at least one of the two equivalent end of course tests in each corresponding content area.

Every student must continue to complete all applicable course requirements as well as taking and passing the Georgia High School Writing Test.

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Arizona Adopts Education Savings Accounts To Aid Special Needs Students

2011-04-12T21:46:00.002-04:00

Goldwater Institute developed innovative approach that will provide flexibility and more options for learning

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed today a powerful law to help families with special needs children obtain the best possible education regardless of the physical setting for that instruction. This program replaces school tuition vouchers, which the Arizona Supreme Court ruled in 2009 violate the state constitution.

Senate Bill 1553 establishes education savings accounts for special needs students so their families can find a better answer when a traditional public school has failed to meet their needs. An estimated 17,000 students will be eligible to sign up for an account.

The Goldwater Institute developed the framework of education savings for students such as Lee Zwagerman, whose future could have been defined only by his Asperger syndrome. Lee’s mild autism prevented him from adapting as the public schools he attended got bigger and some of his classmates treated him badly. Feeling trapped and isolated, Lee retreated into himself.

Still, Lee’s parents never would have enrolled him in a specialized education program at a private school. They couldn’t afford it. But in 2006, the state of Arizona established private school tuition vouchers for students with specialized needs, just in time for Lee to start high school at a smaller, private campus.

Four years later, Lee’s grades are good, he has performed in the high school choir, and he plans to attend college after graduation this spring.

But after the Arizona Supreme Court struck down education vouchers, other students haven’t had the same opportunity as Lee. That worries his mom, Myra Zwagerman.

“Not every public school is for every child, or even for two children from the same family or the same value system,” Myra Zwagerman said. “I don’t think Lee would be interested in college now if he had stayed in public school.”

This is where education savings accounts come in. Unlike school vouchers, education savings accounts will help students with disabilities enroll for individual online classes, receive instruction at home or attend private schools. Enrolled students also can start taking college classes while still finishing high school, or save the money in their accounts to attend college full-time after they graduate.

In 2005, Goldwater Institute senior fellow Dan Lips first introduced the concept of funding individual accounts for families to pursue the many alternatives available to a traditional public classroom. A 2010 follow-up report by Institute senior fellow Matthew Ladner and legal scholar Nick Dranias explains such accounts will truly empower families and resolve the legal issues identified by the state Supreme Court.

“The Court said school vouchers for special needs children had to be struck down because parents really could only use them at certain private schools,” Mr. Dranias said. “Education savings accounts provide the answer that the Supreme Court asked for, by giving families real control of their education dollars to spend on a wide range of options.”

“By adopting the first education savings account program in the country, Arizona again has moved into the national forefront of education reform,” said Darcy Olsen, president and CEO of the Goldwater Institute. Florida, Colorado, and several other states are following Arizona’s lead by also looking closely at implementing this program.

“Arizona adopted several time-tested policies in 2010 to address the fundamental problem that 44 percent of Arizona’s fourth-grade students in public school can’t read,” Ms. Olsen said. “Education savings accounts build on those policies by giving disadvantaged children access to the instruction most effective for them.”

SB1553 requires the state to fund an education savings account at 10 percent less than the state would otherwise spend to educate that particular student each year. This means the program saves money as well.

Also, SB1553 requires the state to conduct random audits of education savings accounts to be certain the funds are spent appropriately.
The Goldwater Institute is an independent government watchdog that develops innovative, principled solutions to issues facing the states and whose work is made possible by the generosity of its supporters.

Georgia Virtual School Registration Now Open

2011-04-11T11:48:00.000-04:00

Registration for Georgia Virtual School, the online grades 6-12 program offered by the Georgia Department of Education, is now open to all public school students for the Summer 2011, Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 semesters. A waitlisted registration process is also available now for Private and Home School students.

"My vision is to Make Education Work for All Georgians," said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge. "A major component to making it work for our students is to offer more relevant courses. The Georgia Virtual School is a perfect way for students to take courses that may not currently be offered in their school. I encourage parents and students to look into all of the courses available and enroll today."

Georgia Virtual School courses are fully accredited and aligned to state standards. Courses are taught by highly qualified, Georgia certified teachers. The program offers a complete high school curriculum with Advanced Placement and college prep level courses. This spring, over 8,000 students will have successfully completed courses this school year, enabling students to graduate on schedule and to access challenging courses. The twenty-two Advanced Placement offerings give all Georgia students options and opportunities often not available at their local school. Six world languages including Latin, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Chinese are some of the most popular offerings.

The middle school program is offered during the summer and includes the 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Language Arts, Science and Mathematics courses. These courses have been optimized for our middle school students in the state who face possible retention or who need remediation. For districts considering eliminating or reducing summer school programs, Georgia Virtual School provides a cost-effective option.

Georgia Virtual School can help local schools solve unique scheduling issues confronting students. This includes accommodating students who have transferred as well as those in hospital homebound or alternative school environments. Additionally, districts can save money by using Georgia Virtual School classes for courses with a low enrollment. Some schools even devote a computer lab to a variety of Georgia Virtual classes during one period of the day enabling them to dramatically increase their course offerings.

Georgia Virtual Learning is committed to the education of all Georgia students. By providing resources linked to the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS), teachers, parents, and students will have access to course material that can be used in the classroom or at home. For more information about Georgia Virtual Learning, their programs and free shared resources, visit their website at www.gavirtuallearning.org.

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15 Most Off-Beat College Scholarships for 2011-2012

2011-04-11T11:01:00.000-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Predicting the future, baking an apple pie, knitting wool garments, sporting a milk mustache while performing community service and singing The National Anthem with sincerity are just some of the ways in which college-bound students are funding their education in 2011 according to Aristotle Circle, the leading expert network of college admissions counselors and financial aid advisors who researched the top 15 most unusual college scholarship opportunities for the 2011-2012 academic year. Helping Santa find the perfect Christmas tree brings $10,000, while sleeping in a loft bed can collect $500.

1. The Klingon Language Institute $500 KOR Scholarship (language study);
2. National Marbles Tournament $5,000 Scholarship;
3. Chick & Sophie Major's Duck Calling $1,500 Scholarship;
4. The "Duct Tape" Stuck-On-Prom Scholarship ($6,000 per couple);
5. Why Milk's "SAMMY" $7,500 Scholarship (Scholar-Athlete-Milk-Mustache);
6. Dr. Seuss' 'Oh the Places You Will Go' $5,000 Scholarship;
7. Patrick Kerr $5,000 Skateboard Scholarship;
8. Culinary Institute of America $25,000 Best Apple Pie Recipe Scholarship;
9. Parapsychology Foundation's Scholarship (studying paranormal activity);
10. The Sheep Association's "Make It With Wool" $2,000 Scholarship;
11. Mycological Society of America $500 Scholarship (study mold/spores/fungus);
12. Coven of Sacred Waters $500 Scholarship (amounts vary for Pagan/Wiccas only);
13. NCTA's Help Santa Find The Perfect Christmas Tree $10,000 Scholarship;
14. American Association of Candy Technologists $10,000 Scholarship
15. Icy Frost Bridge Scholarship (for females who sing The National Anthem with sincerity!)

Aristotle Circle expert Rod Bugarin, former admissions and financial aid director, Columbia University, explains: "With college costs at an all-time high and family financial resources stretched to the breaking point, Aristotle Circle has experts to help students find the right college, while advising them on how to be competitive for merit and need-based scholarships."

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New USG Website Outlines HOPE Scholarship Changes for USG Students

2011-04-01T09:32:00.000-04:00

The newly enacted changes to the HOPE scholarship program will affect both current and incoming students to University System of Georgia (USG) institutions. The USG has created a special website that highlights the HOPE changes affecting USG students, which can be accessed at: http://www.usg.edu/student_affairs/students/how_hope_changes_will_affect_usg_students/

This website does not include changes affecting students attending either a public technical college or a private college or university.

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Provost Academy Launches Georgia's New Virtual High School to Open This Fall

2011-03-30T10:11:00.000-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Provost Academy, a free public online high school, announced that it is opening its virtual doors to Georgia students, starting this August. Backed by global education service provider, EdisonLearning, Provost Academy's unique individualized learning experience combines a rigorous curriculum with a personal high-touch approach to help students achieve their goals.

Provost Academy Georgia expects to begin enrolling students in grades 9 through 12 for the school year starting this August. Since spaces are expected to fill quickly, interested families are encouraged to learn more by calling the toll free number: 866-517-5582, or by visiting: www.ga.provostacademy.com.

As a new state-authorized public online school, Provost Academy Georgia is free of charge to residents of Georgia. Students work toward their regular public high school diploma - recognized by colleges and employers - as they would in a traditional school, but in the convenient, safe environment of their own home through computer-based educational programs.

Provost Academy Georgia offers more than 100 highly engaging online classes, developed in collaboration with faculty of Stanford University's School of Education; including A.P. and honors courses with a particular emphasis on high demand subjects, such as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

"Georgia high school students deserve an alternative high-quality educational opportunity that matches the way they learn and live, yet also challenges their true skills," said Sherri Brown Breunig, a long-time Georgia public school educator and chairman of the Provost Academy board. "Provost Academy provides students personalized learning plans adapted to meet their schedule and specific academic needs, and inspires them to achieve the highest levels of success."

In contrast to other online learning programs, Provost Academy Georgia uses a proprietary modular curriculum design so courses can be adapted to fit a student's individual needs, and content can be rearranged and customized for individual learning paths. Further, parents and students can easily monitor learning progress, assignments, and grades at a glance on their own personal home page. For those needing additional help, Provost Academy also offers on-demand tutors that keep students on track and on pace for progress.

"Online learning goes beyond the computer and the internet connection to bring students, parents and educators together in a community that is focused to drive academic success," said Jeff Wahl, President & CEO of EdisonLearning. "Our organization has been a leader in new and innovative approaches to learning, and we welcome the opportunity to provide parents a new choice for their children's educational future at Provost Academy Georgia."

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Will changing course on math lower curriculum standards?

2011-03-28T13:51:00.000-04:00

Rigor will remain high, more students will have more options.

By John D. Barge

Two years ago, our current 11th graders entered high school taking the Georgia Performance Standards in math. The standards are much more rigorous than the old curriculum, which I applaud. However, at the same time we raised the rigor, we created the perfect storm.

We had a major shift in the way the curriculum was delivered — from a discrete approach to an integrated one. Then, the economy took its sharp decline, providing few resources for teacher professional development. A group of teachers from each school district received a few days of training, and then were expected to go back and train all of the teachers in their own district. That is not the ideal way to roll out a brand new curriculum.

While I don’t believe there is a right or wrong way for the delivery of our math curriculum, I do believe students learn differently and should be given the option of learning through a different teaching method. The integrated approach is not working for all of our students, and we are responsible for preparing all of them!

That’s why I applaud the action our State Board of Education recently took to give local school districts the flexibility to choose what is best for their students. They know their students much better than we do at the state level. With either delivery model, the rigor of the current mathematics standards will not be compromised.

The State Board also allowed students who have struggled under this math delivery to receive core academic credit for the support courses that go along with Math I, Math II and Math III.

Some would say we are retreating from the rigor by allowing credit for these support classes because our graduation rule requires students to complete at least through Math III. I can certainly see why some may think that; however, I would say this is a recognition that a one-size-fits-all approach to mathematics and graduation is counterproductive to the expectation that we prepare students to lead successful lives when they leave us, regardless of their postsecondary paths.

Our current graduation rule requires that all students earn four units of math to graduate, including Math I through Math III, and a fourth math course. On our current integrated delivery model, Math III is the equivalent of trigonometry and statistics. So, even students with learning disabilities in mathematics must complete trigonometry and statistics in order to earn a diploma. Rigorous expectations? Absolutely. Realistic expectations? No.

We currently have thousands of students in 11th grade who have one or no math credits toward the four required to graduate. Without allowing these students to earn credit for their support classes, many of them will ultimately give up on high school, simply because they couldn’t grasp the concepts of math in an integrated fashion.

Our current GPS math curriculum is far more rigorous than our previous curriculum, meaning a student who graduates with Math I and II, as well as Math I and II Support, is far better prepared in mathematics than he or she would have been under our old curriculum.

While this isn’t an ideal situation, I would rather these students have options for careers and/or another form of postsecondary education or training when they leave us.

Let me be clear, I don’t believe in just giving out a high school diploma to students that haven’t earned it. But, many of these students have shown in multiple ways that they deserve it.

The intervention we provided this week for our high school students doesn’t lower the rigorous bar we’ve set; it simply gives them other opportunities to be successful. Without this intervention, the door to the future for thousands of our young people will be closed.

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Emory Named Bicycle Friendly University

2011-03-24T12:39:00.000-04:00

Emory is one of 20 universities to be selected as a national Bicycle Friendly University by the League of American Bicyclists.

The Bicycle Friendly University program recognizes colleges and universities that create exceptional environments where bicycling can thrive and provides a roadmap and technical assistance to create great campuses for bicycling. Emory is one of only two universities to be selected in the Southeast.

“This award demonstrates, on a national level, that Emory is committed to supporting cycling as a healthy transportation choice,” says Jamie Smith, director of the Bike Emory program. In 2007 Emory launched the program to encourage students and staff to choose bicycles as their primary form or transportation.

The League noted that the “programs for students and staff to ride at Emory University” among other accomplishments are what made Emory stand out.  

Some incentives noted in Emory’s winning application for the award include:

Students, faculty and staff are eligible to buy new bicycles and accessories at a discount (10-15 percent off).
During orientation students can pre-order new bicycles from Bike Emory at a deeper discount with a free helmet, u-lock, in-room delivery and 90 days of free maintenance.
Bicycle commuters are eligible for a parking pass that allows them to park a car 20 days a year and are eligible for the Guaranteed Ride Home program: a reliable ride home if an unexpected event occurs during work hours.
A “mobile” repair center to campus twice a week. The repair center is staffed by professional mechanics, provides discounted bicycle repairs and free deliveries of parts and accessories.
Bike Emory was created to create an exceptional environment for cycling at Emory and the surrounding community. Bike Emory is the charter school of the Fuji University program, a partnership between Emory University, national partner Fuji Bikes and local partner Bicycle South. This partnership allows Emory to provide its cyclists with extraordinary incentives and advocacy support. To learn more visit www.bike.emory.edu.

The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America. The league represents the interests of America's 57 million bicyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates. For more information or to support the League, visit www.bikeleague.org.

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UGA's Griffin Campus hosts open house for prospective students on April 12

2011-03-19T08:43:00.000-04:00

Prospective students interested in learning more about the University of Georgia’s academic offerings in Griffin are invited to attend the spring open house that will be held on April 12 from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Griffin Campus Student Learning Center. The event is free and open to the public.

Academic affairs staff, including advisers and faculty, will be on hand to provide information and answer questions about the educational opportunities available at the Griffin Campus. The undergraduate programs, first offered in Griffin in 2005, are degree-completion programs for transfer students or those seeking a second bachelor’s degree. Eight undergraduate majors are now offered, plus graduate programs in agricultural leadership and mathematics education.

The open house also will feature campus tours, information about student affairs, and student club displays. Current UGA students will be in attendance to talk about their campus experiences.

For more information about the open house, contact the Office of Academic Affairs at the Griffin Campus at 770/412-4400 or email griffin@uga.edu.

For more information about the degree programs offered at UGA’s Griffin Campus, see http://www.uga.edu/griffin.

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Deal signs Enduring HOPE

2011-03-16T12:37:00.000-04:00

Joined by a bipartisan group of legislators, Gov. Nathan Deal today (March 15) signed the Enduring HOPE legislation.

“With today’s signing, we have closed a $300 million shortfall in the next year, we have pulled HOPE and Georgia Pre-K from the brink of bankruptcy and we have preserved our state’s elite status for having the most generous benefit programs in the nation,” said Deal. “Georgians are blessed to have legislative leaders who put aside politics to craft a new law of generational importance.”

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State Board of Education Approves Math Changes

2011-03-15T09:55:00.000-04:00

The State Board of Education today approved the recommendation by State School Superintendent Dr. John D. Barge to allow four discrete math courses to be taught to students who may be struggling with the integrated math curriculum. The four new courses – GPS Algebra, GPS Geometry, GPS Advanced Algebra, and GPS Pre-Calculus – are taught with a more traditional delivery. The board’s actions also allowed Math I-III Support classes to count as core credit rather than just elective credit.

"We have many students who are currently struggling with the integrated approach to the math curriculum,” said Superintendent Barge. “I applaud the State Board’s action to approve my recommendation to give students more options to master our rigorous math standards. We are seeing that a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t in the best interest of all of our students. Our systems need the flexibility to teach in the manner that best meets the needs of their students and local system leaders are best positioned to make those decisions. However, I want to be clear that this is not a retreat from the rigor of our Georgia Performance Standards (GPS). This is simply a restructuring of the GPS in a discrete fashion.”

Under the new rule, students struggling with the integrated curriculum will now earn core credit for support classes. Students must receive four units of math in order to graduate. Many struggling students are taking multiple math courses and, thus, not able to take other elective courses. Mathematics Support I, Mathematics Support II, and Mathematics Support III will now be counted as a core credit, giving students the opportunity to get the necessary credits needed to earn their high school diploma.

“We have approximately 17% of our current juniors that have one or no math credits, putting them at risk of not graduating,” said Superintendent Barge. “I see no harm in giving these students the opportunity to learn the math curriculum in a more traditional delivery, without compromising the rigor of the standards.”

Georgia, along with 43 other states, has adopted the Common Core State Standards in math and English language arts. This transition will allow the education community and the public to evaluate the delivery method of our math curriculum for the long-term.

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Emory University's School of Nursing Surpasses $20 Million Fundraising Goal - Campaign Continues

2011-03-15T09:23:00.000-04:00

Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing has exceeded its $20 million fundraising goal nearly two years ahead of schedule. To date, the School of Nursing has raised more than $20.4 million to support student scholarships, faculty research, service learning projects, and academic programming.

Emory trustee Dr. J. David Allen and his wife Beverly Dew Allen (Class of ‘68C), both Emory alumni, are proud to be leading the fundraising efforts as chairs of the School of Nursing’s campaign. “To have early success is thrilling, but more than anything it is a call to continue our work. Nearly 80 percent of our students need financial aid to pursue an Emory nursing degree. As long as there are initiatives in the School of Nursing that need additional resources — and there are — we have a job to do,” says Dr. Allen.

“This fundraising milestone is a reflection of the School of Nursing’s upward trajectory as an internationally recognized nursing program,” said Linda McCauley, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. “We are immensely grateful to our extraordinary donors whose gifts are having a meaningful impact on the School of Nursing. Because of generous support from these donors, the school is able to invest in key strategic priorities that advance our mission to educate nurse leaders and scholars, generate new knowledge, and improve health and health care—all in service to the global community.”

The School of Nursing’s fundraising success is tied to broad-based support from more than 3,000 individuals, corporations, and foundations.

Since the launch of the campaign in 2005, the School of Nursing has attained a number of notable accomplishments:

Increased the Fuld Segue Program, which provides critical financial aid to Emory nursing students with undergraduate degrees in fields other than nursing who want to become nursing leaders. This program was created with generous support from the Helene Fuld Health Trust;
Received an $8.1 million grant—the largest donation in the nursing school’s 106-year history—from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for a 2 ½ year project designed to improve maternal and newborn survival rates in rural Ethiopia. This historic donation has enabled Associate Professor Lynn Sibley and a team of Emory investigators to create a community-oriented strategy to improve maternal and newborn health care services in rural Ethiopia and position the approach to be expanded throughout the country; and
Raised $100,000 from 265 alumni and friends to create the Elizabeth Mabry Scholarship in honor of longtime faculty member, Elizabeth Mabry. This scholarship provides aid to deserving undergraduate students each year.

“We deeply appreciate the overwhelming support of our alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends,” says Amy Dorrill, associate dean of development and alumni relations for the nursing school. “We also continue to count on their generosity, because although we have reached our overall fundraising goal in terms of numbers, some of our most important priorities—including student scholarships, faculty support, and service learning programs—still are not fully funded. As the School of Nursing continues to seek support for these initiatives, we look to private philanthropy to fuel our work and advance Emory’s legacy of excellence in nursing education and research.”

The School of Nursing’s fundraising campaign is part of Campaign Emory, a $1.6 billion fundraising endeavor that combines private support and Emory’s people, places, and programs to make a powerful contribution to the world. Campaign Emory is the largest and most successful fundraising campaign in Georgia.

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UGA graduate programs continue to rank among the best in the nation

2011-03-15T09:10:00.000-04:00

University of Georgia graduate programs remained among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2012 edition of America’s Best Graduate Schools. The School of Law tied for 35th and the College of Education tied for 46th.

“Rankings such as these are satisfying because they are a reflection of the quality of the programs at the University of Georgia,” said UGA President Michael F. Adams. “As we begin to implement a new strategic plan with a focus on graduate and professional education, we do so knowing that the foundation on which we will expand is strong and the state of Georgia is well-served by these programs.”

Maureen Grasso, dean of the UGA Graduate School said, “UGA’s graduate programs do an outstanding job of preparing our students for success in the 21st century. The excellent teaching and research conducted by our faculty provide our graduates with the knowledge and skills they need to make an impact in our local and global communities as they drive the economic competitiveness of Georgia.”

While coming in at 35th overall on the list, the School of Law is ranked among the top 14 public law schools in the nation and among the top four public schools in the Southeast.

“Rankings continue to provide a snapshot look of an institution and only some of its programming,” School of Law Dean Rebecca Hanner White said. “At Georgia Law, we offer the whole experience—dedicated teachers who are productive scholars, a challenging and varied curriculum, numerous co-curricular opportunities via 12 clinics and four study/work abroad programs, a talented student body and a collegial atmosphere. Our goal, year in and year out, is to provide one of the finest legal educations in the country at an attractive cost.

“Additionally, we are pleased our graduates continue to be prepared for the practice of law as evidenced by the fact that five of our graduates have been selected over the past seven years to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court judicial clerk, the most prestigious appointment a new lawyer can obtain.”

The College of Education ranked 46th overall in a tie with Temple University, but was ranked 32nd among public universities in the nation. The college was ranked 3rd among public universities in the Southeast.

“These graduate program rankings confirm the college’s excellence across a broad range of academic endeavors, from K-12 teacher education to curriculum/instruction to counseling,” said Arthur M. (Andy) Horne, dean and Distinguished Research Professor of the College of Education. “Equally important, however, is what numerical rankings cannot measure: the University of Georgia’s profound commitment to expanding educational opportunities for every student and improving our communities in Georgia and across the nation.”

Among the 10 specialty rankings, five of the College of Education’s programs ranked in the top 10 in the nation: Vocational/technical education ranked second, counseling/personnel services tied for second, secondary education ranked fifth, higher education administration ranked fifth, and elementary education ranked sixth.

The doctor of veterinary medicine program tied for ninth. “We are pleased that the U.S. News and World Report ranking recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine in recent years, reflecting the achievements of our great faculty, staff and students,” said Dr. Sheila W. Allen, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine.

The biological and agricultural engineering program, within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, ranked 12th.

The biological sciences program, within the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, tied for 46th.

The School of Public and International Affairs’ master of public administration degree program continues to be ranked 4th in the nation, and the 2nd best among public universities. SPIA also has four highly ranked specialty programs. Both the specialization in public finance and budgeting as well as the specialization in public management and administration continue to be ranked 2nd in the nation. The nonprofit management specialization is ranked 11th and the public policy analysis specialization is ranked 16th.

Other programs with current rankings include: clinical psychology tied for 33rd, master of fine arts tied for 37th, and psychology tied for 50th.

The rankings, with the methodology, are available online at
http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools. Highlights of the graduate school rankings will be published in the Best Graduate Schools 2012 edition book, available April 5.

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Georgia State a go-to law school for nation’s largest law firms

2011-03-09T11:46:00.000-05:00

In its annual list of the top 50 “Go-To” law schools, the National Law Journal ranks Georgia State University College of Law No. 32 for its percentage of graduates who were hired as first-year associates at the nation’s top firms.

The National Law Journal’s survey shows that 22 of 162 Georgia State Law graduates who earned Juris Doctor degrees in 2010 – 13.58 percent – are working as first-year associates at NLJ 250 firms, the nation’s largest law firms identified in its survey.

The Go-To Law School special report ranks the law schools that the nation's 250 largest firms recruited from most heavily to fill their first-year associate classes. Tuition amounts were based on data for full-time, non-resident students obtained from the 2010 ABA/LSAC guide.

The average annual tuition at the 50 Go-To Law Schools was $40,167. The most expensive law school was University of Cornell Law School, which charged $49,020 and was ranked No. 2 on the Go-To list. Annual tuition at Georgia State Law is currently $11,568 for Georgia residents and $32,592 for non-residents (fall and spring semesters). Georgia State Law also recently was named the No. 1 Best Value Law School by The National Jurist.

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Deal to keep full-day Pre-K

2011-03-07T13:20:00.000-05:00

Following bipartisan negotiations, Gov. Nathan Deal today announced his updated plan to preserve Georgia’s full-day prekindergarten program while still implementing the reforms necessary to prevent insolvency.

“From day one we have worked tirelessly to make sure Georgia’s youngest scholars continue to benefit from the Pre-K program,” said Deal. “It is so important that we keep Georgia Pre-K a priority in order to ensure that students are school ready and on pace to read on grade level by third grade. I appreciate the cooperative, can-do spirit of the Georgia Pre-K community. They have provided invaluable feedback over the last few weeks to help us improve our original proposal.

“Teachers, providers and parents understand the importance of reforms to maintain our excellent prekindergarten program for the next generation, but they emphasized a desire to keep the program full day. These discussions have yielded an improved product. Most important, this plan will serve our 4-year-olds well.”

The following programmatic adjustments will be made:

The school year will be shortened from 180 to 160 days.
Class size will be increased to 22 students from 20. Since all Georgia Pre-K classes have a paraprofessional in the room, the student to teacher ratio will max out at 11 to 1.
An additional 2,000 Pre-K slots will be added, bringing Georgia Pre-K enrollment to 86,000.
Providers will receive 94 percent of the operating funds they currently receive.
Pre-K teachers will receive 90 percent of their current salaries. (The original half-day proposal included a 30 percent reduction.)

Georgia remains a leader in early childhood education and is one of only four states in the nation to provide a high-quality, universal Pre-K program. The governor’s new proposal saves the necessary $54 million and was developed after listening to the concerns of the Pre-K providers, Pre-K teachers, parents, early childhood advocacy organizations and local school systems across the state.

ChildCare Education Institute Offers Online Music in Early Childhood Course at No Cost in Recognition of 'Music in Our Schools Month'

2011-03-03T19:34:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI), a nationally accredited, IACET CEU granting, distance training institution dedicated exclusively to the child care industry, offers the online course CHD100: Music in Early Childhood at no cost for the month of March, in honor of Music in Our Schools Month.

CHD100 was written by well-known author and national trainer, Rae Pica. This online course examines the role of music in a child's development. It addresses how quality and variety influence selection, music's impact on moods and behaviors, and the musical elements young children can and should experience. It also provides developmentally appropriate musical selections and activities. Go to www.cceionline.edu, select Click Here for Current Promotions, and follow instructions to take advantage of this promotion. There is no cost to set up an account and instructions are provided. This course is worth 0.1 IACET CEU and allows students to print a certificate of completion immediately.

"Music in the early childhood curriculum can have a tremendous impact on children's creativity and cultural awareness, as well as physical and social development. CCEI continues to work with experts in the field to bring educators high-quality, relevant continuing education options that they can use to improve their skills," said Maria Taylor, President and CEO of CCEI.

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2012 Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalists Announced

2011-03-03T11:37:00.000-05:00

State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge announced March 1 the finalists for 2012 Georgia Teacher of the Year.

The 10 finalists were chosen from a pool of 154 applicants who were selected as the Teacher of the Year in their school districts. The applications were read by a panel of judges that included teachers, past Georgia Teacher of the Year winners and finalists, administrators, community leaders and others. The finalists were chosen based on the strength of their essay responses.

"This is a strong group of outstanding educators who would each make a terrific 2012 Georgia Teacher of the Year," said Superintendent Barge. "Congratulations to the finalists and to all those who applied for consideration. I know the judges had a very difficult job choosing just 10 finalists from this group of applicants."

Over the next several weeks, a panel of judges will observe and interview each of the finalists. The finalists will also give a speech at a luncheon sponsored by Georgia Power on April 1. The winner will be announced at the Georgia Teacher of the Year banquet on May 6, 2011, at the Georgia World Congress Center. The banquet, paid for through donations from sponsors, will honor each local district Teacher of the Year. A reception hosted by United Healthcare will be held prior to the banquet.

The 2012 Georgia Teacher of the Year will travel around the state and the nation, serving as an ambassador for the teaching profession. The winner will also be entered in the National Teacher of the Year competition.

The 2011 Georgia Teacher of the Year is Ms. Pam Williams, a teacher at Appling County High School. To learn more about Ms. Williams and the Teacher of the Year program, click on the following link: http://www.gadoe.org/ci.aspx?PageReq=TOTY

2012 Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalists (in alphabetical order by district)
Teacher, Subject, System, School

Jadun O. McCarthy, English Language Arts
Bibb County, Northeast Health Science Magnet High School

Ashlee J. Mitchell, Speech-Language Pathology
Bulloch County, Stilson Elementary School

Vicki Tarleton, Mathematics
Columbia County, Grovetown High School

Nancy Williams, Social Skills
Coweta County, Madras Middle School

Beth Sciarro, Reading
Houston County, Northside Elementary

Ivy K. Smith, Mathematics
Lowndes County, Pine Grove Middle

Christine W. Powell, Journalism, Art History and Literature
Muscogee County, Northside High School

Lisa Boyd, English Language Arts
Rockdale County, Salem High School

Melissa Webb, Second Grade
Savannah-Chatham, West Chatham Elementary School

Nancy C. Rogers, Literature
Thomas County, Thomas County Central High School

The Georgia Teacher of the Year Program is sponsored by United Healthcare.

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Gordon Adds English, History Degrees

2011-03-02T21:13:00.000-05:00

Gordon College received approval Wednesday from the Board of Regents to offer two additional baccalaureate degrees.

Beginning with the fall 2011 semester, Gordon will offer a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Arts in History.

Gordon currently offers baccalaureate degrees in Early Childhood Education, Mathematics, Biology and a RN to BSN completion degree as well as associate degrees in 40 programs of study.

“We are very pleased to be able to offer students two additional degree opportunities,” said Gordon College President Shelley Nickel. “Our excellent baccalaureate degrees in the core areas of biology, English, history, and mathematics will provide the regional workforce with employees with good critical thinking and communication skills and will provide opportunities for our students to move on to graduate and professional studies in a variety of areas including health services, medicine, and law. Further, since each of these majors includes a track that permits students to complete teaching certification, these majors will help address the growing statewide need of highly qualified teachers of biology, mathematics, history, social studies, and English.”

UGA College of Veterinary Medicine to host first VetCAMP in summer 2011

2011-03-02T12:11:00.000-05:00

Twelve 11th and 12th grade students will be selected from a national applicant pool to participate in the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine’s first VetCAMP, a nine-day program aimed at helping students experience veterinary medicine as a potential career path.

VetCAMP, or Veterinary Career Aptitude and Mentoring Program, will offer participants opportunities for observation and participation in the various services in the UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital, the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, and the college’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories.Camp attendees also will go on field trips to the Atlanta Zoo and Georgia Aquarium for behind-the-scenes tours of each facility.

“We started VetCAMP as a way to expose young people to all of the opportunities available to them in a career in Veterinary Medicine,” said Dr. K. Paige Carmichael, the college’s associate dean for academic affairs. “Through VetCAMP, we hope to broaden the students’ perception of veterinary medicine while increasing their interest in the sciences.”

The students will learn about requirements for admission to the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, research opportunities, study abroad opportunities, the college’s veterinary curriculum and underserved specialties in the field of veterinary medicine.

VetCAMP will be held Saturday, July 9 through Sunday, July 17.The students will be housed on the UGA campus.The $500 fee includes lodging, meals, instruction and social activities.Scholarships or financial assistance are available to students with demonstrated need.

Students who wish to be considered for the program must complete a registration packet that includes a registration form, a teacher/counselor recommendation form and an essay.The packet may be downloaded from the VetCAMP website at www.vet.uga.edu/GO/camp.

For more information about the program, contact Lakecia Pettway at lpettway@uga.edu or 706/542-8411, or visit the program’s website.

The UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, founded in 1946, is dedicated to training future veterinarians, to conducting research related to animal and human diseases, and to providing veterinary services for animals and their owners.Research efforts are aimed at enhancing the quality of life for animals and people, improving the productivity of poultry and livestock, and preserving a healthy interface between wildlife and people in the environment they share.The college enrolls 102 students each fall out of more than 560 who apply.For more information, see www.vet.uga.edu.

The current UGA College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital, built in 1979, serves more than 18,000 patients per year in one of the smallest teaching hospitals in the United States.The college is currently working to raise $15 million toward building a new Veterinary Medical Learning Center, which will include a new teaching hospital as well as classrooms and laboratories that will allow for the education of more veterinarians.The goal is to increase enrollment to 150 when the Veterinary Medical Learning Center is built.For more information, see http://www.vet.uga.edu/giving/campaign.php.

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Scholastic Book Clubs' ClassroomsCare Announces Sweepstakes Winners

2011-03-02T11:00:00.000-05:00

Kudos to Georgia teachers Susan Hogan and Lexie Phillips for caring about our students!

Two teachers in each state have been chosen to receive a prize of two hundred books each from the Scholastic Book Clubs' ClassroomsCare program. These winners will then donate one hundred of the books to a local charity and keep one hundred for their own school. Winners were picked from more than 35,000 entrants in the 2010 "Care Where You Are Sweepstakes," an annual highlight of the Scholastic ClassroomsCare program, which donates more than a million books to children in need each year.

The Care Where You Are winning teachers, whose names are posted at http://teacher.scholastic.com/clubs/contests_home.htm#tcool will receive books and then can donate them to their local charity. In the past, Care Where You Are Sweepstakes winners have donated to children's hospitals, libraries, literacy centers and many other places that work with children in need. This year, Scholastic received more than double the number of entries from previous years.

According to Judy Newman, president of Scholastic Book Clubs, "We're so pleased that teachers are making time to help their students participate in the ClassroomsCare program. By entering the Care Where You Are Sweepstakes, teachers and their classes are showing their desire to help make a difference in their own community by reaching people most in need of quality books."

ClassroomsCare is an annual challenge to the one million classrooms that use Scholastic Book Clubs. Participating classes read for the cause, triggering a donation of a million books from Scholastic Book Clubs to ClassroomsCare's charity partners, such as Reach Out and Read, Save the Children and The Pajama Program. Books are then donated throughout the year to kids in preschool to middle school who in many cases wouldn't otherwise have books of their own. Since August 2010, more than 8,592,613 books were read as a result of the program in 100,000 classrooms.

By the numbers:

* 30,127,000* - kids have read for ClassroomsCare since 2001
* 10,000,000 - books donated to charities through ClassroomsCare
* 1,234,580 - classrooms have participated in ClassroomsCare
* 126,050,613 – Total Books Read because of ClassroomsCare

*The number of kids who have read for ClassroomsCare was calculated by multiplying the number of participating classrooms by 25.

Scholastic Book Clubs is a division of Scholastic (Nasdaq: SCHL), the global children's publishing, education and media company.

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HACEMOS Looks to Inspire Minority Students With One-Day National High Technology Event

2011-02-25T09:49:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- AT&T's* Hispanic/Latino Association, HACEMOS, joins forces with Junior Achievement (JA) and its JA Job Shadow® initiative, to host more than 1,400 low-income and at-risk high school students in 22 cities across the country for the 13th Annual HACEMOS National High Technology Day.

HACEMOS National High Technology Day is designed to give students a better grasp of the opportunities available in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields—areas where minorities are underrepresented. The sessions and job shadow opportunities will enable minority students to team up with AT&T employees and experience the world of work firsthand, tour AT&T facilities, and participate in hands-on activities and interactive workshops related to careers in technology.

"AT&T's High Technology Day gives students real-world insight and hopefully will inspire them to join a high-growth field in technology, where they can establish a great future for themselves," said Delia Hernandez, national president of HACEMOS, the Hispanic/Latino Association of AT&T. "Statistics show that Latinos and other minority students are considerably underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. That's why we are proud to join forces with Junior Achievement as we look at doing our part to help reverse these disheartening trends."

"Junior Achievement is deeply committed to building the work-readiness of our young people so they can successfully compete in the global marketplace," added Jack E. Kosakowski, president and chief executive officer of Junior Achievement USA™. "It is through these potentially transformative mentoring and experiential learning opportunities that students make the important connections between their daily school curricula and life after graduation."

The theme for this year's National High Technology Day is "Rethink Your Future," intended to challenge students to consider rewarding careers in science and engineering. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Hispanics received only eight percent of bachelor's degrees in these fields.

In addition to the workshops and sessions, students will be able to connect with thousands of other high schools using AT&T's Telepresence Solution®, which is an advanced, high definition videoconference, that creates the sensation of an in-person meeting. Each student group will be able to see and talk to other students participating in their respective cities.

This year, Jeff Gomez, President and CEO of Starlight Runner Entertainment, will present his celebrated seminar "Never Surrender: The Kids Guide to Winning at Life," which he has presented to over 200,000 young people, parents and teachers around the world, using webcast technology. As part of this keynote, Gomez will address students nationwide drawing from his inspirational life story of being born in Manhattan's Lower East side to working on global movie and television multiplatform franchises including Avatar, Transformers, Tron: Legacy, Pirates of the Caribbean and Hot Wheels. He is now sought by executives and companies around the world as a leading transmedia producer and expert. As part of his ongoing dedication to instilling the values of leadership and empathy in young people Gomez has long supported causes like HACEMOS that reinforce these ideals.

Additionally, Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, will speak via video to the students. Mr. de la Vega is extensively involved in nonprofit and community organizations, serving as chairman of Junior Achievement Worldwide and of Hispanic Initiatives for the Boy Scouts of America.

This year's event will link nearly 1,400 high school students from close to 55 schools in:

* Anaheim, California
* Atlanta, Georgia
* Austin, Texas
* Charlotte, North Carolina
* Chicago, Illinois
* Dallas, Texas
* Florham Park, New Jersey
* Fresno, California
* Houston, Texas
* Irving, Texas
* Lake Mary, Florida
* Los Angeles, California
* Middletown, New Jersey
* Mission, Kansas
* Norman, Oklahoma
* San Antonio, Texas
* San Diego, California
* San Ramon, California
* St. Louis, Missouri

Through the AT&T/JA Worldwide Job Shadow Initiative, a $5.5 million commitment, AT&T will provide job shadow opportunities for 100,000 students, in grades 9-12—as well as second semester eighth graders—across the United States over five years. Since the initiative started in 2008, more than 65,000 students have participated in 211 cities. AT&T employees have volunteered more than 21,000 times for Job Shadow, dedicating more than 170,000 volunteer hours, to help students learn.

AT&T's Hispanic/Latino Association HACEMOS, with over 1,500 members, recognizes the importance of educating Hispanic youth and preparing them for a technology-intensive future. Its members are dedicated to developing and supporting technology education projects in communities where they live and work. For more information about National High Technology Day, please visit HACEMOS.

AT&T is deeply committed to the Hispanic community and organizations that support education and community vitality. For more information please visit espanol.att.com.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

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Education Expert Jay Greene Keynotes March 5 Leadership Breakfast

2011-02-24T12:49:00.000-05:00

On 'School Choice and Lessons for Education Reform in Georgia'

You are invited to "School Choice and Lessons for Education Reform in Georgia," a Georgia Public Policy Foundation Leadership Breakfast keynoted by renowned school choice researcher Jay P. Greene at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 5, 2011, at Mary Mac's Tea Room in Atlanta.

This event, co-sponsored by the Center for an Educated Georgia, will focus on Greene's new research into student scholarships and social promotions, and practical applications for Georgia.

Greene is the department head and 21st Century Chair in Education Reform at the University of Arkansas. He is also a fellow at the George W. Bush Institute. He conducts research and writes about education policy, including topics such as school choice, high school graduation rates, accountability and special education.

The author of "Education Myths: What Special-Interest Groups Want You to Believe About Our Schools and Why it Isn't So," Greene's research was cited four times in the Supreme Court's opinions in the landmark Zelman v. Simmons-Harris case on school vouchers.

His articles have appeared in policy journals including The Public Interest, City Journal and Education Next; in academic journals including Education Finance and Policy, Economics of Education Review and the British Journal of Political Science; and in major newspapers including The Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post.

Greene, who has been a professor of government at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Houston, received his B.A. in history from Tufts University and his Ph.D. from the Government Department at Harvard University.

This Leadership Breakfast is part of the "20 For 20" Campaign in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Foundation in 2011. To mark this milestone, the cost to attend this event is $20. The deadline to register is Thursday, March 3. To register, go to this link: www.gppf.org/default.asp?pt=eventdescr&EI=76. Media interested in attending please contact Benita Dodd at benitadodd@gppf.org or 404-256-4050.

Who: Jay P. Greene
What: "School Choice and Lessons for Education Reform in Georgia," a Leadership Breakfast
When: 8:30 a.m., Saturday, March 5, 2011
Where: Mary Mac's Tea Room, 224 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta, GA 30308

Directions: www.marymacs.com/Directions/tabid/55/Default.aspx

About the Georgia Public Policy Foundation: The Foundation, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2011, is an independent, state-based think tank that proposes practical, market-oriented approaches to public policy to improve the lives of Georgians. The Foundation’s regular events include Leadership Breakfasts and Policy Briefing Luncheons. Weekly publications are the Friday Facts and Friday Idea commentaries. Visit www.georgiapolicy.org to read about innovative solutions to the state’s challenges or to watch streaming online video of Foundation events. Join the Foundation’s Facebook Fan Page or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/gppf.

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Smith Encourages Congress To Find Collaborative Solutions to Education Challenges

2011-02-23T15:11:00.000-05:00

Fayette County Board of Education member Terri Smith joined more than 800 school board and state school boards association leaders to ask Congress to support public school students as they consider the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) this year.

Smith took part in the National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) 38th annual Federal Relations Network Conference February 6-8 in Washington, DC. She is a participant in NSBA’s Federal Relations Network, a national grassroots legislative effort that urges members of Congress to make K-12 education a top priority.

Once Congress reauthorizes ESEA, local school boards will be responsible for implementing the federal policies, so it is important that school board leaders are involved in the legislative process.

School funding also remains a major concern for local districts. School board leaders are requesting that Congress help ensure that public education is adequately funded and discontinue the practice of passing education legislation without providing the necessary funding for local implementation.

“To increase student success, public officials on the local, state, and federal level must work together to provide proper funding and support for local districts,” Smith says.

In addition, some members of Congress are pushing for alternatives to local school governance. School board leaders strongly believe schools are best governed by the communities they serve.

“Local governance and decision-making are essential to advancing public education and student achievement,” Smith adds.

Founded in 1940, NSBA is a not-for-profit organization representing state associations of school boards and their more than 90,000 local school board members throughout the U.S. Working with and through state associations, NSBA advocates for equity and excellence in public education through school board leadership.

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ULTA Announces 2011 Scholarship Program for Young Women

2011-02-23T15:08:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- ULTA, the largest beauty retailer in the US, has launched the 2011 Enrich, Empower & Enlighten Scholarship program with more than $100,000 in scholarship grants across 13 US cities. Open to young women who are high school seniors in those cities, each winner will receive an $8,000 scholarship to the educational institution of her choice.

Committed to the empowerment of women and the enrichment of their lives, the ULTA Enrich, Empower & Enlighten Scholarship program was established in 2008 and has already awarded nearly $150,000 to deserving young women nationwide.

The 2011 applications will be evaluated on community involvement, leadership qualities, academic achievement and commitment to continuing their education. Winners of the scholarships will best demonstrate the passion and skill set needed to succeed in their career area of choice and will exemplify a positive role model to their peers.

The 2011 ULTA Enrich, Empower & Enlighten Scholarship will be available in the following cities:

* Yorkville, IL
* Rogers, AR
* Cincinnati, OH
* Gainesville, GA
* Dallas, TX
* Miami, FL
* Quakertown, PA
* Columbus, OH
* Modesto, CA
* Chicago, IL
* Brandon, FL
* Oak Park, IL
* South Portland, ME

Scholarship application packets are currently available at the ULTA in each market. In addition to an essay, applicants must submit their most recent high school transcript and one letter of recommendation. All Scholarship application packets must be postmarked by March 18 and winners will be notified on or before May 31, 2011. Winners and their friends will be invited to a party in their honor at a local ULTA store, complete with free makeovers and product giveaways.

For more information on the ULTA Enrich, Empower &Enlighten Scholarship program and to find a complete list of eligible local high schools, please log on to www.ulta.com.

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Gap and Atlanta Technical College Launch Job Skills Training Course for Students

2011-02-23T14:38:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) announced today (February 17) the start of Gap for Community Colleges, a partnership between Atlanta Technical College (ATC) and Gap Inc. as part of White House Initiative 'Skills for America's Future.' The program will provide community college students with the skills and knowledge to be successful and competitive in the workforce.

"For more than 40 years, Gap Inc. has been committed to improving education in the communities where we live and work. We are proud to participate in this White House initiative and expand our job training programs to more cities to support efforts to improve the economy. Our hope is that Gap for Community Colleges can be part of the solution to improve workforce competitiveness here in the U.S.," said Eva Sage-Gavin, Executive Vice President of Global Human Resources & Corporate Affairs.

Starting today, students at ATC will have access to the same comprehensive training curriculum given to Gap store managers. This is the first time Gap will offer this program outside of its own organization. The in-house developed Gap for Community Colleges program is designed to help students get ahead in the career of their choice. The workshop material covers job search preparation materials such as interview skills and resume writing, practical workplace skills such as managing people and setting priorities and how to effectively communicate in the workplace. Students also receive on-the-job experience with an opportunity to job shadow a Gap manager in a store.

"We believe that by sharing Gap's proven training curriculum, community college students will gain valuable skills and experiences that will help them be better prepared for their career goals. This is exactly what is needed to develop a strong talent pool for our stores and the communities where we operate," said Sherrica Hill, General Manager Gap Atlanta.

"Gap is one of the largest employers in the United States. We hope that by providing our students with access to the same curriculum given to Gap store managers, our students will be better prepared to join the workforce," said Alvetta Peterman Thomas, president of ATC.

In addition to providing tailored workshops, Gap Inc. is offering scholarship assistance and job placement opportunities. Students will be eligible for sixty-five $1,000 scholarships. (Scholarship eligibility is based on each community college's guidelines.) Gap will invite students to apply for a job and expects to hire up to 1,200 students from community colleges in 2011.

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Georgia Cyber Academy Unanimously Approved by State Charter Commission

2011-02-23T14:32:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today (February 17), the Georgia Charter Schools Commission unanimously approved a charter for the Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA), the state's largest online public school. The approved charter enables GCA to expand its operations to grades K-12 to meet the growing demand from families across the state. The Commission also established an equitable funding level that will allow the school to provide more teachers and offer art, music, foreign language and other elective classes to its students.

"Today's decision gives thousands of Georgia students and their parents a new option for a first-class education," said Ryan Mahoney, chairman of the GCA Board. "We thank the Commission for recognizing GCA's strong track record in Georgia, and we look forward to welcoming new students this fall."

GCA is in its third year and currently serves over 6,000 students in grades K-9. The school has demonstrated consistently strong academic performance, student academic gains and high parent satisfaction. GCA also made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) the past two years.

GCA uses the award-winning curriculum and academic services provided by K12 Inc., America's largest provider of proprietary curriculum and online school programs for students in kindergarten through high school.

Prior to today's vote, GCA received a strong recommendation from the Georgia Charter Schools Commission review panel. The panel noted the school's strong and flexible academic program, which enables students to receive a customized education. The report also stated that the interview panel was "pleased to see the high academic performance of the GCA," noting that GCA students averaged more than one year of grade level growth in Math and Reading in all grades.

The Commission also cited the growing enthusiasm for GCA and the high demand for enrollment. The report stated: "GCA's waitlist for enrollment, which consistently numbers in the thousands, illustrates the demand for their services and the good reputation they are building among Georgia families seeking alternative educational opportunities for their students."

Online learning is one of the fastest-growing areas in education, according to the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL). Online public charter schools, like GCA, are growing steadily across the country as their popularity continues to rise with parents, students and educators. A national report titled Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning shows that more than half the states in the U.S. now have full-time online public school options.

More information about Georgia Cyber Academy can be found at www.k12.com/gca/.

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Georgia Ranks 11th in the Nation on Advanced Placement Exams

2011-02-10T11:36:00.000-05:00

Georgia ranks 11th in the nation in the percentage of seniors scoring a 3 or higher on Advanced Placement (AP) Exams, according to The College Board's AP Report to the Nation released today. This report measures progress of the class of 2010.

"Our students must have rigorous coursework in high school to be successful after they graduate,” said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge. “I am so pleased that more of our students than ever are taking AP courses and passing the exam.”

Advanced Placement classes and exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT. AP classes offer rigorous college-level learning options to students in high school. Students who receive a 3, 4 or 5 on AP exams may receive college credit.

The AP Report to the Nation looks at data for 2010 high school seniors. Among Georgia's public high school seniors in 2010:

* 19.1% scored a 3 or higher on at least one AP exam during high school. That is higher than the national average of 16.9%.
* Georgia is tied for 6th in the nation when comparing the five-year increase of seniors scoring a 3 or higher on at least one AP exam (4.7% growth compared to 3.0% for the nation).
* Georgia has the 10th highest one-year increase of seniors scoring a 3 or higher on at least one AP exam (1.3% growth compared to 1.0% for the nation).

When it comes to public school students enrolling in AP courses and taking the exams, Georgia is also a national leader. Only four other states in the country had a greater percentage of AP exam-takers last year. The percentage of Georgia seniors who took an AP exam was 37.3%, compared to 28.3% for the nation. State Efforts to Increase AP Participation

The State of Georgia has undertaken many successful efforts to increase participation in AP programs and success on AP exams. Among the initiatives:

From 2003-2010, the Georgia Legislature approved funds to pay for students to take at least one AP exam per year. For those seven years, economically-disadvantaged students had all of their AP exams paid for each year.

The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) has organized the distribution of AP Teacher Training Grants. Since 2006, GaDOE has funded approximately $970,693.00 in grant awards to train 1,342 new AP teachers. These awards have allowed 792 new AP courses to be offered in public high schools throughout the state. It is anticipated that in 2010 an additional 400 AP teachers will be trained.

The GaDOE has sponsored regional workshops for teachers of AP for the past four years. These workshops are led by master teachers of AP in Georgia high schools. To date, over 2,100 AP teachers have participated in these course-specific workshops.

The Georgia Virtual Schools (GAVS) continues to add AP classes, increasing access to students throughout the state, including those that might not otherwise be able to take an AP class. In 2009-2010, 552 students enrolled in 21 different AP courses.

AP Honor Schools

Superintendent Barge also named today more than 350 AP Honor Schools.

"Georgia continues to see positive trends in Advanced Placement -- not only in the number of students taking the courses, but in the number of students having success," Superintendent Barge said. "Much of the progress we’re seeing in Georgia can be attributed to our AP Honor Schools."

The 2011 AP Honor Schools are named in five categories, based on the results of AP exams:

* AP CHALLENGE SCHOOLS: Schools with fewer than 900 students with students testing in the four core areas of English, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science
* AP ACCESS & SUPPORT SCHOOLS: Schools with 30% of AP test takers that are African-American or Hispanic and at least 30% of all AP exams scoring 3 or higher
* AP MERIT SCHOOLS: Schools with at least 20% of students taking AP exams and at least half of the AP exams scoring a 3 or higher
* AP STEM SCHOOLS: Schools with students testing in at least two AP math courses and two AP science courses (AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Physics B, AP Physics C, AP Computer Science)
* AP STEM ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS: Schools with students testing in at least two AP math courses and two AP science courses and at least 40% of the exam scores on AP math and AP science exams earning scores of 3 or higher.

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SunTrust Foundation Awards $50,000 Grant to the University System of Georgia Foundation

2011-02-09T20:46:00.002-05:00

UWG among Beneficiaries; Grant to Be Used to Establish “SunTrust Scholars” Program

The SunTrust Foundation has awarded a $50,000 grant to the University System of Georgia Foundation to implement the “SunTrust Scholars” program at the University of West Georgia and nine other Metro Atlanta University System of Georgia institutions.

Funding received will be used to enable students facing significant financial barriers to attend the 10 institutions.

The University System of Georgia Foundation will facilitate the implementation and evaluation of the SunTrust Scholars program.

“Educating more than 311,000 students each year is becoming increasingly challenging, especially in the tough economic times we face today,” said USG Chancellor Erroll Davis. “With corporate partners like SunTrust, more Georgia students will have access to a college education.”

In 2004, the USG Foundation developed a strategic plan to provide support for the University System goals and mission, setting a high priority on securing funding for and providing scholarships to deserving students, based on merit and/or financial need. Since that time, more than $1.4 million has been awarded to students at all 35 colleges and universities in the University System, with an additional $430,000 designated for need-based scholarships over the next three years.

The USG Foundation raised the award money through its annual event: the Regents’ Awards for Excellence in Education.

This is the first grant awarded directly to the USG Foundation to provide scholarships for students attending multiple USG institutions.

"One of the primary goals of the USG Foundation is to provide scholarships for students attending all USG institutions,” said Foundation Chairman Ken Bernard. “We are truly grateful for SunTrust’s support of the worthy effort.”

The SunTrust scholars will be selected by the institution, with the scholarship funds available to begin in the coming fall semester. The selected students will receive full tuition plus a stipend to cover a portion of additional expenses such as books and fees.

“We at SunTrust realize that a college education directly and positively impacts individual lives, benefits society, and promotes the economic viability of the state,” said E. Jenner Wood III, chairman of SunTrust Bank. “We are pleased to provide this grant award to benefit Georgia’s students and the institutions they will be attending.”

Seminary Students Offered More Flexible Program at Emory

2011-02-09T11:51:00.000-05:00

Emory University’s Candler School of Theology is improving access to its Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree program by switching to a two-day-a-week class schedule, creating commuter housing options, and offering online and hybrid courses. The changes will begin this fall for first-year M.Div. students.

“This initiative provides students with greater flexibility and accessibility while maintaining Candler’s outstanding academic offerings,” says David Petersen, associate dean of faculty and academic affairs and Franklin N. Parker Professor of Old Testament. “It gives them more time for their academic work and less time commuting.”

Courses Scheduled for Tuesday-Thursday

Under this new approach, first-year students will take required courses on a Tuesday-Thursday schedule and have the option of taking some courses online or in a hybrid online/classroom version. Students who live outside of Atlanta also may be eligible to stay overnight in nearby “commuter” apartments.

The new arrangement, widely endorsed by bishops and district superintendents within the Southeastern Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church (UMC), is especially appealing to M.Div. students who take part in Candler’s Teaching Parish Program. Students in the program attend Candler while serving as part-time pastors in small churches typically in communities outside metro Atlanta — even as far away as Alabama and Mississippi. They receive a salary and housing as part of their compensation, but their commute to campus for class can be daunting.

“These students have more complicated schedules. Not only are they responsible for the life of the church, but they are under the supervision of their district superintendents,” says Petersen. Accommodating these unique needs will enable more students to enroll in the Teaching Parish Program, he adds.

Part-time Housing Offered

Plans are also under way for Candler-subsidized, part-time housing at a nearby apartment complex for long-distance commuters who need to stay near campus a few days a week. The apartments are furnished and contain two bedrooms, each with two beds, allowing up to four Candler students to share the space.

“We want to provide commuting students an affordable and comfortable place to stay during the middle of the week so they can easily get to their courses, study in the library, and have access to all of Emory’s resources,” says the Rev. Shonda R. Jones, associate dean of admissions and student services.

Online Courses Are New Option

Selecting core courses that are available online and in hybrid versions is another new option for students, with the first courses going live in the 2011-2012 academic year. Additional online courses will be added each year during the next three years.

Michael Joseph Brown, associate professor of New Testament and Christian origins, is in the first faculty cohort that will develop courses for online delivery. He believes online components will improve his New Testament course by facilitating quizzes, exams, and other standard course mechanisms. “They free up classroom time for important dialogue,” he says. “Online classes are the way of the future in all of higher education.”

The Rev. Coy Hinton is one of several North Georgia UMC leaders who responded favorably to initial proposals about the new approach. “This seems like a win-win situation for these students and the churches they serve. Thanks so much for thinking creatively,” wrote Hinton, district superintendent of the Atlanta College Park District.

Adds Jones, “We want to make Candler’s high caliber theological education possible for all those who are called to serve. The new concentrated schedule, commuter housing and digital course offerings are the latest ways we’re demonstrating our commitment.”

Get more information about Candler’s Master of Divinity degree and the Teaching Parish Program.

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Georgia State Board of Education Member Chosen to Serve on National Task Force

2011-02-03T15:02:00.001-05:00

The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) recently announced that Mary Sue Murray, a member of the Georgia State Board of Education, has been selected to serve on a year-long NASBE study group — Preparation, Evaluation, Continuation & Compensation: A State Policy Agenda to Enhance the Teaching Profession — to examine educator preparation and professional development, their job performance evaluations, and the impact of the Common Core Standards on teaching.

The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) conducts annual study groups to provide professional development to members of State Boards of Education, set organizational direction and priorities, and inform the state education policymaking process on key issues. As a member of the 2011 national task force, Murray will meet with other state board members, researchers, and policy analysts to examine a series of issues at the core of teaching and learning.

Task force members will examine:

The preparation of new teachers—including the new model core standards for teachers by the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium—and ongoing support and recertification for experienced teachers in order to assure a new level of capacity for addressing the academic needs of contemporary students;
The methodology and implementation of comprehensive teacher evaluations in order to improve the performance of individuals and ensure the quality of the workforce;
Teacher compensation, including the linkages between teachers’ performance, knowledge, experience, and responsibilities and what they earn.

The study group will issue a comprehensive report in October 2011 at the NASBE Annual Conference in Atlanta, GA. The group’s policy recommendations will be disseminated to relevant stakeholders including members of Congress, federal officials, governors, chief state school officers, and local education policymakers.

OpEd: iPads in the Public Schools

2011-01-27T09:55:00.000-05:00

Early January saw another mostly celebratory account of iPads in schools in the New York Times, "Math That Moves: Schools Embrace the iPad," by Winnie Hu.

Since I was Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies at Duke in 2004 when we "embraced" the iPod experiment -- giving free iPods to entering first-year students before iTunes even existed and no one had thought of one single learning application for the very popular and coveted music-listening device -- you probably think I'm jumping for joy about school districts spending $50,000 or even $400,000 on giving all the kids iPads. Since I co-direct the HASTAC/MacArthur Foundation Digital Media and Learning Competition, you may even think I'm partly responsible for this trend. Not so fast.

Here is the issue: If you change the technology but not the method of learning, then you are throwing bad money after bad practice. You're giving kids a very fancy toy with enormous educational potential and, being kids, they will find exciting things to do with it and many of those things will be beneficial, exciting, and will help them be more adept in the 21st century world of new forms of communication and interaction. If you leave kids to their own devices (pun intended), they will find ways to learn.
The user interface on tablet computers is appealing, the multidisciplinary possibilities inventive, and the potential for downloading lots and lots of apps for just about anything -- and even for designing apps yourself -- is fun. That makes the iPad a flexible, smart device. That is the upside.

The downside is that it is not a classroom learning tool unless you restructure the classroom.
There is no benefit in giving kids iPads in school if you don't change school. You might as well send them off with babysitters to play in the corner with their iPads for eight hours a day. Without the right pedagogy, without a significant change in learning goals and practices, the iPad's potential is as limited (and limitless) as the child's imagination.

Duke University professor Cathy Davidson is a co-founder of HASTAC and the author of "Now You See It." This column originally appeared on her blog. It also appeared in the Durham Herald-Sun. The Durham Public Schools district has announced its intention to use federal Race to the Top grants to purchase iPads for Durham classrooms

That's great on one level -- but it misses the real point of education as well as the full potential of the device. What iPad and all forms of digital learning should do is help prepare kids for this moment of interactive, complex, changing communication that is our Information Age. This is the historical moment that these kids have inherited and will help to shape. Are we preparing them for the challenges we all face together simply by spending our tax dollars on iPads? Yes. And no.
When we gave iPods to the incoming students, we made the cover of Newsweek ("iPod Therefore I Am"), made primetime on ABC News (Peter Jennings scowled, "Shakespeare on the iPod? Calculus on the iPod?"), and were denounced in a long, harrowing editorial in the Chronicle of Higher Education ("The University seems intent on transforming the Pod into an academic device, when the simple fact is that iPods are made to listen to music. It is an unnecessarily expensive toy that does not become an academic tool simply because it is thrown into a classroom.") Darn right! And we didn't. Here's one part of the experiment: If you were a second-, third- or fourth-year student, you were really mad that the first-years got iPods and you didn't. So we told those students if they could teach a professor to use the iPod in the classroom with a learning application, that class (and the professor) would get iPods too. Talk about incentive!
If your school district has embraced student-centered learning, if it has redeveloped its curriculum, and if it no longer thinks that end-of-grade testing measures what students today do learn and need to learn, then computer-aided learning and digital learning and learning as play are wonderful. Embrace those iPads!
But the metrics, the methods, the goals and the assessments all need to change. No Child Left Behind, our national educational policy, is based on early 20 century concepts of efficient testing that was explicitly designed to make learning imitate the production of Model Ts on Ford's assembly line. We still have that institutional basis undergirding schools in an era where there is an app for anything. Simply throwing iPads into the classroom cannot begin to educate kids about the world they are inheriting.
Another time, I'll talk about my concern about the closed nature of the iPad as the model we're embracing. That's a more complicated argument for those who don't know about open source and closed source devices and computing. Let's just say fantastic games and devices and learning tools -- including elementary kids' coding languages like Scratch -- make STEM learning inspiring and fun and help us break down another invention of the Industrial Age: the "two cultures" divide of science/technology versus arts/humanities.
New ways of learning (including with the iPad) blend these -- and not a moment too soon. Maybe those iPadding kids will demand art back in their classrooms because you're shortchanged, really, if you don't know how to create with such a fabulous tool for creativity. But even more fabulous would be learning how to write the code so you could create your own device.
That, my friends, is Lesson No. 2: Embrace new ways of learning -- not just a marvelous (but closed) and very expensive tool.
Your kids have infinite potential to learn if we give them the chance. That requires not a device but a pedagogy and a set of institutional practices that put energy, imagination, creativity, and inspiration -- across those arbitrary and limiting "two cultures" divides -- at the center of learning. You cannot replace the Model T model of education with an iPad if you still believe learning can be produced by assembly line standards and standardization. That's what we have to change! The iPads are a start, because they inspire ... but we have a lot of work today to take down the 20th century apparatus that harnesses our 21st century imagination.

Cathy Davidson

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Little Help for Rural School Innovation in Federal Grant Program

2011-01-26T11:41:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Education's Investing in Innovation (i3) grant program did little to fund education innovations unique to high-needs rural schools, despite regulation requirements encouraging rural proposals.

Instead, projects that are largely urban in origin and design, managed by urban-centered institutions, and operating primarily in urban schools, were able to win bonus points in the competition by adding a small, sometimes token effort in a handful of rural schools.

These are the key findings of " Taking Advantage: The Rural Competitive Preference in the Investing in Innovation Program ," a report published by the national non-profit Rural School and Community Trust, which analyzed all the proposals and Education Department review sheets for the 19 applicants that claimed the rural bonus points and were ultimately among the 49 applicants awarded i3 grants.

Only three of the applicants claiming the rural bonus points made "authentically rural" proposals, which, according to the Rural Trust, involved innovations that are expressly applicable in rural schools, are clearly focused on serving rural schools, and will serve high-needs students in rural schools.

According to Marty Strange, Policy Director, Rural School and Community Trust, and principal author, "It seems absurd on its face that a project, originating in and operating entirely within the city of New York and has no plan to offer anything to rural schools, can claim and receive a rural bonus point merely by arguing that the innovation might work later in some rural place." Strange added, "The idea that if something can make it in New York it can make it anywhere makes great music but bad public policy. We are not saying that proposal is not a good proposal and should not have been funded. We are saying it should not have claimed rural points and should not have been awarded rural points."

The preference for rural proposals was undermined by the fact that only token effort was required in rural areas to claim the bonus points, while the two-point bonus for doing so was more than that allowed other preferred areas, and because readers who scored the proposals were provided no rubric to guide them in assessing proposal's rural effort, according to the report.

Many of the readers were undoubtedly unfamiliar with rural schools and some gave points without much due diligence to the extent of rural effort or the appropriateness of the proposed innovation to a rural setting. This problem is aggravated by the paucity of rural education research to support proposal writers or readers who review their proposals.

"It is evident that many of the applicants were simply taking advantage of the rules of the game and the referees who scored the proposals were ill-prepared to call fouls," said Strange. He added, "Most awardees are serving urban and suburban schools and reflect little real engagement or effort connected with rural school districts."

The report offered the following key recommendations:

* To make competitive grants effective in rural settings, Taking Advantage suggests setting aside funds for rural schools or collaborations of rural schools;
* A requirement that the innovation be expressly designed to meet challenges that are unique to those schools; and
* Implement a system of "prior supports" to provide technical assistance to those applicants in the development of solid rural proposals.

Investing in Innovation (i3) Grant Program

The Investing in Innovation (i3) competitive grant program is the U.S. Department of Education's effort to support innovation in public schools and was funded through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

To encourage projects focusing on rural education the Department offered two bonus points in the scoring system for projects that would implement innovative practices, strategies, or programs that are designed to focus on the unique challenges of high-need students in rural schools and school districts.

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New Scholarships to Benefit Nursing Students

2011-01-26T09:58:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- It was announced today that two new scholarship contests are in place for 2011 to specifically benefit nursing students. The Atlanta Nursing Scholarship gives the winner a $500.00 scholarship to be applied toward any accredited nursing program offered by a school in the greater Atlanta area. The Mary Blake Single Parent Nursing Scholarship gives the winner a $500.00 scholarship to be used toward any accredited nursing program.

Entry forms, rules and restrictions, and links to full details for each contest can be found online at http://www.onlinenursingdegrees.org/financial-aid/atlanta-nursing-scholarship-contest.htm and http://www.onlinenursingdegrees.org/financial-aid/single-parent-scholarship-contest.htm.

These contests are being sponsored and administered by the scholarships and promotions department of OnlineNursingDegrees.org (http://www.onlinenursingdegrees.org/financial-aid/nursing-scholarships.htm), a site that recently entered its fourth year of serving the needs of domestic nursing students in the US.

In a statement released today, Martin Lamers of Online Nursing Degrees said, "Our Nursing Scholarships recognize the unique challenges and opportunities presented to today's nursing students. We want to highlight the crucial role a nurse plays in the stability and growth of any major metropolitan area, as well as reward the individual efforts of some of the area's brightest students and strongest individuals."

The Atlanta Nursing Scholarship contest is open to all nursing students enrolled in an accredited nursing program in the metro Atlanta area. It is an essay contest with a minimum of 500 words to be used describing why the individual is uniquely deserving of the award. Entries may be submitted online until June 15th. Scheduled as an annual event, the winner for 2011's contest will be announced in August.

For more information or to enter this contest, visit: http://www.onlinenursingdegrees.org/financial-aid/atlanta-nursing-scholarship-contest.htm

The Mary Blake Single Parent Nursing Scholarship contest is open to all single-parent nursing students enrolled in an accredited nursing program. It is an essay contest with a minimum of 500 words to be used describing why the individual is uniquely deserving of the award. Entries may be submitted online until June 15th. Scheduled as an annual event, the winner for 2011's contest will be announced in August.

For more information or to enter this contest, visit: http://www.onlinenursingdegrees.org/financial-aid/single-parent-scholarship-contest.htm

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Get Smart Money Answers Through Sallie Mae’s Chat Thursday Night, Jan. 27, 9-10 P.M. EST

2011-01-26T07:03:00.000-05:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Saving for college and don’t know where to start? Looking to improve your credit score? Juggling multiple financial goals? Join Sallie Mae’s live chat to pose these and other questions to financial experts from the Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) on Thursday night, Jan. 27, from 9 to 10 p.m. EST.

“Whatever your life situation, this is a great opportunity to connect with financial planning experts who can provide relevant assistance and information.”

The free chat, which is open to the public through Sallie Mae’s Facebook page, will feature two expert practitioners with a combined 30 years experience in helping people make smart money decisions. Ken Robinson, CFP®, senior planner at the Monitor Group, Inc., in McLean, Va., is active in pro bono financial planning efforts and Junior Achievement financial literacy programs for local schools. Catherine Seeber, CFP®, principal financial advisor for Wescott Financial Advisory Group, LLC in Philadelphia, leads area FPA members in their efforts to teach financial literacy in the community.

“The beginning of a new year is always a good time to re-examine financial goals,” says Marty Kurtz, CFP®, AIFA®, 2011 president of the nonprofit Financial Planning Association. “Whatever your life situation, this is a great opportunity to connect with financial planning experts who can provide relevant assistance and information.”

To participate in the chat on Thursday night or submit a question in advance, visit www.Facebook.com/SallieMae.

To learn more about Sallie Mae’s smart money tips for 2011, including resources to make completing the FAFSA financial aid application easier, visit www.SallieMae.com/SmartMoney2011. Sallie Mae also invites you to share your smart money tips—between now and Jan. 30—for a chance to win a Samsung 40-inch 3D TV through its Smart Money Tips Giveaway.

Note: Smart Money Tips giveaway requires no purchase. Void where prohibited. For a complete set of sweepstakes rules, visit www.SallieMae.com/SmartMoney2011.

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Georgia Tech Hosts First Lego League State Tournament

2011-01-25T09:38:00.000-05:00

The Georgia Institute of Technology will host 50 teams of 480 teens competing in the State of Georgia FIRST LEGO League Robotics Tournament on Saturday, January 29, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Student Center.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is an organization that was founded to inspire interest in science and engineering among young people.

Saturday's event is the State Championship and the top team of the event will advance to the World Festival in St. Louis in late April.

With a theme of “Body Forward,” teams of students aged 9 to 14 will explore the cutting-edge world of biomedical engineering to discover innovative ways to repair injuries, overcome genetic predispositions and maximize the bodies' potential, with the purpose of leading happier, healthier lives.

The event is co-hosted by Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing and Georgia Tech Research Institute, as well as LEGO Robotics Design and Outreach Community.

So far in this year's tournament, 337 teams have competed in 12 qualifiers and three super-regional contests, involving a total of 2,500 students. Through these qualifiers, the field was narrowed to 50 teams that will participate at the event Saturday at Tech.

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Scholarship to Support School Security Professionals Opens Nominations Process for 2011

2011-01-25T09:19:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) today announced that nominations are being accepted for the 2011 Wren Solutions School Resource Officer (SRO) Scholarship Award. The award is part of a $10,000 donation that Wren, providers of physical security solutions that create safe learning environments, pledged over a four year time period.

The annual scholarship, now in its third year, was created to help SROs further their education, thereby bringing even more expertise and security strategies to protect the schools they serve. Last year's winner, School Resource Officer (SRO) Cody Myers of the Riverton, Wyoming Police Department shares his background story, and how the scholarship will help him to create a safer school environment in a guest blog posting on the Wren School Security Blog.

The deadline for all nominations is April 8, 2011. This new winner will be announced at NASRO's 21st Annual National Conference to be held June 27 through July 1, 2011 in Orlando, Florida. The award will be offered and administered through NASRO.

In order to be considered for the scholarship, applicants must be a current member of NASRO (or they can join at the time they apply for the scholarship) and enrolled in an associate's or bachelor's degree program in law enforcement, criminal justice or a related field deemed appropriate by the NASRO Scholarship Committee such as business, public administration or psychology. At the time of applying, candidates must be a sworn law enforcement officer.

"Since the scholarship program was established, it has helped two outstanding SROs further their education and bring even more expertise and security strategies to protect the schools they serve," said Mo Canady, Executive Director of NASRO. "With this scholarship, Wren and NASRO look forward to continuing to offer the most committed SROs with the same opportunity: to advance their education and career, in turn bringing new ideas and expertise to school security and protection."

In selecting the award winner, the nomination committee will consider each applicant's contributions to their SRO program, agency, NASRO or the community. Applicants are also asked to address how they utilized technology to enhance the safety and security of people, property and information.

"Our 2010 winner, Cody Meyers, was an outstanding candidate and continues to serve his community as an officer while also balancing a challenging study schedule," said Andrew Wren, president, Wren. "We look forward to our next round of applicants and eagerly anticipate recognizing and awarding another highly-qualified professional with a well-deserved scholarship award."

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Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities Files Suit Against US Dept. of Ed to STOP Unlawful Regulations

2011-01-21T16:32:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU), on behalf of its more than 1,500 member institutions, today filed a lawsuit in the federal District Court in Washington, DC seeking to block portions of the Department of Education's October 29, 2010 final regulations, 75 Fed. Reg. 66,832, which impose unlawful and unfair limitations on access to higher education.

"APSCU members believe in fair regulatory oversight to protect students, institutions and taxpayers," said Harris Miller, president and CEO of APSCU. "But these regulations as written are not fair, lawful or workable. We've filed this lawsuit to halt the implementation of three specific regulations only after careful consideration and only after our good faith efforts to work with the Department of Education to craft clear, workable rules through the negotiated rulemaking process and the public comment period failed."

"President Obama signed an executive order this week seeking greater stakeholder input and placing heightened reliance on consumer disclosures over government controls. In this case, we have a set of regulations that constitute a classic case of bureaucratic overreach. The President expressed concern about rules that have gotten out of balance, place unreasonable burdens on organizations and could have a chilling effect. If these vague and poorly written regulations are implemented," Miller said, "they will have a chilling effect on job creation and innovation, forcing our schools to waste resources defending themselves against frivolous lawsuits at the expense of investment in students, faculty, facilities and technology."

APSCU has filed this suit to protect the more than three million students across America currently investing in their futures by enrolling in private sector colleges and universities. These are typically "nontraditional" students - whether they are working adults, single parents, returning veterans, low-income, minority, first-generation college attendees or other underserved student populations - who are unable to spend several years at a traditional college.

As explained below, the new Department of Education regulations challenged in APSCU's lawsuit go far beyond lawful regulatory efforts in three areas within the Title IV federal student aid program—state authorization to conduct educational activities within state borders (34 C.F.R. sections 600.4(a)(3), 600.5(a)(4), 600.6(a)(3), 600.9, and 668.43(b)), employee compensation (34 C.F.R. section 668.14(b)), and misrepresentations to the public (34 C.F.R. sections 668.71-668.75):

* The State Authorization regulations force states to adopt particular regulatory regimes rather than adopt their own oversight structures. Notably, these regulations impede innovation and make it significantly more difficult for schools to provide students with online and other distance education programs since they require the authorization of every state where any student may be located, rather than relying on the review of the state in which the school is actually located.
* The Compensation regulations contradict the will of Congress, which in 1992 did not prohibit the payment of merit-based salaries. The new regulations eliminate almost 20 years of interpretive guidance on this issue, captured in 12 clarifying regulations in place since 2002. Completely eliminating those regulations introduces substantial confusion and forecloses practices that clearly benefit students, such as tying employee compensation to student graduation rates. This blanket prohibition will lead to a loss of quality employees and curtailed outreach, diminishing the ability of schools to attract those students most likely to succeed.
* APSCU agrees that statements made to intentionally mislead students are unacceptable. The new Misrepresentation regulations permit the Department to impose severe penalties on schools for inadvertent, insignificant, or innocent statements—including such statements made by third party advertising and marketing partners. Such statements need not be material or cause actual damage. Moreover, penalties can be imposed without due process. As a result of these regulations, schools will be forced to provide less information to prospective students out of fear of being held liable for any mistakes that are made.

APSCU believes that in adopting these regulations, the Department has violated the Constitution, the Higher Education Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act. Miller said that if left in place, these regulations will do irreparable harm to students and schools.

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Title I Distinguished Schools and Districts Awarded

2011-01-21T11:54:00.000-05:00

State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge officially named 868 Georgia Title I Distinguished Schools and four Title I Distinguished Districts at today's State Board of Education meeting.

"These schools have shown that high expectations, hard work and collaboration do improve student achievement," Superintendent Barge said. "I'm so pleased to recognize the educators, students and parents in these schools and school districts."

Title I schools have a significant population of students who are economically disadvantaged. These schools receive federal money to assist with the education of their students. There are two National Title I Distinguished Schools among the total 868 Georgia Title I Distinguished Schools. Title I Distinguished Schools have made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) at least three years in a row.

"These 868 schools could make excuses, but they don't," Superintendent Barge said. "The teachers and students are focused and the consistent results prove it."

Title I Distinguished Schools that have made AYP for three consecutive years are awarded a certificate, while those who have made AYP four or more years receive a monetary award, paid for out of federal funds.

TITLE I DISTINGUISHED DISTRICTS
There are also four Title I Distinguished Districts, which is given to school systems in four different size categories -- Large District, Medium District, Small District and Very Small District. The awarded districts have closed the achievement gap the most between economically disadvantaged students and students who are not economically disadvantaged in each category. The results of the reading, English language arts and mathematics portions of the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) and the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT) are used to determine achievement.

The 2010-2011 Title I Distinguished Districts are:
- Large District: Clarke County
- Medium: Peach County
- Small District: Dublin City
- Very Small District: Glascock County

The winning districts each received $50,000 from federal funds.

NATIONAL TITLE I DISTINGUISHED SCHOOLS
The National Title I Distinguished Schools program recognizes two schools that receive Title I funding. One school is recognized for closing the achievement gap between economically disadvantaged students and students that are not economically disadvantaged. The other school is recognized for exceeding the benchmarks required to make AYP. The CRCT and GHSGT results in reading, English language arts and mathematics are used to determine the winning schools.

The two National Title I Distinguished Schools are:
- Closing the Gap: Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary - Clayton County
- Meets and Exceeds Performance: Fourth District Elementary - Appling County

Each school received $15,000 in addition to their FY11 Title I Distinguished Schools allocation.

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National Park Foundation Unveils Gulf Islands National Seashore Electronic Field Trip Web Portal at WWW.ELECTRONICFIELDTRIP.ORG

2011-01-19T10:15:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Using the Gulf Islands National Seashore as its classroom, the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America's national parks, is inviting students across the country to experience firsthand how science is used to monitor and manage human and natural change in an eco-system through an innovative new Electronic Field Trip (EFT) on Tuesday, March 1, 2011. As part of the program, the National Park Foundation has unveiled www.electronicfieldtrip.org/gulfislands, an interactive online web resource for students and educators to get a jump start on their interactive adventure to Gulf Islands National Seashore, featuring interactive games, lesson plans and more. Teachers and broadcasters are encouraged to register for the program FREE now at www.electronicfieldtrip.org.

The Electronic Field Trip, "Sea Change: Gulf Island National Seashore," will include two live, hour long broadcasts (10am ET and 1pm ET) from Gulf Islands National Seashore, made available through the website (www.electronicfieldtrip.org/gulfislands) as well as on participating public television stations. The FREE program is designed for students in the 4th through 8th grades. The Gulf Islands program is the second in a series of investigative EFTs produced this year by the National Park Foundation to discover the lessons that science being done in national parks can provide to students in classrooms.

Previous EFTs have educated millions of students across the United States and around the world on historical events, climate change, biodiversity and more. For more information about the National Park Foundation's EFT program and a full catalogue of all previous EFTs, visit www.electronicfieldtrip.org

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National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Releases Annual Ranking of State Charter Laws; Race to the Top Helped Some States Improve

2011-01-19T10:12:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) today released its second annual report which ranks the nation's charter school laws from the strongest to the weakest. Measuring Up to the Model: A Ranking of State Public Charter School Laws analyzes the country's 41 state charter laws and scores how well each supports charter school quality and growth based on the 20 essential components from the NAPCS' model charter school law.

The new report captures all the legislative moves states made to be more competitive under the U.S. Department of Education's Race to the Top program. Overall, Minnesota's charter school law ranked the highest and Mississippi's new charter school law ranked the lowest.

"There were a lot of shake-ups on the list this year," commented Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. "Through the Race to the Top competition, states had a new incentive to take bold steps and make major improvements to their charter school laws. Some chose to do so and gained in our ranking. Those who made superficial or no changes, however, often lost ground."

"High-quality charter schools start with strong charter school laws. Our state charter law rankings describe how laws can ensure charter schools are able to innovate in ways that boost student achievement while being held to high standards of academic, fiscal, and operational performance," explained Todd Ziebarth, vice president of state advocacy and support, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. "The rankings and the model law developed by the Alliance and other key stakeholders are moving lawmakers in key states to make positive policy changes." Ziebarth is the author of the report.

As a result of positive policy changes made over the past year, Florida made the biggest jump from 2010, moving from number 11 to second place. Because of charter schools legislation passed in 2010, Massachusetts also made a jump, from number six to third place. And, the charter school legislation New York enacted in 2010 moved it from number eight to number five.

Conversely, the District of Columbia tumbled the furthest from 2010, dropping from second to eighth place. In addition, California fell from the third to the sixth position, Georgia fell from fourth to seventh, and Utah dipped from seventh to tenth.

As a new crop of governors and legislators prepares for the upcoming legislative sessions, the rankings provide clear indications of where some states excel and others come up short in charter school laws. They also offer a positive roadmap for how governors and legislators can take action to strengthen their charter school laws.

"While the legislative moves made in 2010 ranged from the positive to the meaningless to the hostile, the charter movement overall saw positive policy movement across the country," said Ziebarth. "The road ahead remains long, though. Governors and legislators must do more to give parents access to high-quality public charter schools by providing funding equity, increasing facilities support, removing antiquated limits on growth and strengthening authorizer environments."

The 10 states with laws shown to best support the growth of high-quality charter schools are: Minnesota, Florida, Massachusetts, Colorado, New York, California, Georgia, District of Columbia, Louisiana and Utah.

The report also found that 24 states and the District of Columbia still have caps that impede the growth of charter schools. In nine of these states, such caps are severely constraining growth: Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Ohio. More than 420,000 students across the country are hoping for an additional seat at a charter school – and there is no correlation between caps and school quality or student achievement. "These states should remove their arbitrary restrictions on charter growth," added Ziebarth.

There are 10 states that have still failed to enact a charter school law: Alabama, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.

The complete analysis can be downloaded at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools web site: www.publiccharters.org/charterlawrankings2011. See detailed state-by-state summaries and color-coded maps of how states measure against each component at http://charterlaws.publiccharters.org.

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Medtech Launches New 10-School Company

2011-01-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Medtech today announced the formation of a new 10-school company that is positioned to become a leading post-secondary healthcare career education provider. The schools include four current Midwestern campuses, along with three Sanz Schools in the Washington, D.C. area and three Javelin Technical Training Centers in greater Atlanta that will adopt the Medtech name.

The schools were brought together under single ownership less than a year ago. Medtech President and CEO John L. Hopkins' mission was to create a powerful, extraordinary education company that will provide a distinctive education experience. To achieve that goal, Medtech is establishing new learning and service standards within the industry while preserving each school's legacy and healthcare career training strengths.

"We've created a totally new company, from our corporate culture and philosophy to the way in which we operate, so we can deliver an extraordinary learning environment, along with personal and memorable services for our students, employers and clinical partners," said Hopkins. "We selected the Medtech name because it speaks directly to our campuses' healthcare expertise and is indicative of technological investments we are making within the schools to provide the most advanced resources and services to facilitate an extraordinary experience for our students."

He added that Medtech is dedicated to creating new futures through a set of core values that enable it to "be extraordinary" and, in the process, prepare students for rewarding careers in the in-demand healthcare industry. Several campuses also will offer accredited nursing training.

The company sets itself apart from industry competitors on the basis of providing an exceptional student experience. Medtech's educational method is distinguished by a unique employee culture that instructors and staff played a significant role in shaping; a focus on operational pre-eminence through reinvestment in campuses and the technology and tools to create environments in which students can become extraordinary; and a commitment to maintaining the highest levels of regulatory excellence.

"We are characterized by our people, culture and operational excellence – an authentic distinction that will allow us to redefine the education environment," Hopkins said. "Medtech is moving forward in its quest to create student experiences that are beyond the predictable through our commitment to be extraordinary in everything we do."

Medtech's name speaks directly to each campus' primary focus: preparing career professionals for medical-related fields in strong learning environments that are technologically oriented. It also communicates that Medtech campuses provide personalized hands-on, practical learning experiences so students are prepared to achieve all that is possible while creating new futures for themselves in healthcare.

While its main focus is on healthcare education, Medtech also recognizes the general need for English language training in many of the communities it serves. With growing numbers of students seeking English as a Second Language (ESL) programs to bolster their career aptitude, Medtech offers English as a supplemental program to its core medical training program for students wishing to enhance their language skills.

Students are encouraged to search out new opportunities, develop inquisitive minds, and gain the skills and professional confidence that enable them to reach their full potential. A Medtech education prepares students to establish professional goals and create new futures in existing and emerging healthcare professions.

"We offer a strong learning platform that enables graduates to realize they have extraordinary potential…and the tools to achieve it," Hopkins noted.

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Deal to act quickly on APS probation

2011-01-18T21:34:00.000-05:00

Gov. Nathan Deal will take an active role in helping Atlanta Public Schools prevent loss of its accreditation. Upon the announcement today that the system's high schools are on probation, the governor has reached out to Mayor Kasim Reed and has called a meeting tomorrow with the entire Atlanta legislative delegation.

"I will make every effort to ensure that Atlanta's children are not harmed by the adults who have failed them," Deal said. "I have begun the process of working with Atlanta's leaders, including my friend Mayor Reed, to implement corrective action immediately. The high schools are on probation but they have not lost their accreditation. We must do everything possible to stop an embarrassing situation from snowballing into a destructive situation.

"Children's futures are at stake. My budget showed the priority I place on education. My actions in this situation will demonstrate similar resolve. In addition to working with Atlanta's leaders, I announced today that I've asked the team investigating the APS administration of the CRCT to continue its work. I'm determined to get to the bottom of what happened, so we can guarantee the integrity of testing in Atlanta and throughout Georgia."

The report from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools details a dysfunctional city school board that has failed to serve the students of Atlanta. Current state law allows the governor to remove board members in such a scenario, but the law does not apply in this case because all of the board members were in office before the law took effect.

The probation of Atlanta high schools will have no impact on the HOPE scholarship eligibility of the Class of 2011.
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NASA Invites Students to Send Experiments to the Edge of Space

2011-01-14T14:07:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- NASA is inviting student teams to design and build experiments the agency will fly into the stratosphere, a near-space environment, more than 100,000 feet above the Earth.

NASA's second annual Balloonsat High-Altitude Flight competition is open to student teams in ninth to 12th grades from the United States and its territories. Each team of four or more students must submit an experiment proposal to NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland by Feb. 11. Student teams may propose experiments on a wide range of topics, from bacteria studies to weather observations.

A panel of NASA engineers and scientists will evaluate the submissions based on mission objectives, technical planning and team organization. The top eight proposals will be announced on March 4.

The top four teams will receive up to $1,000 to develop their flight experiments and travel to Glenn Research Center May 18-20. During their visit, they will have an opportunity to tour the center, watch as NASA helium weather balloons carry their experiments to the edge of space, recover the experiments and present their results at Glenn's Balloonsat Symposium.

The other four teams also will receive up to $1,000 to develop their flight experiments and will participate via the Internet when NASA scientists and engineers launch and recover their payloads during the week of May 23.

For more Balloonsat information, registration forms and project ideas, visit:

http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/balloonsat

This competition and similar educational programs help NASA attract and retain students in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. These disciplines are critical to the agency's future programs and missions.

The Balloonsat High-Altitude Flight competition is sponsored by Glenn's Educational Programs Office and is funded by the Teaching From Space (TFS) Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. For information about the TFS education program, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education/tfs

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Clayton State University Cancels Classes for Thursday, Jan. 13, and Friday, Jan.14

2011-01-12T21:50:00.002-05:00

Campus Open for Employees at 11 a.m. on Thursday

Classes scheduled for Clayton State University for Thursday, Jan. 13, and Friday, Jan. 14, will be cancelled. Classes will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011, after the Martin Luther King Jr., holiday on Monday, Jan. 17. This applies for both classes at the main campus in Morrow, and the Peachtree City instructional site, Clayton State-Fayette.

For faculty and staff, the opening of the campus on Thursday, Jan. 13, will be delayed until 11 a.m. As there are still reports of icy conditions in neighborhoods and roads in the area, and because safety is of greatest concern, faculty and staff facing travel difficulties should contact their supervisors. The University intends to have offices open for faculty and staff on Friday, Jan. 14, pending icing conditions on campus.

This information is also available on the University’s web page (www.clayton.edu), through the University’s main telephone number (678-466-4000), and on the Office of University Relations Facebook (Clayton-State-University) and Twitter (@ClaytonStNews) accounts. Please do not call the Clayton State Office of Public Safety or the Clayton State Office of University Relations for information..

In addition, the following electronic media outlets will be contacted in regard to Clayton State’s status:

WSB-AM, B-98.5 FM, KISS 104.1 FM, 97.1 The River, 95.5 FM, WXIA-TV, WGST-AM, WKLS-FM, WMXV-FM, WPCH-FM, WSTR-FM, WSB-TV, WAGA-TV, WGCL-TV, WWLG-FM, WIGO-AM.

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.

Gordon College will resume full operations at 8 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 13.

2011-01-12T18:20:00.002-05:00

Everyone is urged to use extreme caution traveling to campus.

As noted earlier, drop/add and payment deadlines have been extended and are found on Gordon College's website, www.gdn.edu

Gordon College Classes Cancelled Wednesday

2011-01-11T21:19:00.001-05:00

Gordon College classes will be cancelled Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011.

Staff is not expected to report.

With the majority of our students commuting, we wanted to take their safety, as well as the safety of our faculty and staff, into consideration.

While there was some thawing on Tuesday, the anticipated frigid temperatures will certainly refreeze what remains on roadways and make traveling unsafe for the majority of our commuting students.

The drop/add period and payment deadlines have been modified due to the interruption in beginning spring semester. For more information on those deadlines see www.gdn.edu

Community Colleges in 29 States to Pilot New Accountability System

2011-01-11T10:09:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The nation's community colleges are taking a major step forward in redefining what "success" means for their institutions with the naming this week of 40 pilot colleges to test drive a new Voluntary Framework of Accountability (VFA), a national system designed to provide accurate data, operational transparency, and the ability for colleges to benchmark student progress and completion data against peer institutions.

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), in collaboration with the Association of Community College Trustees and the College Board, is developing the VFA, with funding from Lumina Foundation for Education and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The pilot colleges include 37 institutions, two state-wide systems and one multi-college district in 29 states. (Complete list follows.) Starting in mid-January 2011, the VFA pilot colleges will test a series of custom metrics that community college professionals developed over the last several months. The project fills what community college advocates have seen as a void in measures appropriate to the unique two-year college mission.

"Many traditional measures of institutional effectiveness don't work well for community colleges," said Walter G. Bumphus, president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). "For example, most are pegged to full-time students, and the majority of community college students attend part-time. Our overarching goal is to develop measures appropriate to our mission that clearly tell students and policy makers how we're doing."

VFA pilot colleges will work from a draft technical manual developed by four VFA working groups, a technical committee, and a national steering committee made up of veteran research experts and educators from within the college community. (See link to VFA website for a list of participants.) Project leaders are developing the VFA in stages so that they can release and test core measures for which there is broad consensus on technical definitions and available data. Additional measures will be proposed as the participants report outcomes and assess how well they gauge institutional effectiveness.

"Pilot testing is a critical part of developing the VFA," said Kent Phillippe, AACC's associate vice president of research and student success and director of the VFA initiative. "We want to learn from the pilots the utility of the measures and feasibility of reporting this data for all types of community colleges."

Late in January, AACC will make available all the resources provided to the pilots so that any institution will be able to calculate the proposed VFA measures, understand the pilot testing process and learn more about the VFA. Added to the pilot testing, AACC will develop mock-ups for what could be built as the VFA data collection and display tool, and share the preliminary designs during the AACC annual meeting and via virtual meetings in the second half of 2011.

Pending outcomes of the pilot testing, reaction to the VFA among AACC member institutions and future funding, a full-scale roll-out to the nation's close to 1,200 community, junior and technical colleges could take place starting in 2012.

"The Obama administration and others are focused on greater numbers of student completions and demonstrable measures for how we gauge student success. VFA is the community college response that says, 'We accept that challenge,'" Bumphus added.

Pilot colleges are: Baltimore City Community College (Baltimore, MD), Bevill State Community College (Jasper, AL), Bunker Hill Community College (Boston, MA), Burlington County College (Pemberton, NJ), Central Community College (Grand Island, NE), College of Lake County (Grayslake, IL), College of Western Idaho (Nampa, ID), Community College of Allegheny County (Pittsburgh, PA), Dallas County Community College District (Dallas, TX), DeKalb Technical College (Clarkston, GA), Flathead Valley Community College (Kalispell, MT), Fox Valley Technical College (Appleton, WI), Genesee Community College (Batavia, NY), Greenville Technical College (Greenville, SC), Hudson County Community College (Jersey City, NJ), Independence Community College (Independence, KS), Jackson Community College (Jackson, MI), Kentucky Community and Technical College System (Versailles, KY), Lane Community College (Eugene, OR), Louisiana Community and Technical College System (Baton Rouge, LA), Mid-Plains Community College (North Platte, NE), Milwaukee Area Technical College (Milwaukee, WI), Montgomery College (Rockville, MD), Montgomery County Community College (Blue Bell, PA),Norwalk Community College (Norwalk, CT), Oklahoma City Community College (Oklahoma City, OK), Parkland College (Champaign, IL), Passaic County Community College (Paterson, NJ), Pima County Community College District (Tucson, AZ), Pitt Community College (Winterville, NC), Raritan Valley Community College (Somerville, NJ), Renton Technical College (Renton, WA), Rochester Community and Technical College (Rochester, MN), Salt Lake Community College (Salt Lake City, UT), Tidewater Community College (Norfolk, VA), Waubonsee Community College (Sugar Grove, IL), Wenatchee Valley College (Wenatchee, WA), Western Iowa Tech Community College (Sioux City, IA), Western Nebraska Community College (Scottsbluff, NE), and Western Wyoming Community College (Rock Springs, WY).

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Dr. John Barge Becomes Georgia?s 21st State School Superintendent

2011-01-10T17:37:00.000-05:00

Dr. John D. Barge was sworn into office today as Georgia's 21st State School Superintendent. A life-long public school educator, Dr. Barge brings years of experience and common sense approaches to improving Georgia's schools.

"It's an honor and privilege to serve as State School Superintendent," said Superintendent Barge. "I am excited about this new challenge and will hit the ground running to build a strong foundation to positively benefit our students, teachers and communities. As a parent with a child in public schools and as one who has served at virtually every level in public education, I am keenly aware of the challenges we face as a state and the challenges our students, teachers and local administrators are facing. I am committed to ensuring that the Georgia Department of Education is a service agency and is communicating directly with educators in our local districts."

Prior to his becoming State School Superintendent, Dr. Barge served as the Director of Secondary Curriculum & Instruction with the Bartow County School System.

Bio

Dr. John Barge was born and raised in Cobb County, Georgia, graduated from Campbell High School in 1984, and attended Berry College in Rome, Georgia on academic and journalism scholarships where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1988.

Dr. Barge has earned three advanced degrees, a master?s degree and a specialist's degree from the State University of West Georgia and his doctorate degree in educational leadership from the University of Georgia. In his 20 years in education, Dr. Barge has served as a high school English teacher, middle school Spanish teacher, assistant principal, and principal. He also served as the State Director of Career, Technical and Agriculture Education for the Georgia Department of Education. John has been recognized as a STAR teacher in 1996, as Georgia?s Assistant Principal of the Year in 2001, and received the Berry College Alumni Association?s Distinguished Achievement Award in 2005.

John and his wife Loraine, long-time Floyd County residents, have been married for 19 years. They have a 14 year-old daughter who attends public school in Floyd County.

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Clayton State University Campus Closed on Tuesday, January 11

2011-01-10T17:27:00.002-05:00

The main campus of Clayton State University, located in Morrow, Ga., and the University's instructional site in Peachtree City, Ga., Clayton State -- Fayette, will be closed due to inclement weather on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011.

This marks the first time in more than 15 years that weather has closed the University on consecutive days. As a result, the first day of classes for the spring 2011 semester is still on hold, as are deadlines for the acadmeic drop/add periods, late registration and late fee payments. Decisions on these latter issues will be made on the morning that classes resume.

Further information about Clayton State’s plans for Wednesday, Jan. 12, will be available later on the University’s web page (www.clayton.edu), through the University’s main telephone number (678-466-4000), and on the Office of University Relations Facebook (Clayton-State-University) and Twitter (@ClaytonStNews) accounts. Please do not call the Clayton State Office of Public Safety or the Clayton State Office of University Relations for information.

In addition, the following electronic media outlets will be contacted in regard to Clayton State’s status:

WSB-AM, B-98.5 FM, KISS 104.1 FM, 97.1 The River, 95.5 The Beat, WXIA-TV, WGST-AM, WKLS-FM, WMXV-FM, WPCH-FM, WSTR-FM, WSB-TV, WAGA-TV, WGCL-TV, WWLG-FM, WIGO-AM.

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.

Gordon Classes Cancelled Tuesday

2011-01-10T17:25:00.002-05:00

Classes at all Gordon College locations are cancelled for Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011 due to the continuing weather situation.

Only staff who are essential to the function of the college are expected to report Tuesday.

The campus is expected to be open Wednesday, Jan. 12.

“We want our students, staff and faculty to be safe,” said Gordon President Shelley Nickel of the campus closing. “Closing the campus for an additional period of time was the best choice for us to help ensure that safety.”

Since Monday was to be the first day of spring semester, many students have questions concerning registration, tuition payment and drop/add days.

Late registration (both on-line and on-campus) and drop/add will be extended through 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14. Payment for tuition and fees is due in full by 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14.

Ashworth High School Changes Name to James Madison High School

2011-01-10T09:36:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Ashworth College, (http://www.ashworthcollege.edu) an internationally recognized online education company, has announced that its high school division, Ashworth High School, will return to its former moniker James Madison High School, effective January 2011. This announcement coincides with the 15th anniversary of the original James Madison High School brand.

Gary Keisling, Ashworth College Chairman and CEO, commented on the name change: "The initial decision to become Ashworth High School back in 2007 was to begin unifying our schools under the Ashworth umbrella. While Ashworth High School has been successful for us, one of the reasons for the change rests with our students who have indicated a strong connection with the James Madison name, which in itself, is a name that is steeped in tradition."

Keisling went on to emphasize that the change was in name only and that existing students could continue to depend on the school's prestigious SACS CASI regional accreditation and national DETC accreditation and its quality curriculum during this transition and into the future.

In the coming months, the company will continue to focus its growth efforts on maximizing the strong reputation they have built for providing students with a superior educational experience and, through technology, engaging its students in an increased sense of community. James Madison students will play a prominent role in the school's online student community as well as various social sites (Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, etc.) where students have the opportunity to directly interact with instructors and peers.

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Majority of States Receive Below Average Grades on Education Reform Laws

2011-01-10T09:29:00.000-05:00

Georgia's grade is a 'C' for laws governing charter schools.

New report finds that even with federal prodding, most laws fall flat.

/PRNewswire/ -- Only 11 states and the District of Columbia have charter school laws that do not require significant improvements in order to allow for the effective creation and growth of these innovative school options, according to a new study and legislative blueprint released today by The Center for Education Reform (CER). Of the rest, 14 states received a grade of 'C,' and 15 a 'D' or 'F' for their laws governing charter schools in CER's Charter School Laws Across the States.

According to the report, excitement over charter schools—which dramatically increased after both 'Race to the Top' and the release of 2010's critically-acclaimed film Waiting for Superman—has not been matched by substantive improvements to state-level public policy related to these schools. The result, CER says, is increased waiting lists at charter schools and lost years for far too many children who seek access to better learning environments.

"In November, voters across the nation voted overwhelmingly for dramatic and immediate change in state legislative bodies, and a key component of their choices was education reform," said Jeanne Allen, president of The Center for Education Reform. "As lawmakers across the country map out their legislative agendas for 2011, they should match their election-year promises with policy improvements that will allow for the true expansion of charter schools across the nation."

In the 12th edition of Charter School Laws Across the States, CER identifies three specific priorities that lawmakers must incorporate into their 2011 law changes:

Authorizer Reform. One of the hallmarks of a great charter school law is the ability for multiple entities—including universities, mayors, and independent state charter school boards—to allow for the creation of charter schools. Far too many states place authorizing power solely in the hands of local school boards, which have no incentive to allow charter schools.

Cap Removal. In many states, random and arbitrary caps—or limits—are placed on the number of schools that can operate or the number of students who can access charter schools. CER said that eliminating these capricious caps—along with authorizer reform—is a healthy blueprint for charter law improvement.

Funding Equity. Despite the fact that charter schools are public schools, the average charter school receives more than a thousand dollars less, per student, than a conventional public school. This historically inequitable funding formula—embraced by many states—immediately places charter schools, which face higher accountability measures, at a disadvantage.

"By introducing legislation that permits multiple charter school authorizers, eliminates unnecessary caps that only serve to punish children and provides equitable funding for charter schools, the country can witness a new renaissance in American education flourish in this next decade," Allen said.

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Clayton State University Campus Closed on Monday, January 10

2011-01-09T20:52:00.002-05:00

The main campus of Clayton State University, located in Morrow, Ga., and the University's instructional site in Peachtree City, Ga., Clayton State -- Fayette, will be closed due to inclement weather on Monday, Jan. 10, 2011.

Scheduled as the first day of classes for the spring 2011 semester, Monday wasalsoscheduledto mark the first 2011 Young People's Concert at the University's Spivey Hall. However, wit hthe University closed, the concert is cancelled and all school groups and individuals will be refunded.

Further information about Clayton State’s plans for Tuesday, Jan. 11, will be available later on the University’s web page (www.clayton.edu), through the University’s main telephone number (678-466-4000), and on the Office of University Relations Facebook (Clayton-State-University) and Twitter (@ClaytonStNews) accounts. Please do not call the Clayton State Office of Public Safety or the Clayton State Office of University Relations for information.

In addition, the following electronic media outlets will be contacted in regard to Clayton State’s status:

WSB-AM, B-98.5 FM, KISS 104.1 FM, 97.1 The River, 95.5 The Beat, WXIA-TV, WGST-AM, WKLS-FM, WMXV-FM, WPCH-FM, WSTR-FM, WSB-TV, WAGA-TV, WGCL-TV, WWLG-FM, WIGO-AM.

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.

Fayette County Board Member Smith Elected to Statewide Post

2011-01-07T10:52:00.000-05:00

Fayette County Board of Education member Terri Smith has been elected as a District Director for the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA).

As a District Director, Smith will serve on the association’s Board of Directors representing GSBA’s District 6, which includes the school systems of Bremen City, Carroll County, Carrollton City, Clayton County, Coweta County, Douglas County, Fayette County, Griffin-Spalding County, Heard County, Henry County, Meriwether County, Pike County, Thomaston-Upson County, and Troup County.

District Directors are elected for three-year terms at district meetings by a majority of the district members present and voting. The Board of Directors manages the affairs and business transactions of the association, and employs the executive director.

"We are extremely pleased to have Terri Smith join our Board of Directors," said GSBA Executive Director Jeannie M. (Sis) Henry. "This is an important role and one that demands high levels of leadership."

GSBA is an advocate of public education and supports the uniquely American tradition of citizen control of public school systems. GSBA is a voluntary, statewide organization that provides professional services and training to the state's local boards of education, and represents the collective resolve of local boards in the governance of public education. GSBA has provided service to public education in Georgia for over 50 years.

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American CyberSystems Offers $5,000 College Scholarship to YWCA of Greater Atlanta's Teen Girls in Technology Program

2011-01-06T11:49:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- American CyberSystems, Inc. (ACS), a major sponsor of the YWCA of Greater Atlanta's Teen Girls in Technology (TGI Tech) program, announced today that it is offering a $5,000 scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded to a high school graduate and TGI Tech participant looking to major in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) in college. TGI Tech is a program dedicated to preparing young women for non-traditional careers with a STEM focus.

"This scholarship can help to open the door for a program participant whose goal is to immerse herself in non-traditional learning subjects. The opportunity to go to college is something some of these girls may not have without outside assistance, such as the generous scholarship provided by American CyberSystems," said Judy Brown-Fears, TGI Tech program director.

The TGI Tech program is introduced to middle school students and continues through high school. American CyberSystems President Raj Sardana and his wife, Nita Sardana, have sponsored TGI Tech since 2006. ACS encourages its employees to take an active role in strengthening the community by supporting teen technology education and mentoring.

ACS funded a TGI Tech field trip last year to the Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, Florida. The trip exposed participants to the importance that women have in the NASA program and also provided the opportunity to experience science and technology in action.

"TGI Tech serves as a valuable learning tool for girls in their formative years," Nita Sardana commented. "Having two daughters currently pursuing degrees in college, we understand the importance of introducing technology at a young age."

"ACS provides leading-edge information technology solutions and understands how very important it is to foster IT careers for girls today so we can fill the pipeline with skilled professionals for the future," Raj Sardana said. "These same students may one day be ACS consultants working at Fortune 100 companies here in Atlanta."

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Ribbon Cutting Scheduled to Open Southern Polytechnic State University's New $30 Million Engineering Technology Center

2011-01-05T11:34:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) President Lisa A. Rossbacher and other dignitaries will cut the ribbon to open SPSU's new $30 million Engineering Technology Center (ETC) at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 11.

Lee Rhyant, the recently retired executive vice president and Marietta site general manager for Lockheed Martin, will deliver remarks to assembled faculty, staff, students, alumni and guests inside the building following the ribbon-cutting.

SPSU is the only public university in Georgia offering a degree in mechatronics engineering – the integration of mechanical and electrical engineering disciplines with an infusion of computer science and software engineering. The ETC will house this program, in addition to all of the other engineering and engineering technology programs in SPSU's School of Engineering Technology & Management and Division of Engineering. All told, SPSU offers a total of 13 undergraduate engineering and engineering technology degree programs, and three graduate engineering and engineering technology programs.

In addition to classrooms, faculty offices, computer labs and an auditorium, the three-story, 120,000 square foot structure features a large number of highly specialized spaces: an energy/HVAC lab, a fluid mechanics lab, a strength-of-materials lab, a metrology lab, an electromagnetics lab, a computer-integrated manufacturing lab, an automotive lab, engineering graphics labs, a biomedical lab and a machine shop, to name a few.

The campus' newest facility, designed by architect Cooper Carry, sports a striking light show in the main lobby and is on track to receive silver-level LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, as are all recent additions to the SPSU campus.

Students will begin attending classes and labs in the new facility with the start of the spring semester on Jan. 10.

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UGA 8th in Kiplinger’s annual best value ranking

2011-01-04T13:32:00.000-05:00

The University of Georgia is eighth in the latest ranking of the nation’s best values in public higher education by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.

The 2011 ranking marks the eighth consecutive year UGA has ranked among the magazine’s top 10 values. The university has been in the magazine’s top 20 every year since the magazine began publishing its best value rankings in 1998.

The rankings appear in Kiplinger’s February 2011 issue and online at www.kiplinger.com/tools/colleges. The magazine takes data on more than 500 public institutions and sorts the schools based on quality measures such as the admission rate, test scores of incoming freshmen and graduation rates. To create the list of 100 top values, the magazine then factors in cost data such as tuition, fees and financial aid to come up with a list of institutions that “deliver a stellar education at an affordable price.”

“Schools like these on the Kiplinger 100 list prove graduates can enter the workforce with a great education—and without a huge cloud of debt,” said Kiplinger’s Editor Janet Bodnar.

The magazine notes the average debt at graduation for UGA students is $14,766, the third lowest among top 10 schools. The magazine calculates total annual in-state cost for UGA students at $18,226 and total annual cost for out-of-state students at $36,436. For out-of-state students, the university ranks 19th on the list of 100 best values.

Two other University System of Georgia institutions are in the magazine’s top 100 for in-state students—Georgia Institute of Technology, ranked 16th, and Georgia College and State University, ranked 100th.

The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill tops the magazine’s list for the 10th time. Other institutions in this year’s top 10 are: the University of Florida (2nd), University of Virginia (3rd), College of William and Mary (4th), University of Maryland, College Park (5th), State University of New York at Binghamton (6th), SUNY Geneseo (7th), University of Wisconsin-Madison (9th) and University of Washington (10th).

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Summer Scholars Research Program for High School Students Offered by Emory's Winship Cancer Institute

2011-01-03T10:14:00.000-05:00

The Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University is hoping to groom the next generation of researchers, physicians, nurses, and health care professionals. Winship is currently accepting applications for its Winship Summer Scholars Research Program from high school students who are interested in an immersion into the research world of cancer

The Winship Summer Scholars Program begins June 6, 2011, and ends July 15, 2011. Deadline for applications is February 11, 2011.

“This program provides a genuine experience in a biomedical research laboratory for high school students who have a keen interest in science,” says Mary Jo Lechowicz, MD, assistant professor of hematology and medical oncology at Emory and director of the Winship Summer Scholars program.

The Winship Summer Scholars Research Program (WSSRP) consists of both academic and practicum components, and is available to students who are rising seniors attending any high school in the greater Atlanta area.

“At the completion of the program,” says Lechowicz, “students will have experienced the rich, interdisciplinary nature of biomedical research and will have an authentic understanding of the process of science.”

Students accepted into the program will be assigned to work with a research scientist or clinical oncologist who is actively engaged in research at Emory University School of Medicine. Students will work in a professional setting with their faculty mentors, as well as with laboratory technicians and graduate students, in their assigned lab. Participants will learn about the research interests of their faculty mentor and will be assigned to a specific question or problem relating to that interest.

For more information, or to apply to the Winship Summer Scholars Research Program, contact: Beverly Jones, 404-778-2249 or beverly.jones@emory.edu.

SCAD and Kids II® Partner to Create Innovative Design Solutions and Unique Learning Opportunities for Students

2010-12-27T14:07:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Savannah College of Art and Design, the most comprehensive art and design university in the world, and Kids II, one of the world's fastest-growing baby product companies with headquarters in Atlanta, Ga., and offices on five continents, have formed a mutually beneficial partnership that provides fresh new product ideas for Kids II while giving SCAD students real-world, hands-on corporate design experience, better preparing them for post-college career opportunities.

"SCAD's mission is to prepare talented students for professional careers, and providing collaborative learning experiences with companies, nonprofits and other organizations is one of the best ways that students gain the necessary skills to make them valuable contributors from day one with employers," explained SCAD Professor Jesus Rojas, a team leader behind the SCAD and Kids II partnership.

This year, nearly 20 SCAD students -- all industrial design majors -- spent six months under the direction of Rojas and Kids II Vice President of Product Development Steve Burns developing toy and gear concepts for the company. Design criteria stated that the designs must be simple and intuitive, easy to use, have flexible use, promote infant development, reflect the essence of the existing Bright Starts™ brand, and meet global safety standards.

Students conducted market research, created more than 200 initial design concepts, and honed their ideas through collaborative meetings with Kids II's senior design team. Kids II ultimately selected two final design concepts, which the company is considering for further development and which could ultimately appear on store shelves in more than 65 countries.

"We've found that the SCAD student's thinking is bold and innovative," said Burns. "The concepts they delivered this year demonstrate a strong understanding of the market and how to advance Kids II's position as a leading provider of smart, high-quality infant products. SCAD graduates are definitely among the most inventive designers we've encountered -- which explains why we've consistently hired interns from the university for the past five years and more than half of our product designers are SCAD graduates."

Recognizing that design and education today are truly global, the partners decided to expand their relationship by providing the top 12 student designers with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: travel to Hong Kong to present their portfolios and design concepts to Kids II's Asian design team, including the Kika Design Studio. While in Hong Kong, the students also met with other leading design companies such as VTech, Rubbermaid, TTI and Philips, among others. Students networked, met international design teams, shared creative concepts through portfolio presentations, toured manufacturing facilities on Mainland China, and investigated job and internship opportunities on a truly international scale.

This unique learning opportunity helps explain why, over the past four years, an average of 8 out of 10 new SCAD alumni who responded to a survey were employed in their field or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation.

Jean Kee, a SCAD Bachelor of Fine Arts student from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, who participated in the collaborative learning partnership with Kids II, so impressed the company's design team with her concepts and professional demeanor that she barely had time to unpack from her trip to Hong Kong before she reported to the company's Atlanta office for the first day of her new internship.

"SCAD has helped me make my professional dreams a reality, and I'm truly grateful to both the university and Kids II for this amazing opportunity," said Kee. "From undertaking the Kids II sponsored project, to being able to go to Hong Kong, to being rewarded with an internship as well as the opportunity to have my design concept prototyped, I can proudly say that the experience as a whole has not only made me a more well-rounded designer, but also a stronger, more mature and much more knowledgeable individual."

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USA Funds Accepts Applications for $1 Million in Scholarships

2010-12-15T11:47:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- USA Funds®, a nonprofit organization that helps American families benefit from postsecondary education, announces that it is accepting applications online for a total of $1 million in USA Funds Access to Education Scholarships® to help students from low- to moderate-income households pay college costs.

The program offers $1,500 scholarships to qualified full-time or half-time undergraduates and to full-time graduate and professional students. Applicants for the scholarships must be enrolled or plan to enroll in course work at accredited two- or four-year colleges, universities or vocational/technical schools beginning with the fall 2011 term through Feb. 1, 2012.

The program assists students from households with an annual income of $35,000 or less. Up to 50 percent of the awards go to students who are members of an ethnic minority group or are physically disabled.

"USA Funds has helped more than 16,000 low- to moderate-income students pursue higher education through the award of more than $55 million in scholarships during the past nine years," said Robert C. Ballard, USA Funds senior vice president, access and outreach. "We're pleased to continue this tradition of scholarship support to help deserving students overcome financial barriers to college."

The scholarship application deadline is Feb. 15, 2011.

For complete eligibility information and to apply online, students should visit www.usafunds.org/scholarship. A Spanish-language version of the scholarship information and online application is available.

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Atlanta Christian College Holds First-Ever Winter Commencement

2010-12-13T13:12:00.000-05:00

Atlanta Christian College awarded diplomas to its first-ever December graduates on Friday, with 58 students crossing the stage. A total of 144 students have received diplomas from Atlanta Christian this year – a new high for the 74-year-old college.

The commencement speaker was Dr. Crawford Loritts, nationally known speaker, author and radio host and senior pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Roswell, Ga.

“Nothing in life happens apart from courage,” Loritts said to the graduates. “Often, the difference between success and failure comes down to courage.”

He encouraged the graduates to be courageous as they move into the next stages of their lives, reminding them, “Courage is not the absence of fear, it’s the direction of fear. If you fear God more than you fear people, you’ll always come out courageous.”The December Hathcock Award winners were also announced during the ceremony. This award, named for Judge T. O. Hathcock, ACC’s founder, is the highest honor the College awards to a graduating senior. Seniors are nominated by the administrative cabinet and selected by the faculty. Not more than five percent of the graduating class may receive the award. It is given based on the qualities of academic achievement, character and servant leadership. This year’s recipients were Robin Joiner, of Snellville, Ga., and Kara Banister, of Stockbridge, Ga.
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High Schools Fall Short on College Support, Student Researchers Find

2010-12-13T10:49:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Students do not get the college-going help they need from schools until far too late in the game, according to an extraordinary new report by a research team of 25 diverse high school students from Tennessee and Washington state.

Instead, parents and guardians largely step into the gap, according to their study, Hear Us Out, which was released today by the Center for Youth Voice in Policy and Practice at What Kids Can Do, Inc., a nonprofit based in Providence, RI.

Three-quarters of the respondents named their families as the chief source of college motivation and support, even when their parents and guardians had not attended college themselves.

In contrast, almost a third said they had never spoken with a school counselor about college. Although that percentage dropped to 12 percent by twelfth grade, 28 percent of seniors said they had completed their college application mostly on their own.

Student researchers based their findings on surveys of close to 5,000 peers in nine comprehensive high schools, five in Seattle and four in Chattanooga and Hamilton County, Tennessee. Another 225 students participated in videotaped student-led focus groups and individual interviews.

High motivation, little help

Conversations about setting their sights on college began early for 86 percent of students and came to a peak in sixth through ninth grades. But respondents said they lacked concrete advice from school sources in the critical early high school years.

Encountering a problem moving ahead with college plans, 86 percent of students said they would turn to a parent or guardian, compared to 38 percent who said they would consult a school counselor, and 33 percent a teacher.

The cost of college was the biggest hurdle, according to more than two-thirds of students. Forty percent said they knew little or nothing about financial aid. Of students eligible for free and reduced lunch, only 64 percent expected to attend college directly after high school, compared with 78 percent of higher-income students.

Aware of the constraints caused by overloaded counselors and shrinking school budgets, the student researchers urged community partners to step in with support and coaching for families and youth. They also asked for mentoring from "near peers" — college students from similar backgrounds who could share practical advice about access and success.

"I usually don't like asking for help," said one young respondent. "But when someone says, 'Hey, check this out, I don't know if you'll like it, but you should look at it anyway,' that goes pretty far."

Supported by Lumina Foundation for Education, Hear Us Out was a collaborative effort by What Kids Can Do (WKCD), the Public Education Foundation in Chattanooga, and the Alliance for Education in Seattle. The Public Science Project at CUNY Graduate Center helped design the survey and train the students. Students carried out their research and analysis in the spring of 2010.

"We found no shortage of ambition among these high school students, whatever their family income, race or ethnicity," said WKCD president Barbara Cervone, who presented the report along with videotaped student voices to a national group of college access organizations at Lumina's Indianapolis headquarters on December 2. "But making college dreams come true for America's youth is a joint production, requiring all of us."

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Clayton State School of Graduate Studies to Hold Hooding Ceremony, December 10

2010-12-09T09:59:00.001-05:00

The Clayton State University School of Graduate Studies will hold its fall 2010 Hooding Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 9, in the ballroom of the University’s Student Activities Center, beginning at 5 p.m.

A total of 20 individuals will receive master’s degrees from Clayton State at the Hooding Ceremony, which will recognize summer 2010 and fall 2010 graduates from the School of Graduate Studies.

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.

Distance Education Leader Ashworth College Selected by Military Advanced Education Magazine for Inclusion in Their Guide to Top Military-Friendly Colleges and Universities

2010-12-08T10:57:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Military Advanced Education (MAE) has selected Ashworth College, a leader in online education, for inclusion in their 4th Annual Guide to Top Military-Friendly Colleges & Universities.

"This guide has become an invaluable tool for both Education Service Officers/Specialists and Base Transition Officers when advising their servicemembers about degree and certification opportunities currently available from institutions of higher learning," said MAE Associate Publisher Glenn R. Berlin.

From community colleges to nationally known centers of higher learning, MAE's Annual Guide to Military-Friendly Colleges & Universities provides potential students with uniform, pertinent information. Among the attributes considered in evaluating any school's degree of military friendliness are the quality of its academics, the on-campus and online advice and support it provides to servicemembers, veterans and their families, and the sophistication and effectiveness of its distance learning programs.

"Being recognized by Military Advanced Education as a top institution serving the military is an honorable distinction for Ashworth College," said Gary M. Keisling, Ashworth Chairman and CEO. "Ashworth is proud to offer a wide range programs to those serving in the U.S. military, their spouses and families and the veteran community."

"It's Ashworth's mission to ensure that our programs are of the highest quality, accredited, affordable and flexible," Keisling added. "Our degree programs are under $100 per credit hour, compared to similar schools that push theirs as high as $250 per credit hour. It's clear that with Ashworth College military tuition benefits go further towards helping individuals achieve their education goals."

He also pointed out that Ashworth does not charge for textbooks, which, according to The College Board currently averages an incremental $1,137 per year.

In addition to providing more than 115 career-focused diploma, degree, and certificate programs, Ashworth College is a member of Servicemember Opportunity Colleges Consortium (SOC). Ashworth also accepts ACE credits and is approved for a range of other military benefits to include GI/VA education benefits, DANTES, GoArmyEd, and MyCAA.

Military Advanced Education is the only magazine produced specifically for servicemembers and veterans seeking to take advantage of the military education benefit. MAE covers issues and trends in distance learning and education as they specifically relate to military life, including innovative programs, military educational policy, financial aid and coursework that offer special opportunities for military personnel.

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Valdosta's Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Named Technical College of the Year

2010-12-04T17:16:00.000-05:00

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College in Valdosta was named Technical College of the Year at the December 2 meeting of the State Board that oversees the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). The Board also announced that it will honor Governor Sonny Perdue’s leadership and strong commitment to the success of Georgia’s 26 technical colleges with the new award in his name.

“Our technical colleges in Georgia are critical components of our overall economic development strategy,” Governor Perdue said. “I am proud to congratulate Wiregrass Georgia Technical College on this honor. Georgia’s technical colleges are emerging from this downturn stronger and ready to meet the advanced, high-tech workforce demands of today’s global economy.”

The Governor Sonny Perdue Award for the Technical College of the Year will be presented annually to the top college in TCSG. Judging for the award is based on almost two dozen performance criteria, including enrollment numbers, graduation rate, student retention, job placement rate, cost efficiency, completions in adult education programs, and trends in specialized workforce training.

“Governor Perdue has long been a champion for Georgia’s economic development and he understands the vital role that the TCSG colleges have in producing a highly-skilled, 21st Century workforce that attracts companies to our state and enables Georgia businesses and industries to thrive in the face of global competition,” said Dean Alford, the chairman of the State Board of the TCSG..

“With Governor Perdue as our state’s chief executive, our technical colleges have grown to be recognized as a premier destination for some of the very best technical education and workforce development programs in the nation,” said Alford. “Now, it’s only fitting that we establish a technical college of the year award that bears his name and honors not just his long legacy of commitment and support for the TCSG, but also the outstanding leadership that he has provided for the people of Georgia.”

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College is the first recipient of the honor.

Dr. Ray Perren, the president of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, accepted the award on behalf of his faculty, staff and students. The other Perdue Award finalists were Albany Technical College, Atlanta Technical College and Altamaha Technical College in Jesup.

It has been an exceptional year for Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, which formed after the merger of Valdosta Technical College and East Central Technical College in July. Enrollment at the college surged by 34 percent in 2010 to 6,198 students, and the number of those students attending as a full-time equivalent increased by 48 percent. By the end of the year, the college graduated 756 students in certificate, diploma and degree programs, which was a 16 percent increase over the previous year.

The number of adult learners that enrolled in the college’s adult education programs, including Adult Basic Education and Adult Secondary Education, grew by 14 percent. The college also focused on encouraging its GED graduates to transition on to technical college, with an 11 percent increase in that area.

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College also improved on its operational efficiencies in a time of fiscal belt-tightening by reducing its average expenditure per full-time equivalent by almost 21 percent. The college, like many of its sister colleges in the TCSG, sought those efficiencies by lowering administrative costs and not by reducing students access to instructional programs, classrooms and technology.

The exceptional performance and focus on education programs that has been demonstrated by Wiregrass Georgia Technical College reflects broader growth and progress throughout the TCSG in recent years. In fact, during Governor Perdue’s two terms in office, enrollment in the Technical College System of Georgia grew by 42%, adding more than 57,000 students to a total that reached 191,000 last year. The record-breaking enrollment necessitated more student access to state-of-the-art facilities, classrooms and labs, and Governor Perdue responded over the years by approving the appropriation of 42 capital projects for the colleges and numerous other campus renovations and improvements that combined are worth more than $700 million dollars.

Governor Perdue also approved a change in the system’s name from the old Department of Technical and Adult Education to the more modern and descriptive Technical College System of Georgia. He also supported the decision in 2009 to save taxpayers millions and make the TCSG more efficient by merging 13 of its colleges into six. The mergers saved more than $6 million annually by eliminating excessive administrative costs while resulting in larger, financially stronger colleges that offer improved student access to programs and technology.

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Communities In Schools of Laurens County Achieves National Accreditation

2010-12-03T11:46:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Communities In Schools of Laurens County, a youth serving organization that provides school-based and after-school programs for students and the families served, has achieved National Accreditation by demonstrating compliance with all Communities In Schools Total Quality System (TQS) standards.

The TQS standards define expectations for effective non-profit business practices and for implementing the Communities In Schools model of integrated student support services at school sites. The site standards are based on a five-year, longitudinal national evaluation conducted by an independent, outside evaluator that documented the impact of the Communities In Schools model. The evaluation revealed that schools implementing the Communities In Schools model with high fidelity had higher graduation rates, lower dropout rates, and performed better than comparison schools in increasing the percentage of students meeting or exceeding math and reading proficiency in 4th and 8th grades, a crucial predictor of high school graduation.

Key initiatives in CIS of Laurens County include the Certified Literate Community Program, Reading Is Fundamental, AmeriCorps Reading Tutorial Program, Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA), The Loft Teen Center, Youth Excelling and Succeeding Program, and a CIS Performance Learning Center (PLC) that provides another learning option for high school students who are not succeeding the traditional school setting.

Communities In Schools developed the Total Quality System to establish clear operational guidelines that ensure uniform quality and improved outcomes for all students being served by Communities In Schools affiliates. The TQS system is part of an organization-wide commitment to evidence-based practice and the highest standards of accountability.

"We are proud to have achieved our accreditation as it underlies the value of complying with the high set of standards put in place by Communities In Schools National," said Jackie Curtis, CIS Executive Director of Laurens County.

Communities In Schools of Laurens County is among the first to receive its national accreditation among the nearly 200 local affiliates that comprise the Communities In Schools network in 25 states and the District of Columbia.

Communities In Schools surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. CIS partners with local school districts and community organizations to connect needed resources and services to kids and families. In Georgia, 41 CIS local affiliates and 19 Performance Learning Centers® (PLCs) provide services to more than 130,000 students in 54 school districts. Key initiatives include mentoring, parent education, tutoring, literacy, after-school programs, youth leadership, and PLCs. Communities sponsoring CIS programs have seen an increase in their school graduation rates, a decrease in violence and disruptions, and an increase in attendance and academic achievement. For more information, visit www.cislc.org or call 478-274-0394.

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Cast Your Vote to Help Georgia's Tyrone Elementary Win $10,000 in National Competition

2010-12-02T12:17:00.002-05:00

Connie Redd in the car line spreading the word about Progresso Soup joining the Box Tops for Education Program.

“SOUPer” news for Tyrone Elementary; the school has been selected as one of 10 finalists nationwide in the Progresso Soup Box Tops for Education Contest.

The school entered the competition last month by submitting a photo and short description of how they would creatively spread the word about Progresso Soup joining the Box Tops for Education program. Parent Connie Redd, the school’s campaign leader, wore a “Box Tops for Education” label and carried an oversized Progresso Soup can while parading through the school’s car line. She says she made sure everyone in their cars knew that the soups now have the box tops and each are worth a dime.

Her campaign and the photo of Redd wearing the costume landed the school in the finals for the competition. Now, it is up to voters to select the grand prize winning school that will receive 100,000 box tops worth approximately $10,000. If Tyrone wins, the funds will be used to repair playground equipment, purchase technology programs and instructional supplies.

Here’s how you can help Tyrone Elementary get the most votes and win the $10,000 grand prize. Log on to www.boxtops4education.com and click on the “Box Top” link at the top of the page. Enter the school’s zip code (30290) and select Tyrone Elementary from the dropdown menu. Follow the directions for registering and return to the BTFE home page, click on the contest link, find the school’s photo, and vote. Persons can vote once daily through December 13. The winner will be notified on December 17.

The Box Tops for Education program gives schools 10 cents for every Box Tops logo they send back. So far this year, Tyrone Elementary has earned $1,520 by participating in the program.

Of course, the school would like to add $10,000 to its overall total, so don’t forget to vote daily and help Tyrone Elementary become the national winner in the Progresso Soup Box Tops for Education Contest.

Editor's Note: Come on Georgia! Let's all help Tyrone Elementary in Fayette County win this competition!

Photo Source: Fayette County Board of Education

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SCAD Challenge Awards Scholarships to High School Students

2010-12-02T11:49:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The Savannah College of Art and Design, the most comprehensive art and design university in the world, is seeking the next generation of talented artists and designers with its scholarship competition. The SCAD Challenge offers high school seniors and juniors an international stage to exhibit their work as well as the opportunity to be eligible for scholarships to attend the university. The competition focuses on creating projects in film, 2-D, 3-D, toy design, room design, poster design, fashion and writing.

The first competition challenged high school students to create a short film to be featured at the 2010 Savannah Film Festival. The film festival, an annual signature event hosted by SCAD, features the best in independent and innovative filmmaking from around the world. Honored guests have included Hugh Dancy, Michael Douglas, Woody Harrelson, James Ivory, Tommy Lee Jones, Sir Ian McKellen, Liam Neeson, Jeremy Renner, Isabella Rossellini and Emmy Rossum.

The SCAD Film Challenge received entries from more than 15 states and six countries. The top three senior winners were awarded artistic scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 per year while enrolled at SCAD. Students also received passes to attend the 2010 Savannah Film Festival, which presented a full range of cinematic creativity from both award-winning professionals and emerging student filmmakers. This year's senior winners were John Kim from Vancouver, B.C., Canada; Gabe Gilden from Barrington, Illinois; and Seth Boyden from Huntertown, Indiana.

The three junior winners selected by the panel of judges will experience the university this summer with full scholarships to attend SCAD Summer Seminars, workshops designed for high school students to explore a variety of creative disciplines across the SCAD curriculum. The SCAD Film Challenge junior winners were Wes Sherwin from Cartersville, Georgia; Aaron Carter from Hawthorn Woods, Illinois; and Amanda Depperschmidt from Lawrenceville, Georgia.

"The SCAD Film Challenge proved to be an overall success," said Katrine Trantham, senior director of enrollment events and programs. "All the faculty involved were extremely impressed with the level of talent exhibited and look forward to seeing the senior winners at SCAD next year."

SCAD offers the most comprehensive degree programs in film and digital media in the United States. The university offers the only major film program in the United States integrated with an acclaimed art and design institution. Students work with current, industry-standard hardware and software, learn from faculty who are practitioners as well as mentors, and have opportunities for collaboration. SCAD film and television students and alumni produce work that receives prestigious recognition. Some of their work has been showcased at Sundance, Cannes, the Los Angeles Film Festival, the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, South by Southwest, the Palm Springs Film Festival, and many others.

To learn more about the upcoming challenges, visit www.scad.edu/scadchallenge. The SCAD Film Challenge entries can be viewed at http://filmfest.scad.edu/category/scad-challenge/.

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Law to Hold Meeting on Public Education

2010-11-29T10:51:00.000-05:00

Public is Invited to Share Thoughts on Public Education in Georgia

State Board Member Robert “Buzz” Law to Hold Meeting in
The Sixth Congressional District

Are you interested in learning more about public education in Georgia? Do you have suggestions that may help Georgia lead the nation in improving student achievement? If so, you may want to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to speak directly to the State Board of Education Member representing your area – the Sixth Congressional District.

Mr. Law welcomes you to an open public hearing taking place Monday, November 29, 2010. The meeting will be held from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Autrey Mill Middle School, 4110 Old Alabama Road, Alpharetta, GA 30022.

Whether you’re a teacher, parent, student, or simply a concerned citizen – you are encouraged to take part in this important event. Your feedback is critical as the State Board of Education and the State Superintendent of Schools work together to insure that all Georgia students are receiving an excellent education.

Those wishing to speak at the meeting are asked to sign in when they arrive. For more information contact Mrs. Jackie Clarke Dodd at 404-657-7410 or by e-mail: jclarkedodd@doe.k12.ga.us.

The Georgia Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to, access to, or operations of its programs, services or activities. Individuals who need assistance or auxiliary aids for participation in this public forum are invited to make their needs known to Mrs. Jackie Clarke Dodd, Georgia Department of Education at (404) 657-7410.

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Redesigned Theology Master's Program Allows Students to 'Go Deep'

2010-11-29T10:42:00.000-05:00

Candler School of Theology at Emory University is introducing a retooled Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degree program that enables students to “go as deep as they want” in a wide range of study areas. It debuts in the fall of 2011. The application deadline is Feb. 1.

Designed for students who are interested in exploring theology and religion without preparing for ordained ministry, the two-year MTS program is especially suited for those drawn to teaching and research or engagement in social issues. The program is ideal for journalists, attorneys, teachers, national governing body staff members, and others whose work requires an understanding of the role of religion and theology in public life.

The new curriculum’s two broad focus areas – “History, Scripture and Tradition” and “Modern Religious Thought and Experience” -- give students flexibility to design up to two-thirds of their coursework around their specific interests.

“Our previous program requirements didn’t always fit with students’ expressed academic and vocational interests. Now, they can go as deep as they want into any field, from Bible to theology, from society and personality to the intersection of church and politics,” says Steven J. Kraftchick, associate professor in the practice of New Testament interpretation and director of General and Advanced Programs. “This flexibility allows us to help students more easily reach their aspirations, and achieve their educational and vocational goals more directly.”

Pursuing joint degrees

The customized approach also increases students’ opportunities for close collaboration with faculty at Candler and across Emory. It encourages interdisciplinary study throughout the university, the pursuit of joint degrees in public health, law and business, and specialized research and study abroad options.

The program also is intentional about helping students discern their vocation. Plenaries, small groups and a new professional development elective help them shape their career goals, while a capstone course brings together students who have the same focus area to write their thesis papers in a collaborative environment.

Candler’s MTS degree program started in 1972 with around a dozen students. Today approximately 70 Candler students pursue an MTS, which is about 15 percent of Candler’s student body.

“The program is selective so that we can give our students more individualized focus and more one-on-one time with our talented faculty,” says Kraftchick.

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McIntosh's Lane Named Georgia’s Assistant Principal of the Year

2010-11-18T13:54:00.001-05:00

Dan Lane (left) with GASSP President-Elect Dr. Mark Wilson

The best assistant principal in Georgia, and possibly the nation, is at McIntosh High in Peachtree City.

Dan Lane has been selected as Georgia’s Assistant Principal of the Year by the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals (GASSP), and has been chosen to represent the state in the National Assistant Principal of the Year competition.

Each year GASSP selects an Assistant Principal of the Year at the middle and high school level, and chooses one to compete for the national title sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

The Assistant Principal of the Year program recognizes outstanding middle level and high school assistant principals who have demonstrated success in leadership, curriculum and personalization. These school leaders have succeeded in providing high quality learning opportunities for students, and are acknowledged by their peers for the exemplary contributions they have made to the profession.

Lane says being Georgia’s Assistant Principal of the Year is not an award for him, but one that belongs to all of the McIntosh faculty and staff. He says the academic excellence for which McIntosh is known is due to a dedicated team of teachers and staff that work together to help all students achieve to the best of their abilities.

“Though we have outstanding test scores, when you dig down deep into our data, you will see that we have students who struggle just like everyone else. McIntosh is being proactive in helping those students now, before we see long-term ramifications in the future. It would be easy to sit on our laurels touting our excellent test scores, but that does not happen here. At McIntosh, we are committed to building up all students regardless of where they started,” says Lane.

Assistant Principals of the Year from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity will compete for the national title. Three finalists will be announced January 2011 with the winner being named during the NASSP National Convention on February 26, 2011.

As Georgia’s Assistant Principal of the Year, Lane will be honored at the State Assistant Principals of the Year Forum and Awards Gala in Washington, DC March 30-April 2, 2011.

Photo Source: Fayette County Board of Education

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Keep It Short and Tweet: KFC Looking to Award $20,000 College Scholarship Based on Applicant’s Twitter Message

2010-11-18T06:59:00.000-05:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--KFC is taking the application process for its KFC Colonel’s Scholars® program to the “Twitterverse” with a web 2.0 spin. Starting today through November 26, high school seniors can try to win a $20,000 Colonel’s Scholars scholarship by drafting a single tweet, 140 characters or less, including the hashtag #KFCScholar.

“This year, through one of the hottest emerging forms of media, we want to offer students a creative way to realize their dreams of obtaining a college education.”

KFC is asking college hopefuls to tweet why they exemplify Colonel Sanders’ commitment to education and enriching their communities, and why they are deserving of a college scholarship. The scholarship winner, announced on December 1, will receive up to $5,000 per year for the next four years to pursue a bachelor’s degree at an accredited public university within his or her home state.

“Every year, the Kentucky Fried Chicken Foundation awards more than 75 scholarships to college hopefuls who are committed to both their education and enriching their communities,” said John Cywinski, Chief Marketing and Food Innovation Officer for KFC. “This year, through one of the hottest emerging forms of media, we want to offer students a creative way to realize their dreams of obtaining a college education.”

@KFC_COLONEL Scholarship Applications: The Short and the Tweet of It

* From November 16 – November 26, follow KFC on Twitter (@KFC_Colonel) and submit your application, including #KFCScholar in the tweet
* Applicants do not have to include @KFC_Colonel in the message, but are required to include #KFCScholar, which can be included as part of the message; e.g., “I should be a #KFCScholar because…”
* Tweets will be reviewed after November 26 to determine that applicants comply with proper eligibility requirements*, and the winner will be announced on December 1.

KFC Colonel’s Scholars Rewards Those Hungry to Learn

KFC Colonel’s Scholars, now in its fifth year, is an annual program of the Kentucky Fried Chicken Foundation, an independent charity supported by KFC, its employees and franchisees, and KFC patrons. The KFC Colonel’s Scholars’ mission is to empower students to improve their lives with scholarship resources. The program has awarded more than $5 million in scholarships since its inception.

For official rules and more information on KFC Colonel’s Scholars and the Kentucky Fried Chicken Foundation, visit www.KFC.com or www.KFCscholars.org. The regular application process begins December 1, 2010.

*Eligibility

To be eligible to compete for the KFC Colonel's Scholars Scholarship, an individual must:

* Graduate from high school this academic year (8/31/11)
* Earn a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 2.75
* Plan to pursue a bachelor's degree at a public, in-state college or university (start no later than 9/30/11)
* Be a US citizen or permanent resident

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Online Education Grows by Almost One Million Students; Eighth Annual Sloan Survey of Online Education Shows Economy Still Driving Growth

2010-11-16T10:28:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire --The 2010 Sloan Survey of Online Learning reveals that enrollment rose by almost one million students from a year earlier.

The survey of more than 2,500 colleges and universities nationwide finds approximately 5.6 million students were enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2009, the most recent term for which figures are available.

"This represents the largest ever year-to-year increase in the number of students studying online," said study co-author I. Elaine Allen, Co-Director of the Babson Survey Research Group and Professor of Statistics & Entrepreneurship at Babson College. "Nearly 30% of all college and university students now take at least one course online."

She adds: "There may be some clouds on the horizon. While the sluggish economy continues to drive enrollment growth, large public institutions are feeling budget pressure and competition from the for-profit sector institutions. In addition, the for-profit schools worry new federal rules on financial aid and student recruiting may have a negative impact on enrollments."

Other findings:

* Almost two-thirds of for-profit institutions now say that online learning is a critical part of their long term strategy.
* The 21% growth rate for online enrollments far exceeds the 2% growth in the overall higher education student population.
* Nearly one-half of institutions report that the economic downturn has increased demand for face-to-face courses and programs.
* Three-quarters of institutions report that the economic downturn has increased demand for online courses and programs.

The eighth annual survey, a collaborative effort between the Babson Survey Research Group and the College Board, is the leading barometer of online learning in the United States. The survey is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and distributed by the Sloan Consortium. The complete survey report, Class Differences: Online Education in the United States, 2010, is available on the Sloan Consortium Web site, www.sloanconsortium.org. The report includes a detailed analysis of the factors driving the growth in online education.

The Babson Survey Research Group in the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurial Research at Babson College conducts regional, national, and international research projects, including survey design, sampling methodology, data integrity, statistical analyses and reporting. http://www3.babson.edu/ESHIP/research-publications/survey-research-group.cfm

The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 5,700 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities, and concerns. Visit www.collegeboard.org.

The Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C) is an institutional and professional leadership organization dedicated to integrating online education into the mainstream of higher education, helping institutions and individual educators improve the quality, scale, and breadth of online education. Visit www.sloanconsortium.org.

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