Despite COVID-19 and the problems facing Georgia schools who spent much of last year trying to teach children electronically, eight Georgia public schools have earned national distinction of excellence. The 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools honorees were named Thursday by the U.S. Department of Education. Two of the schools chosen for the honor are state charter schools, while the other six are spread out among the metro Atlanta area.
“National Blue Ribbon Schools are among the best of the best in our country,” said Georgia State School Superintendent Richard Woods Thursday as the announcement was made. “I am extremely proud of the educators and students at these Georgia public schools and offer my heartfelt congratulations to each one of them. This is a well-deserved recognition and shines a spotlight on schools working hard to expand opportunities for students.”
The U.S. Department of Education recognizes schools in two performance categories
● Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state’s highest-performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.
● Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state’s highest-performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s student groups and all students.
Up to 420 schools are nominated each year for the national honors.
Georgia schools receiving the designation for 2020 are:
● Academy for Classical Education — Elementary (State Charter School Commission)
● Academy for Classical Education — Middle (State Charter School Commission)
● Martha Ellen Stilwell School for the Performing Arts (Clayton County Schools)
● Murdock Elementary School (Cobb County Schools)
● Stevens Creek Elementary School (Columbia County Schools)
● Brooks Elementary School (Coweta County Schools)
● DeKalb Early College Academy (DeKalb County Schools)
● Johnson Elementary School (Floyd County Schools)
● State Bridge Crossing Elementary School (Fulton County Schools)
This announcement comes on the same day that Woods announced a list of immediate actions and recommendations that will be taken to reduce the pressure of high-stakes testing in Georgia classrooms for the 2020-21 school year.
Woods had petitioned the U.S. Department of Education for high-stakes testing waivers for the current school year. However, early this month, the U.S.D.E announced it would not consider aunty testing waiver for the 2020-21 school year. In Woods’ response to this, he stated that Georgia would follow federal law, but would take action to remove the high-stakes pressure of the test.
Among those actions, Wood has recommended lowering the 20 percent EOC course grade weight, waiving promotion/retention consequences tied to Georgia Milestones, and providing flexible options for administering the 2020 winter End-of-Course assessments.
