Three GSCS schools named 2013 High-Progress Schools by GaBOE

JESSICA GREGORY :::

Griffin-Spalding County School System’s Kennedy Road Middle, Cowan Road Elementary, and AZ Kelsey Academy were among the Georgia schools named 2013 High-Progress Schools by the  Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE).

A “High-Progress School” is among the 10 percent of Title I schools in the state that is making the most progress in improving the performance of all students over three years based on the statewide assessments. A school may not be classified as a High-Progress School if there are significant achievement gaps across subgroups that are not closing in the school.

Title I, formerly known as Chapter 1, is part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and is the foundation of the federal commitment to closing the achievement gap between low-income and other students. Nearly 14,000 of the 15,000 school districts in the nation conduct Title I programs. The original purpose of Title I was additional resources to states and localities for remedial education for children in poverty. The 1994 reauthorization of Title I shifted the program’s emphasis from remedial education to helping all disadvantaged children reach rigorous state academic standards expected of all children. Title I funds can be used for instructional activities, counseling, parental involvement, and program improvement. In return, school districts and states must meet accountability requirements for raising student performance.

“I could not be prouder of these schools. Their students are making significant academic progress which will prepare them for their future of college and/or career,” said Dr. Curtis L. Jones Jr., school superintendent.