For all the good press Georgia gets for its ascendance into one of the nation’s premier places to do business, its improving education system often gets left out. But the good news keeps pouring in for the state’s K-12 programs, which in recent years have seen drastic improvement throughout the state as Governor Nathan Deal and other officials have made education a major priority.
One indicator of that success: 2017 marked the sixth consecutive year Georgia high schools have posted an increase in graduation rate, and for the first time in state history the rate has risen to above 80%, per the adjusted cohort calculation required by federal law. The adjusted cohort calculation rate is simpler than its name might imply – it is the number of students who graduate in four years with a regular high school diploma divided by the number of students who form the adjusted cohort for the graduating class, a ‘cohort’ being in essence an individual high school class beginning in 9th grade and adding or subtracting students who come and go from the school.
Said State School Superintendent Richard Woods on the new data, “It’s wonderful to see Georgia’s graduation rate continue to rise – and rise above 80 percent this year – because we’re not just talking about data points. We’re talking about individual students who are moving on, ready and prepared, to their next phase of life. Georgia’s teachers, districts, and schools are personalizing education for each individual student, making sure those students are motivated and encouraged to stay in the classroom because they’re engaged in their learning, because they see how their education connects with their future goals.”
In addition to that bit of news nine Georgia schools, six public and three private, were honored by being named 2017 National Blue Ribbon Schools on Monday.
The schools were honored for their performance in two categories as judged by the U.S. Dept. of Education as listed below –
- Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates are also at the highest levels.
- Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s subgroups and all students over the past five years. Student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates for each subgroup are at high levels.
The schools named were Dickerson Middle School in Cobb County, Dodgen Middle School in Cobb County, Kedron Elementary School in Fayette County, Big Creek Elementary School in Forsyth County, Brookwood Elementary School in Forsyth County, and Riverwatch Middle School in Forsyth County, along with private schools Atlanta Academy in Roswell, Savannah Christian Preparatory in Savannah, and St. John the Evangelist Catholic School in Hapeville.
They will be honored at a ceremony in Washington D.C. in November.
