2011 GEORGIA SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE

2011 GEORGIA SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE

GREATEST GAINS
Congressional District, School, System 

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

TOP 10%
Congressional District, School, System

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

Atlanta Public Schools CRCT Cheating Scandal Report

State investigators on Tuesday released the findings of a probe into the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating scandal that tarnished the system's once-stellar reputation. Led by former Attorney General Mike Bowers and former DeKalb County District Attorney Bob Wilson, the investigative team interviewed more than 2,000 peopleand reviewed more than 800,000 documents. Investigators identified 178 principal and teachers who they say were involved in cheating.

"A culture of fear and a conspiracy of silence infected this school system, and kept many teachers from speaking freely about misconduct," the report says. "From the onset of this investigation, we were confronted by a pattern of interference by top APS leadership in our attempt to gather evidence. These actions delayed the completion of this inquiry and hindered the truth-seeking process."

View a copy of the report from Gov. Nathan Deal. All files are PDFs. 

Part 1: An overview of the investigation, the CRCT test, erasure analysis and summaries of schools investigators visited, starting with Parks Middle School in southwest Atlanta. Investigators say they uncovered evidence of cheating by 13 educators at the school beginning in 2006.

Part 2: A continuation of the school summaries. Schools where investigators found the most instances of cheating are listed first. A section also highlights the drastic changes on test scores between 2009 and 2010, when school officials were under greater scrutiny about changing test scores.

Part 3: Here's where you turn to understand the big picture. Investigators outline why cheating occurred, detail the "culture of fear" that existed at APS, and probe allegations that school officials disregarded warnings or complaints about cheating. The school system's so-called "Blue Ribbon Commission" convened to investigate the cheating scandal and the business the community also receive some attention. Finally, the investigators reveal their findings.

Note: No charges have been filed against any of the people named in the state's report.

*courtesy of Creative Loafing

Michelle DeShields, M.Ed

Consult With ME Educational Consulting

www.consultingwithme.com

More Virtual Charter Schools opening in Georgia for the 2011 school year

ATLANTA  —   

Parents will have four virtual charter schools to choose from come fall 2011. (photo by Judy Baxter via flickr)

The Georgia Charter School Commission recently approved the first K through 12 virtual charter school in the state.

It also raised the amount of money cyber charter schools get per child… from $3,200 to $5,800.

Renee Lord is president of the Georgia Families for Public Virtual Education.

"It will mean that our students in virtual schools will have access to complete education just like our brick and mortar counterparts have. They’ll have foreign language, art and music classes and more electives."

Right now, there’s just one virtual charter up and running in the state. It serves 6,600 kids grades K through 9. It will likely get the commission’s approval to expand that to 12th grade next year.

And with the additional funding, two other charters that passed last year will now be able to open, says Lord. That will mean four virtual charter schools for parents to choose from come fall 2011.

But the research on how well these schools perform compared to their brick and mortar counterparts is inconclusive says Georgia State University professor Caitlyn Dooley.

And the education model is changing. She says where before students might just interact with their teacher…

“Nowadays what they’ve done to improve retention and really build learning communities is they have more peer to peer support as well as teacher to student support.”

Dooley says Georgia is still fairly new at this type of schooling. Some states have dozens of virtual school options in public education.

For professional assistance with helping to find the perfect school for your child please contact Consult With ME! Educational Consulting www.consultingwithme.com