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

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

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

/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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Majority of States Receive Below Average Grades on Education Reform Laws

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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University System Enrolls a Record 311,442 Students

The University System of Georgia’s (USG) fall 2010 enrollment has climbed to 311,442 students, yet another record high. That’s an increase of 9,550 students, or 3.2 percent, over the fall 2009 enrollment, which at the time was the record.

USG Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. announced the figures today, as the System released its 2010 Fall Enrollment Report. The report provides data on enrollment by institution, by gender, by race and ethnicity, and breaks down students by class (freshmen, sophomore, etc.) and in-state/out-of-state.

“Individuals continue to seek out the opportunity that higher education uniquely offers,” said Davis. “We must bear this in mind as we continue to be challenged by budgets and shrinking state resources.”

Since fall 2006, enrollment in the System’s 35 degree-granting colleges and universities has risen every year, adding 51,497 students, a 19.8 percent increase over the past five years. “This is the equivalent of adding all of our eight two year colleges and one state college (Middle Georgia College) to our system in terms of the raw numbers,” Davis said.

While this year’s increase of 3.2 percent is smaller than the 6.7 percent jump (18,914 students) from fall 2008 to fall 2009, it tracks the annual percentage increases seen over recent years: 2.5 percent from fall 2005 to fall 2006, 3.9 percent from fall 2006 to fall 2007; and 4.8 percent from fall 2007 to fall 2008. The average percentage increase over the 2006-2010 period is almost 4 percent.

Six USG institutions saw double-digit growth this fall:

Leading the pack – as it did last fall – is Georgia Gwinnett College, with an increase of 82.6 percent, or 2,433 students, to 5,380 students enrolled this fall.

Atlanta Metropolitan College, 13 percent, to 3,037 students.

College of Coastal Georgia, 11.6 percent, to 3,438 students.

East Georgia College, 11.2 percent, to 3,063 students.

South Georgia College, 10.7 percent, to 2,214 students.

Gordon College, 10.2 percent, to 5,009 students.

By sector, the four research universities (Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, Medical College of Georgia and the University of Georgia) saw an average increase of 1.4 percent.

The two regional universities (Georgia Southern University and Valdosta State University) grew an average of 3.5 percent and the 13 state universities were slightly below this, at 2.5 percent growth.

The eight state colleges saw an average enrollment increase of 7.9 percent – which was the largest percentage jump by sector. The eight two-year colleges posted a 3.5 percent increase.

This year’s enrollment report shows that by sector the four research universities comprise 28.4 percent of fall enrollment; the regionals have 10.1 percent and the state universities have 30.7 percent..

The access colleges have 27.7 percent of enrollment – 12.4 percent at state colleges and 15.3 percent at the two-year colleges. Yet 29 percent of total access enrollment – 25,113 students – is concentrated in just one institution: Georgia Perimeter College.

“We must continue our efforts – as set forth in the Board’s Strategic Plan – to shift more of our enrollment to our access institutions,” noted Davis. “These institutions are where we have the capacity at a lower cost of instruction than at our research universities to continue to meet growing enrollment during a time of declining state resources.”

Minority students continued to enroll at a higher percentage rate than the overall student population in fall 2010.

The biggest percentage growth came in Hispanic enrollment, which jumped 14.5 percent, or 1,847 students, from fall 2009 to fall 2010. Total Hispanic enrollment is now at 12,734, or 4.7 percent of total enrollment. In 2009, Hispanic enrollment was 4.2 percent of all students.

Enrollment growth by Asian students increased 6.5 percent, or 979 students, from fall 2009 to fall 2010. Asian enrollment for fall 2010 stands at 20,235 students, or 6.4 percent of total enrollment.

The System’s African-American enrollment increased from fall 2009 to fall 2010 by 5.1 percent, or 4,130 students. Total System African-American enrollment now stands at 84,106, or 27 percent of all students.

Looking at gender, females make up 57.5 percent of total enrollment. This percentage is down from last year, by exactly point one-tenth of a percent. This fall there are 179,031 females and 132,409 males enrolled in the USG.

First-time freshmen students total 49,368 in fall 2010, an increase of just 211 students, or .4 percent.

Georgia residents comprise 89.9 percent, or 280,021 students, of the USG’s total enrollment.

The system’s full-time equivalent enrollment (FTE) for fall 2010 is 276,111, an increase of 3.6 percent over fall 2009, adding 9,536 students. The increase in FTE enrollment means that more students are taking additional hours of courses, compared to students in fall 2009.


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Regents Adopt New Policies on Undocumented Students

A final report presented today to the Board of Regents finds that only 501 undocumented students – all paying out-of-state tuition – are among the 310,000 students enrolled in University System of Georgia (USG) institutions this fall. While the numbers are small, beginning in fall 2011, all applicants will undergo new steps designed to strengthen the ability of USG institutions to properly classify students for tuition purposes.

These steps are outlined in four recommendations by the Residency Verification Committee approved today by the Board of Regents. They will go into effect for the fall 2011 semester. These include:

The addition of language on all applications that outlines the legal penalties for “false swearing,” or knowingly providing incorrect information on the forms. USG officials indicate this will better educate individuals about the process of applying to college.

The addition of language on all applications that, for the first time, will require applicants to state whether they are seeking in-state tuition. This will help institutions in making a decision on whether or not additional residency verification is necessary.

A policy requirement that USG institutions verify the lawful presence in the United States of any applicant that is admitted. Students who note they are seeking in-state tuition will, if not applying for federal financial aid (which has its own stringent verification processes), be subject to additional verification by the institution.

A policy that any person not lawfully present in the United States shall not be eligible for admission to any USG institution which, for the two most recent academic years, did not admit all academically qualified applicants.

“We are an educational agency in the business of preparing individuals for careers requiring knowledge and skills; we are not in the immigration business, nor are we equipped to serve as the immigration authorities,” said Regent James Jolly, who chaired the Residency Verification Committee. “However, these new policies do strengthen our ability to ensure proper tuition classification for all students – a process and a commitment the System has undertaken and met since being formed in 1931.”

Jolly noted that the committee, formed by former Board Chair Robert Hatcher in June, sought to address three concerns: that the University System was being swamped by thousands of undocumented students, that Georgia taxpayers were subsidizing the education of these students through in-state tuition, and that undocumented students were taking seats in college from academically qualified Georgians.

“The review of all students over the summer by our institutions answers the first two concerns,” Jolly said in his report of the committee’s work to the regents. He said that the review found only 501 undocumented students enrolled in the system, with all paying out-of-state tuition, which is set at the full cost of instruction. “Every student paying out-of-state tuition actually covers more than the cost of instruction,” Jolly said.

“The fact that we have so few undocumented students and that at present, all are properly classified for tuition purposes, shows that our admissions departments are doing their job, and doing it quite well,” Jolly said. He said the review shows the USG’s admissions processes are quite strong, even prior to the implementation of the new recommendations approved by the board.

The third concern, that undocumented students deny seats to qualified Georgians, is addressed by the policy denying admission to undocumented students at institutions that have to turn away academically qualified, legal residents. “Only five institutions fall into this category, with 27 undocumented students enrolled this fall,” said Jolly. The five are Georgia College & State University, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, and the University of Georgia.

The committee’s work follows that of an audit on residency and tuition conducted by the Georgia State Audit Department two years ago. That audit found that the vast majority of students – both domestic and foreign – were properly classified for tuition purposes. However, USG institutions adopted more stringent guidelines for admissions procedures following that audit, and these new recommendations add yet another layer of verification.

The issue of undocumented students attending USG institutions jumped into the headlines this summer as part of the ongoing national and state discussion on illegal immigrants, sparked in Georgia by the case of an undocumented student at Kennesaw State University. Consequently the regents and Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. ordered an internal review process of USG admissions of both current and new students.

The Residency Verification Committee was formed and charged to oversee the review of student tuition classification and to develop and propose any needed recommendations to the full board. In addition to Jolly, other members of the committee were regents Larry R. Ellis, Felton Jenkins, William “Dink” NeSmith Jr., and Larry Walker; four USG presidents, including Dr. Mark Becker (Georgia State University), Dr. Virginia Carson (South Georgia College), Dr. Martha Nesbitt (Gainesville State College), and Dr. Lisa Rossbacher (Southern Polytechnic State University) and University System Office staff members John Fuchko, chief audit officer, Burns Newsome, vice chancellor, Legal Affairs and secretary to the board, Amanda Seals, executive director for Government Affairs and Mendi Spencer, chief of staff for Academic Affairs.

The University System follows current federal and state laws, which allows for undocumented individuals to be enrolled, if academically qualified. Such students cannot receive any federal or state benefits. In-state tuition, which is subsidized by the state, is such a benefit, and thus undocumented students must pay out-of-state tuition, which is set at least at the full cost of instruction.


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State Education Ranking Shows Vermont #1, South Carolina Last

Georgia ranked 27 in student performance and received an overall grade of "C".

/PRNewswire-/ -- The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) released today its Report Card on American Education: K-12 State Performance, Progress, and Reform, a comprehensive overview of education achievement levels within the 50 states and the District of Columbia (D.C.). In its 16th edition, the Report Card ranks academic proficiency and education reform along rigorous standards, holding each state responsible for its transitions -- whether positive or negative. It discusses what resources are being wasted, what students are being left behind, and what administrators, parents, and teachers can do make a difference in real education.

Authors Dr. Matthew Ladner, Andrew T. LeFevre, and Dan Lips rank states based on student performance and their corresponding improvements on the fourth- and eighth-grade reading and mathematics National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which are nationally administered exams, with Vermont coming in first and South Carolina last. The authors also graded each state (A to F) based on its education reform policies including academic standards, school choice programs, charter schools, online learning, and that state's ability to hire good teachers and fire bad ones. Florida is the clear leader, based on the reforms implemented over the past decade.

Student Performance
  Top                                    Bottom
1. Vermont                      51. South Carolina
2. Massachusetts             50. West Virginia
3. Florida                        49. Michigan
4. New Hampshire          48. New Mexico
5. New York                    47. Louisiana

State Grades
  Top                                  Bottom
"B+" Florida              "D" Nebraska
"B" Colorado             "D" North Dakota
"B" Louisiana             "D" Rhode Island
"B" Minnesota            "D" Tennessee
"B" Missouri               "D" Vermont
"B" New Mexico
"B" South Carolina




"Ensuring students receive a first-rate education isn't a matter of more money; it's a matter of policy. Spending more money on a broken system does not guarantee higher student achievement," said Colorado State Sen. Nancy Spence, who co-chairs ALEC's Education Task Force. "When states are facing the largest budget deficits in recent memory, we need to focus on reforms that work. We can no longer throw more money at a failing system and expect change."

"The design of the Report Card isn't merely to show which state has had the best performing students. We wanted to give legislators the tools they need to fix their state's education system," said Ladner, one of the book's authors. "This report highlights the most promising and effective reforms that will give all students access to an outstanding education."

The report provides extensive information on different reform initiatives.

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is the nation's largest nonpartisan, individual membership organization of state legislators.

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Fewer Georgia Schools in Needs Improvement Status

Fewer Georgia schools are in Needs Improvement (NI) status, according to the initial Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report released July 19. Just over 14% of schools are in NI status this year, compared to 15.4% last year. Thirty-five schools across the state shook the Needs Improvement label by having made AYP for two consecutive years.

"The initial AYP results demonstrate that our schools are more focused than ever and that is translating into fewer schools in Needs Improvement status," said State School Superintendent Brad Bryant. "However, the academic bar and the graduation rate requirement increased this year, leading to a smaller percentage of schools making AYP, which is something we will focus closely on over the next several months.”

More than 71% of Georgia's public schools made AYP, a drop from 79% of schools that made AYP last year. This drop is due in large part to the increase in the academic bar in mathematics that students in elementary and middle school had to meet in order for a school to make AYP. The graduation rate that high schools must meet also increased this year to 80%.

The final AYP report will be released in the fall and will include summer retest scores, summer graduates and appeals.

Compared to initial AYP results last year, the 2010 report shows that:
- The percentage of schools in NI status decreased from 15.4% to 14.1%.
- The number of schools in NI status decreased from 334 to 305.
- The percentage of schools making AYP decreased eight points from 79.1% to 71.1%.

The percentage of high schools making AYP continues to lag behind. In 2010, just over 33% of the state's high schools made AYP, a decrease of almost 14 percentage points from 2009's initial results.

"We know there is a lot of hard work going on in our high schools, but we must provide more focused support for our students and teachers," Superintendent Bryant said. "I am committed to focusing on the needs of our high schools to ensure they are preparing students for the 21st century."

AYP is the formula used to determine if schools are meeting expectations under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. It consists of three parts -- test participation, academic achievement and another statistic, called a "second indicator." The academic goals continue to rise every few years toward a goal of 100% proficiency for all students by 2014. This year, the academic goal for grades 3-8 increased in mathematics and the graduation rate bar went up.

All students at a school, as well as any qualifying subgroup of students, must meet goals in all three categories in order to make AYP. Schools that do not make AYP for two consecutive years in the same subject are placed in Needs Improvement status and face escalating consequences.

35 Schools No Longer in “Needs Improvement”
Initial results show that 35 schools came out of Needs Improvement status by making AYP for the second consecutive year.

"Getting out of NI status isn't easy," Superintendent Bryant said. "These 35 schools should be very proud of their accomplishments, but have to remain focused so they continue making improvements."

There are 305 schools in NI status for the coming school year. These schools must offer parents options, such as public school choice or federally-funded tutoring. Depending on how long these schools have been in NI, some may have to make structural or organizational changes to improve student achievement.
In 2009, there were 334 NI schools after the initial results. That number dropped to 278 after retests, summer graduates and appeals were worked into the formula.

"As we normally do, I believe we will see the number of NI schools drop again when we do our final AYP determinations in the fall," Superintendent Bryant said.

Graduation Rate
The state's initial 2010 graduation rate is 79.9%. That is up from the initial 2009 graduation rate of 77.8% and the final 2009 graduation rate of 78.9%, which included summer graduates.

"Improving the graduation rate is crucial to Georgia being competitive with other states in recruiting and retaining jobs," Superintendent Bryant said. "The more students graduating from high school with a meaningful diploma, the more students we have ready to go to college or enter the workforce. There is still more work to be done, but this year's graduation rate is an encouraging sign."

Graduation rate must be used as a "second indicator" for all high schools and the bar was raised this year.

In order to make AYP, a high school had to have a graduation rate of 80% or higher, up from 75% last year. If a school did not make that goal, they could use a "second look" which means:
- Having a graduation rate that averaged 80% or higher over the past three years OR
- Having a graduation rate of at least 60% the previous year (2009) and showing a 10% improvement in the rate this year.

Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Today's AYP release sheds more light on the need for Congress to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) - No Child Left Behind. Even though both the Spellings administration and the Duncan administration at the U.S. Department of Education have worked to grant administrative flexibility, it has been insufficient to overcome the original accountability benchmarks established by Congress in 2001.

"As a state, we have no problem moving toward a proficiency rate of 100% - to do anything else would underserve a portion of Georgia's students," said Superintendent Bryant. "We are frustrated over the fact that the original authorization of No Child Left Behind came with the promise that it would be reauthorized in five years with increased flexibility in return for increased accountability. Once again we call upon Congress to act in a manner which supports the hundreds of thousands of teachers and school leaders across the nation who are more focused on student learning than ever before."

SCHOOL and DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTS

SCHOOLS THAT CAME OUT OF "NEEDS IMPROVEMENT" STATUS
Pearson Elementary School, Atkinson County
Coretta Scott King Young Womens Leadership Academy, Atlanta Public Schools
The Best Academy at Benjamin S. Carson, Atlanta Public Schools
Eagle Ridge Elementary School, Baldwin County
Jonesville Middle School, Carroll County
Beach High School, Chatham County*
Chattahoochee County Middle School, Chattahoochee County
Barnett Shoals Elementary School, Clarke County
Kendrick Middle School, Clayton County
Mundy's Mill Middle School, Clayton County
Sequoyah Middle School, Clayton County
Swint Elementary School, Clayton County
Cooper Middle School, Cobb County
Griffin Middle School, Cobb County
Smitha Middle School, Cobb County
Arnall Middle School, Coweta County
East Coweta Middle School, Coweta County
Dooly County Elementary School, Dooly County
Glascock County Consolidated School, Glascock County
Risley Early College Academy, Glynn County
Meadowcreek High School, Gwinnett County
Richards Middle School, Gwinnett County
South Hall Middle School, Hall County
Lamar County Elementary School, Lamar County
Marietta 6th Grade School, Marietta City
Herschel Jones Middle School, Paulding County
Cedartown Middle School, Polk County
Van Wert Elementary School, Polk County
Laney High School, Richmond County*
Telfair County Middle School, Telfair County
Carver Elementary School, Terrell County
Terrell Middle School, Terrell County
Southeast Elementary School, Valdosta City
Carver Middle School, Walton County
T.J. Elder Middle School, Washington County

DISTRICTS WHERE ALL SCHOOLS MADE AYP
Bremen City
Buford City
Calhoun City
Calhoun County
Camden County
Chickamauga City
Clay County
Clinch County
Dalton City
Decatur City
Fayette County
Gilmer County
Glascock County
Gordon County
Jeff Davis County
Jefferson City
Lincoln County
Marietta City
Oconee County
Pickens County
Pierce County
Pike County
Rockdale County
Schley County
Seminole County
Towns County
Trion City

SCHOOLS THAT HAVE MADE AYP FOR 12 CONSECUTIVE YEARS
Bacon County Primary School, Bacon County
Berrien Primary School, Berrien County
Bleckley County Primary School, Bleckley County
Waynesboro Primary School, Burke County
Bethune Elementary School, Charlton County
Blackshear Trail Elementary School, Crisp County
J.S. Pate Elementary School, Crisp County
Roan Elementary School, Dalton City
Hightower Elementary School, DeKalb County
Saxon Heights Elementary School, Dublin City
Susie Dasher Elementary School, Dublin City
Swainsboro Primary School, Emanuel County
North Fayette Elementary School, Fayette County
Robert J. Burch Elementary School, Fayette County
Enota Multiple Intelligences Academy, Gainesville City
Jasper County Primary School, Jasper County
Maxwell Elementary School, McDuffie County
Thomson Elementary School, McDuffie County
South Mitchell County Elementary School, Mitchell County
Samuel E. Hubbard Elementary School, Monroe County
T.G. Scott Elementary School, Monroe County
Oconee County Primary School, Oconee County
Cooper Primary School, Terrell County
Ridge Road Primary School, Washington County
Jack P. Nix Primary School, White County
Washington-Wilkes Primary School, Wilkes County
Worth County Primary School, Worth County

SCHOOLS THAT HAVE MADE AYP FOR 11 CONSECUTIVE YEARS
Appling County Primary School, Appling County
Banks County Primary School, Banks County
Ben Hill County Primary School, Ben Hill County
Lanier Primary School, Bryan County
Mill Creek Elementary School, Bulloch County
Cook Elementary School, Cook County
Cook Primary School, Cook County
Oakcliff Elementary School, DeKalb County
Lamar Reese School of the Arts, Dougherty County
Lindsey Elementary School, Houston County
Perry Primary School, Houston County
Louisville Academy, Jefferson County
Morgan County Primary School, Morgan County
Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy, Muscogee County
Pelham Elementary School, Pelham City
Sumter County Primary School, Sumter County
Collins Elementary School, Tattnall County
Unity Elementary School, Troup County
Bacon Elementary School, Wayne County

* This school received a School Improvement Grant. As a result, it is no longer in Needs Improvement status.

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Economic Impact of University System Reaches $12.7 Billion

A newly released report states that Georgia’s public university system made a $12.7 billion economic impact on the state’s economy during Fiscal Year 2009, continuing its record of growing contributions to the state’s economic prosperity. The 35 institutions of the University System of Georgia (USG) generated nearly three percent of the state’s total jobs during that time.

The Selig Center for Economic Growth in the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business analyzed data collected between July 1, 2008, and June 30, 2009, to calculate the University System’s FY2009 economic impact. This work updates similar studies conducted on behalf of The Intellectual Capital Partnership Program (ICAPP), an initiative of the Board of Regents’ Office of Economic Development. The previous report, based on FY2008 data, placed the USG’s economic impact at $12.1 billion. The first study in the series calculated the USG’s impact at $7.7 billion in FY1999. The latest $12.7 billion thus is a $5 billion increase since FY1999 – or a growth of 65 percent in the system’s economic impact on Georgia’s communities.

“A college or university improves the skills of its graduates, which increases their lifetime earnings. Local businesses benefit from easy access to a large pool of part-time and full-time workers,” said study author Dr. Jeffrey M. Humphreys, director of economic forecasting for the Selig Center. “In addition, for each job created on a campus, there are 1.6 jobs that exist off-campus because of spending related to the college or university. In these ways, and many more, the University System plays a critical role in Georgia’s economic recovery.”

The study found that Georgia’s public higher education system generated 112,336 full- and part-time jobs – 2.8 percent of all the jobs in the state in FY2009. Most of those jobs – 62 percent of them – are off-campus positions in the private or public sectors that exist because of the presence in the community of USG institutions. The remainder (38 percent) are jobs on campus.

Most of the $12.7 billion in total economic impact was due to initial spending by USG institutions for salaries and fringe benefits, operating supplies and expenses, and other budgeted expenditures, as well as spending by the students who attended the institutions in FY2009. (Initial spending by USG institutions equaled $8.4 billion, or 66 percent of the total.) The remaining $4.3 billion (34 percent) in economic impact was created by re-spending – the multiplier effect of those dollars as they are spent again in the region. For every dollar of initial spending in a community by a University System institution, researchers found that, on average, an additional 51 cents was generated for the local economy hosting a college or university.

The report quantifies the significant contributions that each of Georgia’s 35 public colleges and universities makes to the economy of the community where it is located. The University System’s largest institution – the University of Georgia (UGA) with 34,885 students – has the single greatest economic impact: $2.2 billion on the Athens-area economy, or 17 percent of the System’s total statewide economic impact.

Eight institutions in the metro Atlanta area – Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, Clayton State University, Kennesaw State University, Southern Polytechnic State University, Georgia Gwinnett College, Atlanta Metropolitan College and Georgia Perimeter College – accounted for $5.3 billion of the University System’s $12.7 billion total, and 42,434 jobs.

The study shows that the System’s two regional universities are significant economic players in their host communities. Georgia Southern University had an impact of $526 million on the local economy and an employment impact of 5,935 jobs, while Valdosta State University’s economic impact was $340 million with 3,391 jobs.

In north Georgia, the combined economic impact of North Georgia College & State University and Gainesville State College was $367 million with an employment impact of 3,452 jobs.

The Augusta area receives a substantial economic benefit from the presence of the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) and Augusta State University. Together, these two institutions have a $1.2 billion economic impact on the Augusta economy and produce 11,176 jobs.

The economic impact of two USG institutions in the Savannah area is significant. Together, Armstrong Atlantic State University and Savannah State University pumped $352 million into the Savannah economy and the two institutions produce more than 3,332 jobs.

Fort Valley State University, Georgia College & State University, Middle Georgia College, and Macon State College combine to have an economic impact of $630 million and contribute 6,311 jobs to middle Georgia.

The University of West Georgia and Columbus State University have a combined economic impact of $599 million and contribute 5,813 jobs to the west Georgia region.

“Companies and agencies that depend on highly specialized skills often cluster around universities. This is especially true for the knowledge-based companies that are expected to grow faster than the economy in general,” said Terry Durden, assistant vice chancellor of the University System’s Office of Economic Development.

This is the first year that the study documents the economic impact of two new clinical campuses that the Medical College of Georgia is opening in Albany and Savannah. Although the initial economic impacts are quite small, they will grow rapidly once students are enrolled at these MCG branch campuses. The combined economic impact of these two new campuses is $662,385, with seven jobs.

The Selig Center’s research has its limitations – it neither quantifies the many long-term benefits that a higher-education institution and its outreach and service units impart to its host community’s economic development nor does it measure intangible benefits, such as cultural opportunities, intellectual stimulation and volunteer work, to local residents. Spending by USG retirees who still live in the host communities and by visitors to USG institutions (such as those attending conferences or athletic events) is not measured, nor are additional sources of income for USG employees, such as consulting work, personal business activities and inheritances.

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New Jobs Forecast Predicts Millions of Workers at Risk of Being Left Behind

/PRNewswire/ -- A new, highly detailed forecast shows that as the economy struggles to recover, and jobs slowly return, there will be a growing disconnect between the types of jobs employers need to fill and numbers of Americans who have the education and training to fill those jobs.

The report, Help Wanted: Projecting Jobs and Education Requirements through 2018, by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, forecasts that by 2018, 63 percent of all jobs will require at least some postsecondary education. Employers will need 22 million new workers with postsecondary degrees - and the report shows that we will fall short by three million workers without a dramatic change in course. This translates into a deficit of 300,000 college graduates every year between now and 2018.

"America needs more workers with college degrees, certificates and industry certifications," said Anthony P. Carnevale, the Center's director. "If we don't address this need now, millions of jobs could go offshore."

The Center's study is the first to help Americans connect the dots between employment opportunity and specific education and training choices. The report projects job creation and education requirements through most of the next decade, showing job growth by industry and occupation nationally, and with state-by-state forecasts.

Substantial gains in employment will not occur until 2011. It will take until 2015 for job creation to catch up to where it would have been before the massive recession losses. In 2018, America will need more college-educated workers than it will have.

-- Employers will need 22 million new workers with AA's, BA's or better -
and we will fall 3 million short.
-- In addition, employers will need 4.7 million workers with
postsecondary certificates.


The fastest growing six industries and five occupations will require the highest levels of education, with the exception of sales support and health care support. In 2018, 75-90 percent of jobs in the following industries: Information Services; Private Education Services; Government and Public Education Services; Financial Services; Professional and Business Services and Healthcare Services will require postsecondary education or training. These industries will provide 40 percent of all jobs in 2018. About 90 percent of the jobs in four of the five fastest growing occupational clusters require postsecondary education. They are Healthcare Professional and Technical Occupations, STEM Occupations, Community Services and Arts Occupations and Education Occupations.

Postsecondary education and training determine access to the middle class. Those with only a high school diploma or less are falling out of the middle class.

But what matters most is the occupation for which you prepare. That's why 27 percent of people with certificates and 31 percent of people with AA degrees earn more than the average BA.

The report also provides a state-by-state analysis on jobs and education requirements.

-- The District of Columbia, North Dakota, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and
Colorado will lead the nation in the share of total jobs requiring
postsecondary education.
-- Texas, California, Nevada, Mississippi, and Arizona will lead the
nation in the share of total jobs for high school dropouts.


"Instead of asking whether everyone needs to go to college, we should be asking if we can produce enough workers with high level degrees and credentials that meet the demands of the 21st century economy," said Jamie P. Merisotis, President and CEO of Lumina Foundation for Education, which supported the research.

Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, put it simply: "The bottom line is: we are under-investing in education. This report shows that the demand for well-educated Americans isn't being met by our current investments."

"We're sending more students to college than ever before, but only about half them will ever earn a degree," said Hilary Pennington, Director of Education, Postsecondary Success & Special Initiatives of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "This report shows why it is critical that we create the kinds of supports and incentives that help students earn the credentials that employers value."

Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements through 2018 is part of the Center's efforts to support such an alignment. One barrier to more effective education and career planning lies in the shortcomings of the official data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the primary source for projecting education and job requirements, but its estimates of postsecondary education demand between 1998 and 2008 fell short of the actual postsecondary education demand in 2008 by 47 percent. The Center's methodology tested accurately within 4 percent.

Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements through 2018 is available online at http://cew.georgetown.edu/, or hard copies can be obtained by contacting the Center at cewgeorgetown@georgetown.edu. There are three documents: an executive summary, a national report and a state-level analysis. The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (cew.georgetown.edu) is an independent, nonprofit research and policy institute that studies the link between individual goals, education and training curricula and career pathways.

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Georgia a Leader in College - and Career - Readiness

Georgia is one of just three states in the nation to have adopted four or more college- and career-ready policies necessary to adequately prepare students for college and 21st century jobs, according to a national report released earlier this week. Achieve, Inc., a bipartisan, nonprofit organization created by governors and business leaders, released the fifth annual “Closing the Expectations Gap” report that shows Georgia is in a select group of states having almost all of the recommended college- and career-ready policies.

"Since 2003 we have said that all Georgia students should receive a quality education that prepares them to succeed in postsecondary education and 21st century careers," said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. "Our students are competing with students from all over the world so we must continue to have rigorous requirements that give them the best chance of being successful when they leave high school."

“It is imperative that Georgia students are prepared to compete not only nationally, but internationally,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “The work we have done in raising standards and improving data and accountability is helping us deliver a world-class education to our students.”

The “Closing the Expectations Gap” report has been conducted annually by Achieve since 2005 when it launched the American Diploma Project (ADP) Network to challenge states to work together on a college- and career-readiness agenda. Georgia has been an ADP member since 2005. The 50-state survey measures the same five areas of reform each year, as listed below, and reveals the current status of each state:

• Standards: Align high school standards with the expectations of college and careers. Georgia is one of 31 states that have developed and adopted high school academic standards in English and mathematics that are aligned with college- and career-ready expectations.
• Graduation Requirements: Align high school graduation requirements with college- and career-ready expectations. Georgia is one of 20 states and the District of Columbia that require all students to complete a college- and career-ready curriculum to earn a high school diploma.
• P–20 Data Systems: Develop P–20 longitudinal data systems that link states’ student-level K–12 data with similar data from their postsecondary systems. Georgia is one of 16 states matching data annually.
• Assessments: Develop college- and career-ready high school assessments. Georgia is one of 14 states to have these kind of exams.
• Accountability: Develop a comprehensive reporting and accountability system that promotes college and career readiness. Georgia is one of 22 states that have now incorporated at least one of four accountability indicators that Achieve has identified as critical to promoting college and career readiness.

Through the Alliance of Education Agency Heads, all seven of the state's education agencies, the Governor's Office, Governor's Office of Workforce Development, Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce have been working collaboratively on aligning policies and initiatives that prepare all students in Georgia for 21st century careers and college. The number one goal of the Alliance is to increase the high school graduation rate, decrease high school drop-out rate, and increase post-secondary enrollment rate.

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HHS Accelerates Head Start Quality Improvements and Submits Impact Study on 2002-2003 Head Start Programs

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced plans to strengthen the Head Start and Early Head Start programs as part of an Administration-wide effort to close achievement gaps and promote early learning through the first eight years of life for the nation's most vulnerable children. These quality improvements respond to growing
evidence on what works in early learning policy and practice, and incorporates Congressional mandates from the 2007 reauthorization of the Head Start Act.

"Head Start is a key part of the Obama Administration's strategic focus on early learning," said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announcing the new initiative. "The program provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition and social services to low income children and families. "Still, for Head Start to achieve its full potential, we must improve its quality and promote high standards across all early childhood programs."

A Congressionally-mandated study on the impact of the 2002-2003 Head Start program was submitted to Congress on January 13, 2010. The study measured the cognitive and social/emotional development, health status and behavior of approximately five thousand 3 and 4 year olds who were randomly assigned to either a control group or a group that had access
to a Head Start program.

"These results make it clear that we need to build a more coordinated system of early care and education, and to focus on key improvements to teaching and learning in the early grades," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "Through our collaboration with our partners at
HHS, we have begun to tackle this challenge by identifying the key elements of high quality early learning programs, and studying what works to improve and sustain outcomes once children reach school."

The study showed that at the end of one program year, access to Head Start positively influenced children's school readiness. When measured again at the end of kindergarten and first grade, however, the Head Start children and the control group children were at the same level on
many of the measures studied.

"Research clearly shows that Head Start positively impacts the school readiness of low-income children. Now we must increase its effectiveness and continue to provide the support that our children, from birth to eight, need to prepare to succeed later in school and in life," Secretary Sebelius said. "The President has looked to HHS and the Department of Education to develop a coordinated and seamless plan to get children off to great starts, and to help families and
communities to break cycles of poverty."

To strengthen the impact of Head Start, HHS is in the process of:

* raising program performance standards
* increasing program accountability by only renewing grants for
high-quality, constantly improving programs
* improving classroom practices by providing higher quality training for
classroom teachers, staff and program directors and improving technical
assistance to grantees looking to improve their programs
* convening a research advisory committee to gather insights from the
Head Start Impact Study and other relevant research
* partnering with the Department of Education to collaborate with early
childhood education and ensuring continuity of quality programs

"Head Start has been changing lives for the better since its inception," said Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, Carmen R. Nazario. "Now we are raising the bar with the Head Start program to make sure it does all it can to expand children's vocabulary, develop math skills,
and help them engage with teachers and other children in ways that enrich their lives and prepare them for school and beyond. We will work to ensure that the advantages children gain in the program are sustained in the years ahead."

Nazario went on to explain how the Administration has begun to ramp up efforts to improve the quality of all early childhood programs, with a focus on those serving low income families. One key element to this integrated effort will involve the Early Learning Challenge Grant program now under consideration in Congress. The program, which would be administered jointly by HHS and the Department of Education, would challenge states to develop innovative models that promote high standards of quality in all early childhood settings - including Head Start, child care centers and public and private preschools. Funds would be granted to states already making progress on reform and excellence, allowing them to bring their models to scale. Grants would also go to states that show promise, but need additional assistance to launch a standards-based, outcomes-driven system.

Established in 1965, Head Start promotes school readiness for children in low income families by enhancing their social and cognitive development through educational, nutritional, health, social and other services. Head Start, and the more recently launched Early Head Start,
have provided services to 25 million children and currently serve nearly a million children each year.

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Another 5,000 Charters Needed: Parental Demand for Charter Schools Surges 21% in One Year

/PRNewswire/ -- As more low-income and minority parents seek to remove their children from traditional public schools that chronically underperform, waiting lists for America's public charter schools have grown dramatically, a report released today reveals. According to The Center for Education Reform (CER), an average of 239 children are waiting to enter each charter school in America, demonstrating a 21 percent surge in parental demand for charters over last year.

Because laws in most states either limit the number of students who can enter charters, prohibit multiple authorities from authorizing the creation of charters, or limit the number of schools themselves, demand for charter schools now dramatically outpaces supply, the Annual Survey of America's Charter Schools 2010 indicates. In fact, 65 percent of U.S. charter schools have waiting lists, up from 59 percent in 2008, and some schools' waiting lists are more than three times the size of the schools themselves. The average charter school size is 372 students and it is estimated that the number of students on waiting lists would fill another 5,000 charter schools.

In Texas alone, it is estimated that 40,000 children are on waiting lists for charters schools. In Boston, the number is 8,000. As state lawmakers finalize applications this week for a share of the federal government's $4.3 billion "Race to the Top" education fund, reformers are hoping that legislators will expand access to quality schools for families.

"We frequently talk about the problems plaguing America's education system," said Jeanne Allen, president of The Center for Education Reform. "Charter schools and school choice demonstrate what's working in American education. When provided with good choices, parents make informed decisions and select the best schools for their children. Lawmakers should listen to their constituents and expand access to charter schools by allowing multiple authorities to create schools, ensuring fiscal equity, allowing schools to operate with more freedom, and lifting arbitrary caps on the number of schools permitted to open."

Data indicates that low-income and minority families make up the bulk of the parents seeking entrance into charters -- meaning that new charter schools would primarily benefit low-income children and children of color. Already, more than 54 percent of students in charters are classified as poor, half of America's charter schools serve student populations where 60+ percent of the children are poor, and children of color comprise 52 percent of charter school attendees.

Surprisingly, charter schools have achieved their popularity not through big budgets that let them spend lavishly (in fact, the average charter school receives $3,468 less in state and federal funds than the traditional public school), but by offering programs, services, and teaching formulas that parents want but can't find in traditional public schools.

For example, about 54 percent of charter schools allow for the possibility of performance pay programs for teachers, an incentive system that parents favor. Charter schools are also more likely to be smaller than traditional public schools and offer more instruction time -- other factors that increase demand. Interestingly, 76 percent of charter schools offer a specific instructional theme -- with more than a quarter of the schools specifically designed to prepare students for college.

"Good charter schools offer a refreshing lack of bureaucracy and red tape, allowing these schools to serve students, teachers, and the community in more effective ways," said Kevin P. Chavous, a distinguished fellow at CER.

In addition to demonstrating the demand for charters, the survey highlights both the operational and financial realities faced by the country's more than 5,000 charter schools. CER's Annual Survey of America's Charter Schools 2010 is the only national overview of the day-to-day operations of charters, as reported directly from the schools themselves. The survey is based on a comprehensive analysis from responses provided by nearly 1,000 out of America's 5,000 charter schools.

To read the survey or for more information, visit http://www.edreform.com/

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Georgia Recognized for Improving Low-Performing Schools‏

Georgia is one of six states recognized in a recent report published by the Center on Educational Policy entitled Improving Low Performing Schools: Lessons from Five Years of Studying School Restructuring under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Georgia was highlighted in the report for its policy on restructuring of schools in the most severe status of Needs Improvement levels 5 and above.

“This report illustrates that Georgia’s strategies for improving low-performing schools are working,” said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. “Many of these once very low-performing schools are experiencing incredible gains in student achievement.”

As part of Georgia's Differentiated Accountability Plan, each school in Needs Improvement level five and above has a full-time state director that works in the school ensuring that faculty, staff, and students do what is necessary to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). That includes providing observations and professional development for teachers, academic coaches, and administrators. The state directors work to help the schools implement strategies and policies that can be sustained after the school has been removed from State-Directed status so the schools continue to make AYP.

At its November meeting, the State Board of Education and Superintendent Cox recognized 17 of these State-Directed schools for being removed from Needs Improvement status. With the help and guidance of the state directors placed in these schools, the administrators and teachers were able to implement strategies that helped their schools do what once seemed impossible and make AYP two years in a row.

“Each of these schools had several factors in common that helped them come ‘off the list,’” said Superintendent Cox. “They had a great principal who focused on instruction and provided job-embedded professional development. The teachers worked closely with each other to share lesson plans and strategies. And, each of these schools renewed its focus on teaching rigorous state standards to all students with an understanding of students' individual needs.”

17 State-Directed Schools Removed from Needs Improvement Status

• Kennedy Middle, Atlanta Public Schools
• Long Middle, Atlanta Public Schools
• Oak Hill Middle, Baldwin County
• Bryan County Middle, Bryan County
• Henderson Middle, Butts County
• Crawford County Middle, Crawford County
• Merry Acres Middle, Dougherty County
• Franklin County Middle, Franklin County
• East Hall Middle, Hall County
• Mitchell County Middle, Mitchell County
• Clements Middle, Newton County
• Pelham City Middle, Pelham City
• Morgan Road Middle, Richmond County
• Spirit Creek Middle, Richmond County
• Tubman Middle, Richmond County
• Upson-Lee Middle, Thomaston-Upson Schools
• MacIntyre Park Middle, Thomasville City

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States Don't Make Grade With Charter School Laws, Report Shows

According to the report, Georgia has the 14th strongest of the nation's 40 charter laws, and was given a grade of "C".

/PRNewswire/ -- Of the 40 states (and the District of Columbia) that allow for charter schools, only 13 have strong laws that do not require significant revisions, according to a report released today by The Center for Education Reform.

The report, Charter Laws Across the States, answers key questions, including: who can approve and authorize charters in states, how these innovative schools are funded, and whether or not charter school administration and staff are free from the bureaucratic entanglements so prevalent in many traditional public schools. The report's analysis provides a roadmap for states to identify and model themselves after state laws that work and that allow for high-quality charter schools. The report highlights the key elements in education law that separate reform-minded states from the rest of the pack.

"Too many states have allowed their charter school laws to be watered down under pressure from special interests who feel their monopoly on the education of our children is threatened," said Jeanne Allen, president of The Center for Education Reform (CER).

According to CER, effective charter school legislation provides the opportunity for multiple entities -- such as universities, non-profits and even mayors -- to create and oversee the operation of charters. Effective charter legislation mandates that charter schools receive funding from the very same streams as their conventional public school counterparts.

Only three laws received an "A" grade in this year's analysis: The District of Columbia, Minnesota and California. The majority of state laws earned "Cs" and "Ds," with three states, Virginia, Iowa, and Kansas, failing entirely.

"After 18 years of charter school success, we know what works. If state leaders allow obstacles to autonomy and growth to remain in their laws, then they are turning their backs on incredible opportunities to provide all children with access to the highest-quality education," Allen said.

For more information and to see the results of CER's 2009 charter school law analysis, please visit http://www.charterschoolresearch.com/.

The Center for Education Reform drives the creation of better educational opportunities for all children. CER changes laws, minds and cultures to allow good schools to flourish.

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Georgia Receives High Marks for Educational Data System

Georgia is one of only 11 states that have the 10 Essential Elements of developing and using longitudinal data systems to improve student achievement, according to a national report released last week. A recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce report, Leaders and Laggards, also showed Georgia ahead of other states in the use of data to impact classroom instruction.

"These two reports verify that Georgia is on the right track to getting a longitudinal data system that will help our educators across the state make sound policy decisions for the benefit of the students," said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. "Accurate data that identifies a problem is critical to tackling an issue head on. Without good data we would just be engaged in random acts of school improvement."

Data Quality Campaign (DQC) Report

The 2009 DQC report showed Georgia is one of only 11 states to have all 10 Essential Elements. DQC's annual survey results track individual states' progress towards implementing the 10 Essential Elements, as well as the policy implications of creating longitudinal systems. The DQC provides a forum for states to learn from each other as they continue to improve their systems.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Report

In it's second Leaders and Laggards report measuring Education Innovation, Georgia was one of only five states to receive more than one "A" in the eight categories. The "A's" were given for Georgia's quality data system and the ability to remove ineffective teachers. The report highlighted Georgia's data system and how the public reporting of college remediation data is factored into the accountability system.

"Our existing data collection and reporting infrastructure is not perfect yet but we are on our way," said Superintendent Cox. "As businesses have effectively used data to boost profits, educators are using data to boost student achievement."

The federal government has also recognized Georgia's commitment to a robust educational data system. In April, Georgia was one of twenty-seven states awarded a Longitudinal Data System (LDS) grant, and one of only three states to receive the maximum amount: $8.9 million.

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FIinal AYP Report: Graduation Rate Rises to 78.9%

The state of Georgia's graduation rate rose to a high of 78.9 percent in 2009 -- an increase of three points over last year.

"A three-point jump in our graduation rate means that nearly 4,500 more students graduated with a full diploma this year than did last year," said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. "Our high school principals, teachers and students should take a lot of pride in the fact that more students than ever are graduating in Georgia."

Since 2003, the state's graduation rate has risen more than 15 points from 63.3 percent to 78.9 percent.

"In a short period of time, we have increased by thousands the number of students who are graduating with a full diploma," Superintendent Cox said. "We still have a lot of work to do, but we are making steady progress every year."

The state's graduation rate was released as part of Georgia's final Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report. Preliminary AYP results were released in July. The final AYP report includes summer retest scores and summer graduates.

Highlights of the Final AYP report:

- One-hundred fifty (150) additional schools made AYP after summer retest scores and summer graduates were included. In total, 86 percent of Georgia's public schools made AYP in 2009, an increase of six percentage points from the final AYP report of 2008 (see list below).
- A total of 73 school districts had all schools make AYP in 2009, an increase of 25 districts from 2008 (see list below).
- Sixteen (16) additional schools came out of Needs Improvement (NI) status this year compared to initial AYP results released in July (see list below). That means a total of 74 schools shook the NI label in 2009. Of the 74 schools, 17 were in "state-directed" improvement, the highest consequence level in Georgia.

"It takes a lot of hard work and focus to come out of Needs Improvement, especially for schools that have been in NI for a long period of time," Superintendent Cox said. "Our school improvement team has worked closely with these schools and we know they have done the right things to improve student achievement today and for years to come."

AYP is the formula used to determine if schools are meeting expectations under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. It consists of three parts -- test participation, academic achievement and another statistic, called a "second indicator." The academic goals continue to rise every few years toward a goal of 100 percent proficiency for all students by 2014. This year, all of the academic goals remained the same as 2008, although the graduation rate bar went up.

All students at a school, as well as any qualifying subgroup of students, must meet goals in all three categories in order to "make AYP." Schools that do not make AYP for two consecutive years in the same subject are placed in "Needs Improvement" status and face escalating consequences. For more information on AYP, go to the Frequently Asked Questions about AYP.

Graduation Rate must be used as a "second indicator" for all high schools and the state of Georgia uses one of the federally-approved formulas for calculating the rate. Superintendent Cox said the graduation rate improvement is something to celebrate, but the hard work must continue.

"Improving the graduation rate is the top education priority in the state of Georgia," Superintendent Cox said. "I am proud of the progress we are making but we will not be satisfied until all Georgia students are graduating on-time with a meaningful diploma that prepares them for the 21st century."

To see Georgia's plan for improving the graduation rate, visit our Strategic Plan website.
In order to make AYP in 2009, a high school had to have a graduation rate of 75 percent or higher, up from 70 percent last year. If a school did not make that goal, they could use a "second look" which means:

- Having a graduation rate that averaged 75 percent or higher over the past three years OR
- Having a graduation rate of at least 55 percent the previous year (2008) and showing a 10 percent improvement in the rate this year.

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SAT: Georgia's Minority Students Outperform Nation

Minority students in Georgia public schools continue to outperform African-American and Hispanic students across the country on the SAT.

But, the College Board's 2009 SAT report also shows that Georgia must remain committed to closing the achievement gap and preparing all students for the 21st century.

"It is good news that our African-American and Hispanic students are doing better than their peers nationally," said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. "But Georgia is a very diverse state and if we are serious about raising our SAT scores, we must be fully committed to closing the achievement gap.”

Overall, Georgia, like the nation, saw a slight drop in the SAT scores of 2009 high school graduates.

Georgia's public, private and home school students scored 1,460 on the SAT, down six points from 2008. The national average was 1,509, down two points from the previous year. Public school students scored 1,450 on the exam, down three points from 2008. The national average score was 1,493, down two points from the previous year.

The Need to Close the Gap

The 2009 SAT report clearly shows that African-American and Hispanic students in Georgia's public schools are outperforming those subgroups nationally.

- African-American students in Georgia public schools scored 1,274, which was 10 points higher than the national average for African-American public school students (1,264).

- Hispanic public school students in Georgia scored a 1,412, which was 66 points higher than the national average (1,346).

The difference between the scores of African-American and white public school students -- called "the achievement gap" -- is 274 points in Georgia, which is 34 points smaller than the achievement gap nationwide (308). The gap between the scores of Hispanic and white public school students in Georgia is 136 points, 90 points lower than the nation (226).

However, Superintendent Cox pointed out that Georgia has very high minority participation on the SAT and the achievement gap impacts our overall SAT scores more than most other states.
“We certainly should be pleased that our achievement gap is smaller than the nation’s, but we should not be satisfied with 274 and 136 point gaps,” Superintendent Cox said. “As a state, we have made progress on many state and national tests, such as the ACT and the National Assessment of Educational Progress. But clearly we must maintain – and expand – our commitment to providing all students a world-class education.”

Superintendent Cox said a lot of work is already being done. For instance, the state has been pushing to increase the number of students who are taking Advanced Placement (AP) classes and the 2009 data shows that it is working. The number of students taking AP classes jumped more than 11 percent, overall. The biggest increase in enrollment was among African-American students (+16.2%) and Hispanic students (+19.3 percent). This is important because students who take even one year of AP classes in any subject will score higher on the SAT.

“Our school districts have been working to engage more of our minority students in rigorous classes,” Superintendent Cox said. “But I want us to come together and agree to redouble our efforts to close the achievement gap in Georgia once and for all. I am confident that working hand-in-hand we can make it happen.”

Over the next several weeks, Superintendent Cox said she will be in contact with local school districts, especially those with a high minority enrollment.

Raising Math Achievement

Superintendent Cox pointed out that, overall, Georgia trails the national average on the mathematics portion of the SAT by 24 points, which is far more than the state is trailing in reading (11 points) and writing (14 points).

"If we are going to improve student achievement, including our SAT scores, then we must be serious about improving math achievement in Georgia," Superintendent Cox said. "With our new curriculum, we are making sure that all students are getting a strong foundation in mathematics that will prepare them not only for the SAT, but for the colleges and careers of the 21st century."

The 2009 SAT Report to the Nation reflects the scores of last year's senior class. None of those students were taught using the state's new math curriculum, the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS). Implementation of the math GPS began with sixth-graders in 2005 and has been phased in one grade per year. Students in the class of 2012 will be the first graduating class to have been fully instructed in GPS mathematics during secondary school.

High Participation and Ongoing Analysis

Georgia remains one of 24 "high participation" states, where more than 40 percent of the students take the SAT. In Georgia, 71 percent of all students took the SAT, much higher than the national participation rate of 46 percent.

While overall SAT participation in Georgia went up slightly this year, participation in Georgia public schools dropped more than eight percent. Meanwhile, the number of public school students taking the ACT increased over 11 percent in 2009. (ACT RESULTS)

The state continues to offer all high school students free access to the College Board’s Official SAT Online Course. In 2008, students who used the course scored 48 points higher than those who did not.

“If you have a high school student, get them enrolled in this course today and make sure they start using it,” Superintendent Cox said. “This is an incredibly valuable tool that has a big impact on SAT performance.” For more information, go to: www.gadoe.org/SATPrepClass

ABOUT THE SAT:
The SAT is a college entrance exam that is developed, administered and scored by the College Board. The SAT is designed to test the subject matter learned by students in high school and the critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in college. The test has three sections – critical reading, mathematics and writing – each worth 800 points, for a highest possible score of 2,400.

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What the College Rankings Won't Tell You

/PRNewswire/ -- How much will it cost? How is it ranked? And how hard is it to get in? Many college guides and rankings answer these questions. But there is one question that none of them even ask: What will students learn?

A new, free website for parents and students, WhatWillTheyLearn.com, does just that.

Launched today by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, WhatWillTheyLearn.com will be featured in a full-page ad in U.S. News & World Report's 2010 college rankings, which are released tomorrow. The website evaluates colleges and universities based on their general education curricula: the core courses aimed at providing a strong foundation of knowledge.

WhatWillTheyLearn.com assigns each institution a grade from "A" to "F" based on how many of the following seven core subjects it requires: Composition, Mathematics, Science, Economics, Foreign Language, Literature, and American Government or History. Only a handful get A's.

"Employers are increasingly dissatisfied with college graduates who lack the basic knowledge and skills expected of any educated person," said ACTA president Anne D. Neal. "If our students are to compete successfully in the global marketplace, we simply can't leave their learning up to chance. As it is, thousands are paying dearly for a thin and patchy education."

Mel Elfin, founding editor of U.S. News & World Report's college rankings, praised the website as "an invaluable and unique additional resource for parents." "By focusing on what students are getting in the classroom, this new resource highlights what in the long run is far more important than the name of the institution on a graduate's diploma," said Elfin.

ACTA simultaneously released a printed report on general education, also entitled What Will They Learn?, which grades 100 leading colleges and universities in the same manner as the website. The low marks received by many institutions show students are graduating without math, science, and other fundamentals and underscore the urgent need for parents, students, and policymakers to focus on what colleges expect of their students.

How do the 100 colleges and universities fare?

-- 42 institutions receive a "D" or an "F" for requiring two or fewer
subjects.
-- 5 institutions receive an "A" for requiring six subjects: Brooklyn
College, Texas A&M, UT-Austin, University of Arkansas, and West Point.
No institution requires all seven.
-- Paying a lot doesn't necessarily get you a lot: Average tuition at the
11 schools that require no subjects is $37,700. At the 5 schools that
get an "A", it's $5,400.
-- "Flagship" state universities do a markedly better job with general
education (average grade of "C") than the top liberal arts colleges
and national universities (with an "F" average) while charging much
lower tuition and fees.

Which important subjects are not being required?

-- Only 2 out of 100 require economics (University of Alaska-Fairbanks &
West Point)
-- Only 11 out of 100 require American government or history
-- Barely half -- 53 out of 100 -- require mathematics

"This study demonstrates that our colleges and universities have abdicated their responsibility to direct their students to the most important subjects," said Neal. "No eighteen-year-old, even the brightest, should have to determine which combination of courses comprises a comprehensive education. But most colleges are offering nothing more than a 'do-it-yourself' education."

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National Report Gives Georgia Higher Education High Marks for Accountability

Georgia is one of only 10 states in the U.S. commended in a new education report for measuring how well its college students perform, using this tracking data to drive policy decisions and providing the information gathered in a useful format to students, their parents, the news media and others. Education Sector, a Washington-based think tank promoting education reform, analyzed educational accountability systems across the nation at the request of a number of respected education foundations and found varied results in its report, “Ready to Assemble: Grading State Higher Education Accountability Systems.”

Education Sector’s survey, released in June, determined that 38 states have little or no system for measuring learning outcomes, and 36 states have yet to develop a method for linking college funding to performance. Among the reputable major players in the education arena funding the survey were the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Lumina Foundation for Education and KnowledgeWorks Foundation.

“To be clear, we did not evaluate state results in terms of their various higher-education outcomes, but rather the breadth, accuracy and strength of their systems designed to hold institutions accountable for results,” said Kevin Carey, policy director for Education Sector.
“Measuring educational outcomes and reporting the results is critical to improving educational attainment rates,” said Dr. Susan Herbst, the USG’s chief academic officer and executive vice chancellor. “The public cannot call for improvements if it does not clearly and easily know that improvements are needed.”

She added that “Georgia’s good standing in this report reflects all the efforts of the University System of Georgia (USG) and its partners in education, such as the Georgia Department of Education and the Office of Student Achievement (OSA). It really shows the effects of our work with the Alliance of Education Agency Heads (AEAH). We still have work to do, of course, but we’re pleased with our progress to date.”

“The Alliance’s number-one goal is to increase the high-school graduation rate, decrease the high-school dropout rate and increase postsecondary enrollment and success,” said AEAH Director Amy Mast. “Tracking college and career readiness is one of our primary strategies, and the Education Sector report reflects how important it is to report data clearly and ensure it is accessible to students, teachers, parents, board members, policymakers and the public. The strength of our partnership between all seven of the state's education agencies, the Governor's Office and business partners is to prioritize the importance of measuring and reporting education data to show where we are improving and where we need to continue focusing our efforts in Georgia.”

Education Sector measured states in 21 categories of accountability, analyzing any systems that might be in place to assess areas like affordability, degree production, research and scholarship. States that promote or require the use of assessment tools, and take steps to publicize the information, were given the highest marks. Those that had few tools for assessment and did little to spread information were graded lower on the three-grade scale. The highest grade, “Best Practice,” was given to 10 states with well-developed reporting mechanisms, including Georgia. The second ranking, “In Progress,” was given to 27 states that have less complete efforts underway. The lowest score, “Needs Improvement,” went to 13 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, where little is being done in the way of accountability, according to Education Sector.

In addition to giving Georgia an overall “Best Practice” ranking and another for gathering information overall, the report gives both the USG and Gov. Sonny Perdue’s Office of Student Achievement (OSA) high marks for measuring student progression and educational attainment. Georgia was one of only six states to earn the “Best Practice” designation in this category.
The report also commended the USG for measuring and making accessible to the public in a user-friendly way the number of degrees awarded by institution, academic discipline, race/ethnicity and gender, as well as the economic impact of the University System on the state.

In addition, the USG won notice in the report for having developed transparency measures, such as the information portal “USG by the Numbers,” that allow students and others to examine and evaluate these data. USG by the Numbers, along with the USG’s Information Digest, enrollment and degrees-conferred reports and other accountability documents, can be accessed at http://www.usg.edu/usg_stats/.

“Only three states — Texas, Minnesota and Georgia — earned our ‘best practice’ label for developing particularly user-friendly Web sites to transmit accountability information,” Education Sector’s Kevin Carey said. “Minnesota and Georgia have each constructed innovative ways to display information. Georgia’s looks like a scoreboard for a major sport and lets users compare results to state, regional and national averages.”

Georgia’s scorecard in the report contains four “Best Practice” and 12 “In Progress” rankings.

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