Ashworth High School Changes Name to James Madison High School

/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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2010 Broad Prize Awarded to Gwinnett County Public Schools; Georgia District Wins $1 Million in Scholarships, Four Finalists Each Win $250,000

/PRNewswire/ -- The winner of the 2010 Broad Prize is Gwinnett County Public Schools outside Atlanta, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation announced today. As the winner of the largest education award in the country, Gwinnett County Public Schools will receive $1 million in college scholarships for its high school students. The four finalist school districts will each receive $250,000 in scholarships for their students.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined philanthropist Eli Broad at the Museum of Modern Art to announce the winner, which was selected by a bipartisan jury of eight prominent leaders from government, education, business and public service, including three former U.S. secretaries of education.

The $2 million Broad (rhymes with "road") Prize is an annual award that honors the five large urban school districts that demonstrate the strongest student achievement and improvement while narrowing achievement gaps between income and ethnic groups. The money goes directly to graduating high school seniors for college scholarships.

"Gwinnett County has demonstrated that an unwavering focus across a school system – by every member of the district and the community – can lead to steady student improvement and achievement," said Secretary Arne Duncan. "Districts across the country should look to Gwinnett County as an example of what is possible when adults put their interests aside and focus on students."

More than half of Gwinnett's students are African-American or Hispanic, and half are eligible for subsidized lunches.

The four finalists—Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina; Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland; and the Socorro Independent School District and the Ysleta Independent School District, both in Texas—will each receive $250,000 in college scholarships. Charlotte-Mecklenburg was previously a Broad Prize finalist in 2004, and Gwinnett County and Socorro were finalists last year. Montgomery County and Ysleta are first-time finalists.

"Gwinnett County's stable leadership and singular commitment to ensuring every student has the skills and knowledge to be successful in college and in life makes it a model for other districts around the country," said Eli Broad, founder of The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, which awards The Broad Prize. "We congratulate the teachers, principals, administrators, parents and community members who collectively focus on high academic achievement for all students."

Among the reasons Gwinnett County stands out among the largest school districts in the country:

* Outperformed similar districts in Georgia . In 2009, Gwinnett County outperformed other districts in Georgia that serve students with similar family income levels in reading and math at all school levels (elementary, middle and high school).
* Narrowed achievement gaps. In 2009, achievement gaps between African-American and white students in Gwinnett County were among the smallest in Georgia in reading at all school levels and in elementary and middle school math. In addition, between 2006 and 2009, Gwinnett County narrowed achievement gaps between its Hispanic students and the state's white students in reading at all school levels and in middle and high school math.
* Achieved high SAT, ACT, AP participation rates. Between 2006 and 2009, participation rates rose for Gwinnett County's African-American and Hispanic students taking the SAT, ACT and Advanced Placement exams.
* Higher percentage of students performed at advanced levels. In 2009, a greater percentage of Gwinnett County's African-American, Hispanic and low-income students performed at the highest achievement levels on the state reading and math assessments at all school levels compared with their counterparts statewide.


Each year, 100 of the largest school districts in America that serve significant percentages of low-income and minority students are automatically eligible for The Broad Prize. Districts cannot apply for or be nominated for this award.

For a full electronic press kit, including additional student outcomes, policies and practices that made Gwinnett stand out among the largest districts in the country, as well as details on all the finalists, please visit www.broadprize.org.

The selection jury that chose this year's winner included:

* Henry Cisneros , executive chairman of CityView companies, former president of Univision and former U.S. secretary of housing and urban development
* James B. Hunt, Jr. , chairman of the board of the Hunt Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy and former governor of North Carolina
* Shirley Ann Jackson , president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and former chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
* Roderick Paige , former U.S. secretary of education
* Richard W. Riley , former U.S. secretary of education and former governor of South Carolina
* Donna Shalala , president of the University of Miami and former U.S. secretary of health and human services
* Margaret Spellings, executive vice president of the National Chamber Foundation and former U.S. secretary of education
* Andrew L. Stern, president emeritus of Service Employees International Union


The selection jury evaluated quantitative data on the finalists, consisting of publicly available student performance data compiled and analyzed by MPR Associates, Inc., a leading national education research consulting firm. In addition, the jury evaluated the five finalist districts' policies and practices, based on site visits, interviews with administrators, teachers, principals, parents, community leaders, school board members and union representatives and classroom observations. The site visits were conducted by a team of education practitioners led by RMC Research Corporation, an education consulting company.

Gwinnett County was selected as a finalist this past spring by a review board of 18 prominent education researchers, policy leaders, practitioners and executives from leading universities, national education associations, think-tanks and foundations that evaluated publicly available student performance data.

Because Gwinnett County won this year's Broad Prize, its high school seniors who graduate in 2011 will be eligible for $1 million in college scholarships. Broad Prize scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate significant financial need and show a record of academic improvement during their high school career. Scholarship recipients who enroll in four-year colleges will receive up to $20,000 paid out over four years ($5,000 per year). Broad Prize scholars who enroll in two-year colleges will receive up to $5,000 scholarships paid out over two years ($2,500 per year). For more information, please visit: http://www.broadprize.org/scholarship_program/overview.html.

The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation is a national venture philanthropy established by entrepreneur and philanthropist Eli Broad to advance entrepreneurship for the public good in education, science and the arts. The Broad Foundation's education work is focused on dramatically improving K-12 public education through better governance, management, labor relations and competition. The Broad Foundation's Internet address is www.broadfoundation.org.

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5 Georgia Technical Colleges Form Bioscience Training Partnership

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Five Georgia state technical colleges have formed a partnership to recruit and train workers for the state’s bioscience industry. Supported by Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Gwinnett, and Valdosta Technical Colleges, the Georgia Bioscience Technology Institute (GBTI) will leverage existing community and industry partnerships to develop a statewide collaborative training network -- sharing curricula, resources and best practices to develop this skilled workforce.

“By aligning these institutions, workforce development and industry, we have laid the foundation for supplying the bioscience industry in Georgia with the workforce it needs, both today and in the future”

GBTI targets three regions of the state with high potential for training dislocated workers for the bioscience industry: the Innovation Crescent (a 13 county region from Atlanta to Athens), the Bioscience Circle of South Georgia (an 11 county region surrounding Valdosta) and the Augusta Bioscience Hub (five counties surrounding the Augusta area). This expansion leverages existing bioscience workforce investments by Georgia’s Work Ready Regions, a program of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development, and a $1.9M federal grant in 2007 to Athens and Gwinnett Technical Colleges, which launched the GBTI.

“By aligning these institutions, workforce development and industry, we have laid the foundation for supplying the bioscience industry in Georgia with the workforce it needs, both today and in the future,” said Georgia Bio President Charles Craig. “This partnership demonstrates Georgia’s strengths in working collaboratively and in working smarter in today’s economic climate to efficiently and effectively bring new training programs online.”

“Georgia Work Ready Regions were created to link education and workforce development to the state's economic development and ensure our state delivers a pipeline of skilled workers ready to take on today’s work and tomorrow’s innovations,” said Debra Lyons, Director, Governor’s Office of Workforce Development. “By linking together bioscience regions, the GBTI partners will drive growth and ensure Georgia offers a competitive advantage.”

To fund this expansion, the GBTI institutions have submitted a collaborative proposal to the U.S. Department of Labor with the backing of community partners, including 26 bioscience employers, six Regional Workforce Boards, the Atlanta Regional Commission, the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning and Georgia Bio.

This grant would enable three of the college partners (Atlanta, Augusta and Valdosta Technical Colleges) to initiate bioscience certificate and associate degree programs to meet their region’s bioscience workforce needs while increasing capacity of the existing bioscience programs at Gwinnett and Athens Technical Colleges. If funded, GBTI will begin expanded operations July 1, 2010.

Georgia Bioscience Technology Institute was initiated as a collaborative effort between the Biotechnology Program at Athens Technical College and the Bioscience Program at Gwinnett Technical College to prepare workers for the exciting Life Science industry. For more information, visit www.gabioscience.org.

Georgia Work Ready was launched in August 2006 by Governor Sonny Perdue and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce to improve the job training and marketability of Georgia's workforce and drive future economic growth for the state. By identifying both the needs of business and the available skills of Georgia's workforce, the state can more effectively generate the right talent for the right jobs. For more information, visit www.gaworkready.org.

Georgia Bio represents nearly 300 pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies, universities, research institutes, government groups and other business organizations involved in the development of products that improve the health and quality of life people worldwide. For more information, visit www.gabio.org.

The Atlanta Regional Commission is the regional planning and intergovernmental coordination agency for the 10-county area (including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties) and the City of Atlanta, dedicated to unifying the region's collective resources to prepare the metropolitan area for a prosperous future. For more information, visit www.atlantaregional.com.

Council for Adult and Experiential Learning The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning is a national non-profit organization which creates and manages effective learning strategies through partnerships with employers, higher education, the public sector, and labor. For more information, visit www.cael.org.

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Design showcase at University of Georgia Gwinnett Campus highlights students' multimedia projects

Graduate students in the learning, design and technology program at the University of Georgia Gwinnett Campus will present a Studio Showcase highlighting their multimedia projects at 5:30 p.m. on Dec.1.The showcase will be held in room 165 of the UGA Gwinnett Campus, located at 2530 Sever Road in Lawrenceville. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

The showcase will be co-sponsored by the Atlanta chapter of the International Society for Performance Improvement and will feature individual instructional technology projects covering a wide range of topics, as well as a joint volunteer service project for the National Gardening Association.

The heart of the learning, design and technology curriculum is an innovative learning community called The Studio, which meets on Tuesday evenings at the UGA Gwinnett Campus.The Studio involves students in multiple course levels creating various multimedia projects together in a shared learning space. The Studio courses provide an ongoing face-to-face anchor in a graduate curriculum where approximately half of the courses are conducted online.

Students in the two-year graduate degree program also are encouraged to pursue
professional networking opportunities, whether with K-12 education organizations or with business and industry groups more oriented toward training and performance, such as the co-sponsoring International Society for Performance Improvement (http://ispi-atlanta.org).

In addition to working on their professional knowledge and skills, members of The Studio community are also required to donate 10 hours of service to a non-profit organization where they can apply their technology expertise. This semester’s service project was conducted in collaboration with the National Gardening Association, a non-profit group devoted to education through working with plants. The NGA has two Web sites: one for everyone to learn more about plants (http://assoc.garden.org/) and the other targeted at people who teach kids (http://www.kidsgardening.com/).

The NGA previously did not have web-based play and learn experiences for children. Under the direction of UGA learning, design and technology program graduate Jennifer Lortz, the 29 students in The Studio each donated 10 hours of service to create the play and learn Web technology. Four different web-based activities were created. They can be used by the NGA to reach children and help foster greater interest in gardening and the care of plants. These four projects will be highlighted, along with other student multimedia projects, at the Studio Showcase.

For more information about the instructional design and development graduate degree offered at the UGA Gwinnett Campus, see http://www.coe.uga.edu/epit/idd or call Lloyd Rieber at 706/542-3986.

For more information on the UGA Gwinnett Campus and other programs offered there, see http://www.uga.edu/gwinnett/.

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2009 Great American Teacher of the Year is Named

The Ron Clark Academy, in conjunction with Great American Financial Resources, selected its first Great American Teacher of the Year – Dr. Aimée Burgamy. Burgamy is a middle school art teacher in Lilburn, GA, who serves as the lead teacher for twenty-five middle school art teachers in Gwinnett County. She is the winner of the National Art Association's Jr. National Art Honor Society Sponsor of the Year award and was recently named as her District Teacher of the Year. Burgamy received her PhD in Art Education from University of Georgia in 2009.

The hour-long awards gala, which was broadcast LIVE to millions of viewers via public access channels and web streams, was held at the W Atlanta Midtown Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. Burgamy was one of five finalists selected by an esteemed panel of judges, who voted Friday afternoon on the winner. During her acceptance speech with some of her students by her side, Burgamy energetically expressed the importance of highly creative and effective teachers. She also encouraged those members of the audience with an interest in teaching, “to join in on the fun!”

The 2009 Great American Teacher receives a cash gift totaling $15,000 from Great American Financial Resources - $10,000 for personal use and $5,000 for his/her school, a Promethean Active classroom, a Complete Audio Enhancement System for his/her classroom, a DELL Color-Laser printer for his/her classroom and a personalized DELL Tablet PC.

Sponsors of the 2009 Great American Teacher Awards include Great American Financial Resources, Inc.; The Coca-Cola Company; Comcast Communications, Inc.; Verizon Wireless, Delta Air Lines, the preferred air line of The Ron Clark Academy; Promethean; DELL, Inc.; Audio Enhancement; Presentation Services; Associated Builders and Contractors of Georgia, Inc., Image Master Productions; and Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

Please visit www.ronclarkacademy.com to learn more about next year’s awards. To see a rebroadcast schedule of this year’s awards show, please visit the Florida Education Channel website at www.fec.tv. Comcast will also feature highlights of the program during its Red Carpet segment on CNN Headline News in early December.

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Ashworth Partners with CareerBuilder to give 2009 Graduates Practical Advice on Using the Internet to Find their Next Job

Ashworth College today announced that as part of the 2009 Graduation activities, Ashworth College and Careerbuilder.com® will host a career workshop for graduates and guests.

For the second consecutive year, Ashworth has tapped the resources of CareerBuilder to provide a value-add for its graduates in the form of a career workshop. The workshop will take place prior to the ceremony on August 15, 2009 at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth, GA.

Open only to graduates and guests, the session will include tips on interviewing, resume writing, and how to best utilize the Internet as part of a job search. A leader in distance education, Ashworth will host recent graduates from each of its high school, career school and college diploma and degree programs.

"The Internet has dramatically changed the way people find jobs," said Bill Mahoney, CareerBuilder Account Management Director. "In today’s highly competitive job market, you need to use all the online resources available to you to maximize your visibility. The most successful online job hunters are those who customize their resumes for every position and repackage their skills to appeal to the widest range of potential employers."

"Revisiting your social networking profile to promote your skills and accomplishments and convey a professional image is also important," Mahoney explained, indicating that many hiring managers today research profiles on social sites like Facebook and MySpace. Candidates who forget to clean up "digital dirt" can end up losing out on an opportunity.
The ceremony will follow the workshop.

"The Internet has changed the way many people find jobs, but not everyone knows how to use it to their advantage," commented Dr. F. Milton Miller, Ed.D, Ashworth Vice President, Education. "Now that our students have completed their education we want to help them succeed by giving them as many tools as we can. We are fortunate to partner with an expert like CareerBuilder.com®."

Workshop topics will include:
Interview skills
Salary negotiation
What makes an effective resume
Job outlook for recent graduates
Using the Internet as part of your job search
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Clayton State School of Graduate Studies Holding Open House on July 14

The Clayton State University School of Graduate Studies will be holding its next monthly informational Open House on Tuesday, July 14 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Spivey Board Room (room 201) of the University’s Harry S. Downs Center on the main campus in Morrow.

The Open House will give prospective graduate students a chance to learn more about the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, Master of Arts in Teaching English, Master of Arts in Teaching Mathematics, Master of Business Administration, Master of Health Administration, and Master of Science in Nursing. The Clayton State School of Graduate Studies regularly holds open houses on the second Tuesday evening of each month.

The mission of graduate education at Clayton State is to stimulate, encourage and support efforts that build national distinction and that are characterized by innovation and by increasing contribution to the social, cultural, economic, health and technological development needs of Georgia and the nation. The University is committed to excellence, innovation and collaboration in research and in the preparation of professionals for the highest levels of practice.

Graduate education prepares: scholars in the arts, humanities, and the sciences who maintain and advance our understanding of the human condition; scientists, engineers, and other professionals needed by industry, government, and universities to conduct the nation's research and development; and scholars in all disciplines who become the faculties of our colleges and universities.

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
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Two Charter Schools Authorized by New State Charter Commission

Charter Conservatory for Liberal Arts and Technology and Ivy Preparatory Academy
had originally been denied by their local districts

Two charter schools that originally were denied a charter by their local school districts were authorized by the Georgia Charter Schools Commission Thursday, making them immediately eligible to be funded at the same level as the traditional public schools in their respective districts.

Charter Conservatory for Liberal Arts and Technology (CCAT), a middle and high school in Statesboro (Bulloch County), was granted a two-year charter by the Commission. Ivy Preparatory Academy, a middle school for girls in Norcross (Gwinnett County), was granted a five-year charter. Scholars Academy Charter School, an elementary school in Riverdale (Clayton County), was denied a charter by the Commission.

CCAT and Ivy Prep to be funded at the same level as traditional public schoolsAll three schools have been operating as State Chartered Special Schools, meaning they were originally denied a charter by their local districts but were approved by the State Board of Education. State Chartered Special Schools are not funded at the same level as traditional public schools and charter schools approved by a local district. Scholars Academy will continue to operate as a State Chartered Special School with the option of again seeking Commission approval after one year.

Historic day in Georgia public educationThursday’s vote was the first official action taken by the seven-member Georgia Charter Schools Commission, an alternative authorizing group created by the passage of House Bill 881 during the 2008 Legislative Session. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Jan Jones (R-Milton), the Georgia House Majority Whip. The seven members of the Commission were appointed by the State Board of Education on the recommendation of the Governor (3), Lieutenant Governor (2) and House Speaker (2).

“The Georgia Charter Schools Commission approved its first two schools in its meeting today, an historic event in the state of Georgia,” said Georgia Charter Schools Association Chief Executive Officer Tony Roberts. “We have always said that approval of a charter school by the Commission would be hard – perhaps even more demanding than approval by local school districts. By its actions today, the Commission demonstrated that it has a high standard for approval based on student achievement and our Association supports their commitment to high student achievement."

Added Andrew Broy, Associate Superintendent for Policy, External Affairs and Charter Schools: “The Commission today demonstrated a level of review and deliberation that is consistent with the highest quality authorizing standards. As the Georgia charter school sector continues to grow, we need to ensure that all authorization decisions continue to be made after a thorough and searching review."

MORE INFORMATION

CCAT was chartered by the State Board of Education in 2002. It serves 125 students, grades six through 12, who learn in multi-grade, student-centered classrooms. The school utilizes an innovative curriculum that stresses constructivist and multiple intelligence theory.

Ivy Prep was chartered by the State Board of Education in 2008 as the state’s only all-girls charter middle school. The 150 rising seventh graders will be joined in the fall by a new class of 120 sixth graders. An eighth grade class will be added in the fall of 2010.Scholars Academy was chartered by the State Board of Education in 2008. The school stresses hands-on learning experiences for its nearly 100 students in grades one through five.
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Board of Regents Approves Clayton State’s Archival Studies Masters Program

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) has approved another landmark in the development of Clayton State University… a program literally 10 years in development.

The USG board gave its approval on Wednesday, June 10, to the establishment of a Master’s in Archival Studies for Clayton State, extending the University’s long-standing relationship with both the Georgia Archives and the National Archives and Records Administration’s (NARA) Southeast Region, a relationship that extends across not only a decade, but two presidents and two interim presidents at Clayton State.

The archival studies program, which will begin in August 2009, is the university's seventh graduate-level program and the only program of its kind in the State of Georgia… a fitting circumstance, since the Georgia and NARA facilities, which will so greatly benefit Clayton State’s future master’s students, are also unique – the only co-located state and federal archives facilities in the United States. Both the Georgia and NARA archives already employ Clayton State undergraduate students to help with research and archiving of materials.The 45-semester-hour program will focus on archival studies theory and methodology, as well as practice in the administrative, legal, economic, historical, managerial and information studies areas, and will be housed in the University’s College of Information and Mathematical Sciences. Administration of the program will be by Clayton State’s School of Graduate Studies. Course topics will include traditional and digital preservation, introduction to electronic records, archives and technology, and materials arrangement and description of archival documents. It is projected that 20 to 25 students per year will enroll in the program.

Clayton State’s first contact with NARA dates back to the administration of the University’s second president, Dr. Richard A. Skinner, who, in effect, invited John Carlin, archivist of the United States, to relocate the Southeast Regional Archives from its outdated East Point facility to the intersection of Jonesboro Road and Clayton State Boulevard, a quarter mile west of the Clayton State main campus in Morrow. After Skinner left to direct the USG’s Georgia GLOBE initiative in 1999, Interim President Michael Vollmer kept the momentum going as then-Georgia Secretary of State Cathy Cox pondered the idea of a new home for the Georgia Archives. Both archives eventually built their new facilities on adjoining land during the administration of Clayton State’s third president, Dr. Thomas K. Harden. Finally, approval for the new graduate program came less than a month after Dr. Thomas J. Hynes took office as Clayton State interim president, following Harden’s appointment as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin Green Bay.

Another key player in the development of the archival studies program is Clayton State Provost and Vice-President of Academic Affairs Dr. Sharon Hoffman, who wrote, applied for, and received, almost $600,000 in two federal grants from the U.S. Department of Education to start the program. A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
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Three Charter Schools Allowed to Seek State Charter Commission Authorization

Charter Conservatory for Liberal Arts and Technology, Ivy Preparatory Academy and
Scholars Academy Charter School originally had been denied by their local districts

Three charter schools that originally were denied a charter by their local school districts were authorized by the State Board of Education to seek approval from the new Georgia Charter Schools Commission, during the Board’s monthly meeting Thursday.

The schools are Charter Conservatory for Liberal Arts and Technology (CCAT), a middle and high school in Statesboro (Bulloch County), Ivy Preparatory Academy, a middle school for girls in Norcross (Gwinnett County), and Scholars Academy Charter School, an elementary school in Riverdale (Clayton County). All three have been operating as State Chartered Special Schools, meaning they were denied a charter by their local districts but were approved by the State Board of Education. State Chartered Special Schools are not funded at the same level as traditional public schools and charter schools approved by a local district.

However, Thursday’s action by the State Board gives the schools permission to seek approval of their charters by the seven-member Georgia Charter Schools Commission, an alternative authorizing group created by the passage of House Bill 881 during the 2008 Legislative Session. Charter schools authorized by the Commission – whose members were appointed by the Governor (3), Lieutenant Governor (2) and House Speaker (2) – are eligible for full funding.

This would allow these schools to have fair and equitable funding in order to enhance programs and services for students, according to Georgia Charter Schools Association Chief Executive Officer Tony Roberts.

The Commission is expected to vote on the three schools at its monthly meeting on June 18.
“The students served by these schools desperately need this increase in funding, and as public schools it is funding they rightfully deserve,” said Roberts. “The students at these schools are Georgia public school kids. Their parents are Georgia tax payers. They deserve access to a quality public education funded at levels equal to other public schools.

“We appreciate the decision of the State Board of Education to originally grant charters for these schools, and its decision to allow them to seek authorization from the Commission,” Roberts said. “We are confident that the Commission will be fair and objective about its decisions.”
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Ashworth College Adds Graduate Certificates to Master’s Program

Ashworth College announced today that it will be expanding its Master’s program, to include Graduate Certificate programs. The six new certificate programs join the existing Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degree programs.

Comprised of one semester’s worth of graduate level courses within a specific area of concentration, Ashworth’s Graduate Certificates will cover the following areas of specialty - Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Health Care Management, Human Resources Management, Management, and Marketing.

“Ashworth’s graduate-level certificate programs are a great alternative for bachelor’s degree holders who want to complete graduate level coursework in specific areas without completing an entire degree program, or for those who already have a master’s degree and want to branch out to a different area of expertise,” said F. Milton Miller, Ed.D., Ashworth Vice President of Education. “Students are able to select the courses of their choice to create a customized certificate program.”

“Another advantage to a certificate program is allowing students the opportunity to test the waters by completing a certificate program before committing to a full blown graduate degree program,” Miller added. “If a full degree makes sense in the future, students can transfer the credits to the corresponding Ashworth Master’s degree program.”

When developing Graduate Certificates, Ashworth College considered the perceived rigidity of a traditional Masters program, as well as cost and time commitments associated with a master’s degree. Ashworth limited the program to five courses within a specific area of specialization where students could create a customized program that fit their personal career goals.

“Our students are looking to move up in their existing careers,” commented Deepa Chadha, Ashworth Director of Degree Programs. “Depending on their career goals, and especially given the current economic climate, they believe that some level of higher education will give them the competitive advantage they need.”

As a leader in distance education, Ashworth’s programs are built around self-paced study. Compared to brick and mortar institutions, students do not attend classes (on site, conference call, online, etc.) and are not required to participate in group projects.

Ashworth College

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"Celebration of Excellence" Honors Foster Youth Scholars

Graduating from high school and enrolling in college are milestones that most foster care youth don’t reach. Studies show that youth living in foster care are less likely to finish high school and more likely to end up homeless or in jail. Fewer than 3 percent of them earn college degrees.

Yet more than 300 Georgia foster care youth who beat the odds will be honored during the 17th Annual “Celebration of Excellence.” In addition, nearly 30 Georgia foster care youth will be awarded more than $75,000 in scholarships for their academic achievements.

Foster youth who have overcome obstacles to attain scholastic success will be recognized for their recent graduation from high school, vocational school, GED program or college during “Celebration of Excellence” on Wednesday, June 10. The “Celebration” will take place at the Rialto Theater for the Arts at Georgia State University at 6:30 p.m. This year’s event will feature live performances by Moving in The Spirit Youth Dance Ensemble, The Still Waters Youth Sinfo-Nia Orchestra, Innocence (Nno), Young Hip Hop Artist and others. There will also be a Definition of Excellence Photo Exhibit, which will highlight the social and professional achievements of current and former foster youth, and a video presentation of local and national celebrities congratulating these youth.

“Celebration of Excellence” is a statewide, annual event that honors young people in the foster care system who have made strides in their academic endeavors. This year, more than 300 students from across the state will be lauded for their success. The event is sponsored by the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) and numerous community organizations and private businesses.

The “Celebration of Excellence” is the high point of a three-day Atlanta visit for youth transitioning out of the foster care system. These youth will also attend the Higher Education Institute, a two-day information and resource forum designed to teach the importance of professional etiquette, money management and understanding legal rights.

The “Celebration of Excellence” is organized by a coalition of public and private community partners across Georgia. The event is free, open to the public and is attended by professional athletes, celebrities, foster parents, child welfare workers, business leaders, child and legal advocates, and legislators throughout the state. For more information, please visit www.celebrationofexcellence.org.
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ARCHE Report Quantifies the Return on Investing in Education in Georgia

Number of school years has direct correlation to wide range of factors

The amount of education Georgians attain plays a major role in quality of life, job success and many other measures of prosperity for individuals and society, according to a report released last week by the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education.

“Higher Return: How Investing in Education Pays off For Georgia” – online at www.atlantahighered.org/ReturnOnInvestment – shows that education is a smart investment for Georgians and their state. It documents how education at all levels pays off for individuals in measures ranging from higher salaries to home ownership to children who tend to do better in school. Benefits to the state include a more talented workforce, higher tax revenues, lower spending for prisons and public assistance, and healthier citizens. Some findings:

· Georgia college graduates average twice the income – and half the unemployment – of high school graduates.
· One-fourth of adult Georgians who did not finish high school live in poverty.
· In Georgia homes where no one finished high school, over half of children under 17 live in poverty.
· On average, because of higher income, a Georgian with a bachelor’s degree pays 72 percent more in state and local taxes than a person with a high school degree.
· Eighty-six percent of prisoners in Georgia did not continue education past high school. Their incarceration costs Georgia nearly $800 million annually.
· The strong correlation between education and income is evident among Georgia counties, with only 11 of 159 counties exceeding the U.S. level for educational attainment.

The report, sponsored in part by the Georgia Power Foundation and the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, analyzes data from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey and other federal and state government data sources. Data was compiled and analyzed for ARCHE by Human Capital Research Corporation.

“The numbers are dramatic – when we invest in education, as individuals and as a society, there are clear and measurable returns,” said ARCHE President Michael A. Gerber. “And if we fail to invest, we pay the costs.”

Better Jobs, Less Poverty

The report compares Georgia salaries for high school graduates to college grads in jobs ranging from auto mechanics to sales reps. One example: A retail salesperson with a bachelor’s degree makes on average more than twice as much ($53,121) than a salesperson with a high school diploma ($26,293).

The report also shows that the odds of living in poverty plummet as education levels rise. About one-fourth of adult Georgians who didn’t finish high school live in poverty. That percentage drops rapidly as education levels.

More Taxes Collected, Less Spent

The state is perhaps the biggest beneficiary of higher education levels. If just 1 percent of Georgia’s workers with high school diplomas moved to the bachelor’s degree category, Georgia would gain an additional $32 million more per year in state and local taxes ($1.2 billion over a 40-year working-life period).

On the other hand, people with lower levels of education receive the majority of spending for public assistance and prisons. In addition, about 64 cents of every dollar Georgia spends on public assistance goes to citizens with a high school diploma or less.

Key Determinant of Well Being

Chart after chart in the report shows education as key to a better quality of life:
· Homeownership, the American dream, has a strong correlation to education level.
· States that rank low in education levels rank higher in households that have difficulty providing enough food for all members.
· Georgia students who have college-educated parents score higher on the SAT.
· Georgians 65 and older with more education are less likely to report difficulty performing a wide range of activities.

The Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education brings together 19 Atlanta-area public and private colleges and universities. Founded in 1938, ARCHE builds awareness of the size, scope, impact and value of higher education and helps its members share strengths through cooperative programs. Visit www.atlantahighered.org for information about ARCHE, its members, and its reports.
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GCSA Announces Scholarship Awards for Rising Seniors at Five Charter High Schools

One student in each school will receive $500 for application, admissions expenses, or tuition, books, or room and board

The Georgia Charter Schools Association announces the establishment of a new scholarship opportunity for a deserving member of the Class of 2010 in each one of the state's independent charter high schools. The GCSA Scholars Award are five, $500 scholarship grants – for a total of $2,500 – for one rising senior each at Baconton Community Charter School in Baconton, Charter Conservatory for Liberal Arts & Technology in Statesboro, Destiny Academy of Excellence in Ellenwood, Technology Enriched Accelerated Charter High (TEACH) in Alpharetta and Tech High School in Atlanta.

The grants are for the purpose of offsetting some of the expenses that occur during the college application and admissions process (application fees, SAT/ACT prep course fees, campus visit expenses, etc.), or can be put toward tuition, textbooks or room and board.

“We know that in many instances, the chances most traditional public school students have to receive various types of grant opportunities are not always widely available to students in independent charter high schools, even though they are just as deserving,” said GCSA Board Chair BJ Van Gundy. “The Association is proud to offer this initiative for our members, and we hope to grow this scholarship fund in order to allow for more awards each year.”

Administrators at each school will select a winner based on scholastic promise and financial need. The award winners will be announced later this summer.
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Dr. Thomas Hynes Officially Joins Clayton State as Interim President

Dr. Thomas J. (Tim) Hynes Jr., officially began his tenure as the interim president of Clayton State University today.

“Colleagues: I am honored to have this chance to join the Clayton State University community,” says Hynes of his appointment.

Hynes held his position as provost and vice president for academic affairs and professor of Mass Communications at the University of West Georgia (UWG) for all but two years since 1996. On two occasions, during the 1999/2000 and 2006/2007 academic years, Hynes served as acting president of UWG when President Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna was called to the University System Office to serve as acting senior vice chancellor for academic affairs.

University System of Georgia Chief Academic Officer Dr. Susan Herbst commented upon announcing Hynes’ appointment this past January, “We are extremely fortunate to be able to call on Dr. Hynes’ strong leadership skills during this transition. Clayton State University has a great deal of momentum going for it, and I am confident that the institution will be in excellent hands under Dr. Hynes.”

Hynes previously served as interim dean of the University of Louisville from 1990 to 1996. Before that, he was associate dean of the university from 1988 to 1990 and had been a member of the University of Louisville faculty since 1978. Prior to that, he taught at Baylor University, the University of Massachusetts (UM) and the University of North Carolina (UNC). During his tenure at UWG, he has taught at least one course each year at the undergraduate level.

Hynes was a member of the Board of Regents Advisory Committee that developed the 1998 Regents’ Principles for the Preparation of Teachers. Still in use today, these principles guarantee the quality of all teachers prepared by the University System of Georgia.

Hynes holds an undergraduate degree in Mathematics and a Ph.D. in Communications Studies from UM and a Master of Arts degree in speech from UNC. In 2005, he earned a certificate of participation in the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Institute for Educational Management, and in 2003, he participated in the American Institute for Managing Diversity’s Diversity Leadership Academy.

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding, comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
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I-Scream, You-Scream, We All Scream For College Savings!

Path2College Partners with Sonic® and Bright from the Start to Reward Pre-K Students with
a FREE Vanilla Twist

Spring is in the air. From kindergartners to high school seniors, Georgia’s youth are busting out of their desks ready to enjoy the warm sunny days of summer vacation. But before that final bell rings, the Path2College 529 Plan has partnered up with Sonic®, America’s Drive-In®, to kick-off summer by rewarding rising kindergarten students with a FREE vanilla cone at participating Sonic locations. Starting May 1 through June 30, 2009, parents can go to www.Path2College529.com to print a coupon for their eligible children.

The Path2College 529 Plan, Georgia’s tax-advantaged higher education savings plan, is an opportunity for parents, grandparents, family and friends to prepare financially for their loved one’s college education expenses. “With the cost of education skyrocketing, it is essential that parents start saving early,” notes Chuck Penuel, Director of Path2College. “We have teamed up with Sonic to reach parents of young children throughout Georgia and make them aware of the Path2College 529 Plan as an important tool in their college savings strategy.”

“Sonic® is proud to partner with Path2College to focus attention on the importance of saving for higher education,” notes Dominic Losacco, vice president of customer engagement for Sonic. “Partnering with organizations that benefit families and further education is Sonic’s way of saying thank you to our loyal customers and employees in the communities we serve.” With more than 3,500 locations nationwide, Sonic’s smiling Carhops serve up a delicious menu of meal and drink options, made-to-order.

“We share Path2College’s commitment to the education of Georgia’s children,” said Dr. Holly Robinson, Commissioner of Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. “Together, we can all work to help ensure bright futures for our youngest citizens.”

Bright from the Start is pleased to team up with Path2College and Sonic to extend the free vanilla cone offer to families throughout the state.

To download a FREE buy-one-get-one-free Vanilla cone coupon and to learn why more than 100,000 Georgian’s have already started investing with Path2College, visit: www.Path2College529.com.

Consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses before investing in the Path2College 529 Plan.

Please visit www.path2college529.com for a Disclosure Booklet containing this and other information. Read it carefully.

Before investing in a 529 plan, you should consider whether the state you or your Beneficiary reside in or have taxable income in has a 529 plan that offers favorable state income tax or other benefits that are only available if you invest in that state’s 529 plan.

We are required to notify you that the tax information contained herein is not intended to be used, and cannot be used, by any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties. It was written to support the promotion of the Path2College 529 Plan. Taxpayers should seek advice based on their own particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.

Account value for the Investment Options is not guaranteed and will fluctuate based upon a number of factors, including general market conditions.

© 2009 TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc., program manager. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, member FINRA, distributes the Path2College 529 Plan.
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Graduation Test Results Continue to Improve

Student achievement increases in all subject areas

Georgia's high school students continue to show steady progress on the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT), including the science and English exams that are aligned to the state's more rigorous curriculum. State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox released the statewide results at today's State Board of Education meeting.

The percentage of students meeting standards on the GHSGT rose from the previous year in all four subject areas; mathematics, science, English language arts, and social studies. The pass rate on the science exam rose two points to 88 percent and on the English language arts exam rose one point to 90 percent.

"The results of the 2009 GHSGT show that our students continue to make steady progress in all areas of the curriculum," Superintendent Cox said. "This is especially noteworthy in the areas of science and English language arts, which are fully aligned to our new curriculum, the Georgia Performance Standards."

Superintendent Cox pointed out that the percentage of students performing at the very highest level on the English language arts and science exams rose significantly from 2008. On the science GHSGT, 15 percent of the students scored at the "honors" level, an increase of three points from 2008. On the English language arts GHSGT, 14 percent of the students scored at the honors level, an increase of four points from 2008.

"These exams are more rigorous and require students to demonstrate a deeper knowledge of the subject, but student achievement continues to rise in these areas," Superintendent Cox said. "The credit belongs to the teachers, students and school leaders who are working very hard to fully implement the new Georgia Performance Standards."

Superintendent Cox was also pleased that scores increased in most subgroups when compared to 2008. For instance:

- The pass rate for Students with Disabilities rose three points to 55 percent on the science GHSGT and rose four points to 63 percent on the mathematics GHSGT.
- The pass rate for English Language Learners rose six points to 59 percent on the English language arts GHSGT and 11 points to 62 percent on the social studies GHSGT.
- The pass rate for Hispanic students rose on all four tests and the pass rate for African American students rose on the social studies and mathematics exams.
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Education Secretary Duncan Names Governor Perdue to National Assessment Governing Board

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has appointed Governor Sonny Perdue to the National Assessment Governing Board. The board sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), sometimes referred to as “The Nation's Report Card.”

The 26-member panel includes a bipartisan group of governors, state legislators, local and state school officials, educators, business representatives and other citizens. While members are chosen by the secretary of education, the board remains independent of the department.

“Governor Perdue will be a great addition to the board,” Secretary Duncan said. “During his two terms as governor, he has maintained and expanded on ambitious initiatives to improve education for children from the cradle to college. We look forward to his contributions to the board.”

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only continuing assessment administered to a representative sample of students in each state in various subject areas, including mathematics, reading, science, writing, the arts, civics, economics, geography, and U.S. history.

“NAEP is considered the gold standard in terms of measuring our progress in education across states,” Governor Perdue said. “Georgia’s math and reading NAEP scores have risen to an all-time high and are now at or near national averages in many categories. I appreciate the opportunity and look forward to serving on the National Assessment Governing Board.”

The governing board's responsibilities include:

· Selecting subject areas to be assessed
· Setting appropriate student achievement levels
· Developing assessment objectives and test specifications
· Developing a process for the review of the assessment
· Designing the assessment methodology
· Developing guidelines for reporting NAEP results
· Developing standards and procedures for interstate, regional and national comparisons
· Determining the appropriateness of all assessment items and ensuring the assessment items are free from bias and are secular, neutral, and non-ideological
· Taking actions to improve the form, content, use, and reporting of results of the national assessment

For more information on NAEP, see http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/#overview . For details on the board, visit www.nagb.org/ .
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Atlanta Christian College Awards Diplomas to 58 Students

Atlanta Christian College awarded diplomas to 58 students during its commencement exercises on May 9. Nearly half the students graduated with honors.

The commencement speaker was Cam Huxford, a 1978 graduate and College trustee, who is senior pastor of Savannah Christian Church in Savannah, Ga. After graduating from Atlanta Christian College, Huxford did graduate work at Emmanuel School of Religion. He later served as senior pastor of Betaw Christian Church and Rock Hill Christian Church. He was called to serve at Savannah Christian in 1984. Under his leadership, the church has grown from 260 members to more than 5,000.

Huxford currently serves on the Christian Standard Publishing Committee, the North American Christian Convention board of stewards, and the ACC board of trustees. His son, Garrett Huxford, was among Saturday’s graduates.

Huxford began his address by explaining to the graduates that exactly 31 years ago, he was sitting where they were sitting – facing the excitement and nervousness that comes with graduating from college.

“You’ve been stretched and shaped by a challenging environment that has prepared you to begin your adventure,” he said. “This is a Christian college, and you have a unique position. None of us knows what the future holds, but you have an opportunity to life your life in a way that makes a difference forever – for eternity.”

Huxford encouraged the graduates to follow Christ’s example and be intentional, bold and creative in reaching out to those who don’t know Him. “It doesn’t matter what you do for a living, this opportunity is before you,” he said. “You can give people a gift that’s greater than any gift they can get anywhere.”

“Thirty days before my graduation, I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do,” Huxford explained. “But I was certain God had called me into ministry, and I was certain I had been well prepared at Atlanta Christian College.”

Finally, he reminded the graduates, “Times are uncertain; God is not.”

Huxford’s commencement address was followed by the conferring of degrees and a farewell from the Class of 2009, presented by Miles Barnes, of LaGrange, Ga., president of the Student Government Association. Barnes reminded his fellow graudates that ACC had helped them grow up, shaping their lives and their faith in a significant way.

“Faculty, staff, trustees, and parents especially, your contributions to ACC and to us have done so much more than just give us an education,” Barnes said. “You have given us the opportunity to become men and women in Christ. And for that I am proud to say that I am graduating from Atlanta Christian College.”

The 2009 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 scholarship, character and servant leadership. This year’s recipients were Stephanie Duttweiler, of Hampton, Ga., and Jeffrey Morgan, of Newnan, Ga.

This spring also marked the first graduates for one of ACC’s newest majors, child and youth development.

Atlanta Christian College’s mission is to educate students for Christ-centered service and leadership throughout the world. Founded in 1937, the College enrolls more than 600 students. The College’s board of trustees is currently in the process of selecting a new location for the main campus in order to accommodate further growth. Atlanta Christian College is affiliated with the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ.

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Clayton State Spring Commencement Honors Starr, Lee

Stockbridge and Clayton State’s Dolores Cox to Receive Second MALS Graduate Degree

Clayton State University will honor two of the seminal figures in the history of the University and Clayton County at its annual Spring Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 9.

In addition to Clayton State students receiving master’s, bachelors and associates degrees, the University will be awarding honorary doctorates to the late State Senator Terrell Starr and retired State Representative William J. “Bill” Lee. Both of these long-time public servants (Starr 38 years in the Senate, Lee 42 years in the House) were instrumental in the selection and location of a new University System of Georgia junior college in Clayton County in the 1960s. Although Starr passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, Apr. 19, 2009, that college, now Clayton State University, will go forward with its plans to honor this long-time public servant. Starr’s honorary doctorate will be awarded posthumously at the noon ceremony to his son, Terry Starr. Also present will be wife Celeste Starr and daughter JoAnn McJenkin. Lee will also be present to also receive his honorary degree.

The University’s dual spring commencement ceremonies will be held in the Athletics & Fitness Center. The first ceremony will be held at 9 a.m., the second starts at noon. Graduates of the College of Arts & Sciences will receive their diplomas at the noon ceremony, while graduates of the University’s other four schools – Business, Nursing, Information & Mathematical Sciences, and Professional Studies -- will take part in the 9 a.m. ceremony.

A total of 628 students will be eligible to graduate, including 32 students receiving master’s degrees. Thirty-one of the master’s recipients will be in the 9 a.m. ceremony as the first cohort from the Master’s of Business Administration program. The lone master’s degree awarded at noon will go to Dolores Cox (Stockbridge), communications coordinator in the Clayton State Office of University Image and Communications, and the second graduate of the University’s Master’s of Arts in Liberal Studies program.

Among the undergraduates receiving degrees at noon will be two more staff members from the Clayton State Division of External Relations, student assistants Ciji Fox (Stockbridge) and Tiffany Whidby (Morrow).

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