Communications: GaDOE Press Releases

Georgia’s High School Graduation Rate Increases by 2 Percentage Points

Dorie Nolt — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:06:49 GMT

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MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Cardoza, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 651-7358, mcardoza@gadoe.org
Dorie Turner Nolt, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 656-5594, dnolt@gadoe.org
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May 21, 2013 – Georgia’s most recent public high school graduation rate rose more than two percentage points over the previous year – from 67.4 percent in 2011 to 69.7 percent in 2012.

This is the second year Georgia has calculated the graduation rate using a new formula - known as the adjusted cohort rate - as required by the U.S. Department of Education. Based on an estimated cohort graduation rate of 58.6 percent in 2009, the rate of students getting diplomas has risen by 11 percentage points since 2009. The cohort rate was applied to 2009’s graduating class to help create a trend line, even though the state used a different calculation then.

“I am very pleased that our graduation rate continues to increase, no matter how it is calculated,” said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge. "While our graduation rate is still far too low and we have much progress to be made, we are moving in the right direction. In order to encourage more students to stay in school, we must make high school more relevant. Through our Career Pathways initiative, I am excited that students will see a clearer connection between what they learn in the classroom and how it applies to what they want to do after graduation.”

The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate defines the cohort based on when a student first becomes a freshman. The rate is calculated using the number of students who graduate within four years and includes adjustments for student transfers. In contrast, Georgia’s former graduation rate calculation defined the cohort upon graduation, which may have included students who took more than four years to graduate from high school.

The U.S. Department of Education requires all 50 states to use the cohort rate to calculate graduates.

See 2012 state and district graduation rates here: 2012 4-Year Cohort Graduation Rate FINAL.xlsx

More Information:

2011 Graduation Rate data

- State and District report

- School-level report

Four-year Adjusted Cohort High Schools Graduation Rate FAQ

U.S. Department of Education, High School Graduation Rate: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/hsgrguidance.pdf

Release Date: 5/21/2013

Georgia Department of Education Selects 4 Schools as Family-Friendly Partnership School Award Winners

Dorie Nolt — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:38:38 GMT

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MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Cardoza, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 651-7358, mcardoza@gadoe.org Dorie Turner Nolt, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 656-5594, dnolt@gadoe.org
Michelle Sandrock, Parent Engagement Program Manager, Phone: (404) 232 – 1148, msandrock@doe.k12.ga.us

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May 9, 2013 – Four Georgia schools have been selected as the 2013 winners of the Georgia Department of Education’s Family-Friendly Partnership School Award.

The winners were selected because they represent the best in customer service for Georgia families, whether it’s on the phone, in the front office or on the Internet. The schools have welcoming staff members, comfortable waiting areas, clear signage and engaging student work throughout the building.

They have easy-to-navigate websites and are forging partnerships with parents to help improve student achievement. The schools also provide unique, engaging and innovative parent engagement programming that is successful in reaching all families in the school.

“The schools that won this award understand the importance of what welcoming environments bring to student success. Truly, they are models for the entire state on how to engage families and make parents feel welcome from the moment that they walk in the door,” said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge.

The winners are:

· Enota Multiple Intelligence Academy in Gainesville City

· Shiloh Middle School in Gwinnett County

· St. Simons Elementary School in Glynn County

· Woodstock Elementary School in Cherokee County

They were chosen from a pool of nine finalists. The five other schools named finalists are:

· Fort Service Learning Magnet Academy in Muscogee County

· Hightower Trail Elementary School in Rockdale County

· Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary in Clarke County

· Shiloh High School in Gwinnett County

· Snellville Middle School in Gwinnett County

Each school received phone calls and visits from “parents” looking for information or assistance. They also received a walk-through by department staff, which conducted interviews with school workers, parents, students and community members as part of the selection process.

All four schools will be visited by Dr. Barge in the fall and will receive a plaque and a welcome mat for their front doors as part of the award. The award is sponsored by the GaDOE, along with the Georgia Foundation for Public Education and three Ritz-Carlton hotels in Georgia: The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta (Downtown); The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead; and The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee. Teams from each of the schools also will get the chance to learn more about providing welcoming environments during a professional learning seminar hosted by The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center. The seminars are designed to help the schools increase parent engagement to help improve the academic achievement of students.

“Through The Ritz-Carlton Succeed Through Service program, our hotels partner with schools that serve a disadvantaged community. Our goal is to instill in the students the vision of a successful future if they remain in school,” said Erwin Schinnerl, general manager, The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead. “The general managers of our Ritz-Carlton hotels in downtown Atlanta and at Reynolds Plantation share the hope that the family-friendly schools program will successfully encourage academic achievement of their students.”

The Family-Friendly Partnership School Award is given out annually to up to 10 schools that go above and beyond to make families feel welcome and work to engage parents in their children’s education.

Schools can begin applying for next year’s Family-Friendly Partnership School Awards in August. To apply, a school must be Title I - which means it receives additional federal dollars due its high percentage of low-income students to help those students meet the school’s educational goals. Schools also must not be designated as Priority or Focus schools under the state’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act waiver.

For more information on the Georgia Family Friendly Partnership School initiative or to apply, go to http://www.gadoe.org/School-Improvement/Federal-Programs/Pages/Georgia-Family-Friendly.aspx.

Award booklet Family Friendly Awards Booklet 2013.pdf

Release Date: 5/9/2013

Georgia’s College and Career Ready Performance Index Released

Dorie Nolt — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:35:00 GMT

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New accountability system replaces Adequate Yearly Progress, gives schools score out of 100

MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Cardoza, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 651-7358, mcardoza@gadoe.org
Dorie Turner Nolt, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 656-5594, dnolt@gadoe.org

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Link to online reports for each school and district: http://ccrpi.gadoe.org/2012

School district and state results:

CCRPI Results 5.6.13.xls

May 7, 2013 — State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge today released the first-ever Georgia College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) that measures schools and school districts on an easy-to-understand 100 point scale. The state, as well as each district, will receive a score for each grade band (Elementary, Middle and High School). The average score for Georgia’s elementary schools is 83.4, middle schools is 81.4 and high schools is 72.6.

The CCRPI is the new accountability system that replaces the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) measurement in Georgia. The U.S. Department of Education granted Georgia’s waiver from NCLB on Feb. 9, 2012.

“I am very pleased that we now have a school improvement measure as in-depth as the College and Career Ready Performance Index,” said Superintendent Barge. “We are no longer bound by the narrow definitions of success found in the Adequate Yearly Progress measurement. Holding schools accountable and rewarding them for the work they do in all subjects and with all students is critical in preparing our students to be college and career ready. The index effectively measures how schools prepare our students for success.”

The CCRPI will help parents and the public better understand how schools are performing in a more comprehensive manner than the pass/fail system previously in place under AYP.

Interpreting the CCRPI results

The Index includes scores that easily communicate to the public how a school is doing. Each school receives a score out of 100 points, just like what students receive in their classes.

A school and district’s overall score is made up of three major areas: Achievement (70 points possible), Progress (15 points possible) and Achievement Gap (15 points possible). In addition to the three major areas, some schools receive “Challenge Points” to add to their score (up to 10 points). They receive these points if they have a significant number of Economically Disadvantaged students, English Learner students and Students with Disabilities meeting expectations. They also receive points for going beyond the targets of the CCRPI by challenging students to exceed expectations and participate in college and career readiness programs. Beginning in 2013-2014, schools will also receive ratings based on their financial efficiency and school climate, but these ratings will be for the public’s information only and will not factor into the school’s overall CCRPI score.

The Index supports the state’s core educational principles:

exemplary student achievement that prepares all for success in college and careers
effective teaching and leadership in all schools
innovative school improvement, particularly in low performing schools
reduction in the duplicative reporting requirements for local school districts

What is college and career readiness?

The Index has been designed around a comprehensive definition of college and career readiness, or the level of achievement required in order for a student to enroll in two- or four-year colleges and universities and technical colleges without remediation, fully prepared for college-level work and careers. This means that all students graduate from high school with both rigorous content knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge.

NCLB Waiver

As part of the waiver, the Georgia Department of Education began identifying Priority Schools, Focus Schools, and Reward Schools. Achievement data from all core content areas and graduation rate data were used to identify these schools. These Priority Schools and Focus Schools replaced Needs Improvement schools. Reward Schools – highest performing and high progress – replaced the Distinguished Schools designation.

Georgia also identified Alert Schools in three categories: Subgroup Alert Schools, Subject Alert Schools, and Graduation Alert Schools. These Alert Schools were identified based on a more detailed evaluation of subgroup performance.

More Information:

- Excel Spreadsheet of all school and district results (attached)

- Video Overview of CCRPI (Real Player required)

- PowerPoint presentation of CCRPI

- Definitions for Priority, Focus, Alert, and Reward Schools
- Georgia’s NCLB Waiver Submission

Release Date: 5/7/2013

Statesboro Educator Named 2014 Georgia Teacher of the Year

Dorie Nolt — Mon, 06 May 2013 16:29:53 GMT

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MEDIA CONTACT: MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Cardoza, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 651-7358, mcardoza@gadoe.org or Keisha Ford-Jenrette, kford@gadoe.org (404) 657-2949

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May 3, 2013 – Jemelleh Coes, a Special Education English Language Arts and Reading teacher from Langston Chapel Middle School in Statesboro, has been named the 2014 Georgia Teacher of the Year. Ms. Coes was named the winner of the award at the annual Georgia Teacher of the Year banquet held Friday night at the Georgia International Convention Center. As Georgia Teacher of the Year, Ms. Coes will serve as an advocate for public education in Georgia.

"Jemelleh Coes is going to be a wonderful representative of the teaching profession in Georgia," said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge. “As the daughter of immigrants from Guyana, Ms. Coes worked hard to become a teacher and make a difference in the life of a child. Now she will have the opportunity to share her story and passion with many others.”

Driven by wanting a career that would help others, Ms. Coes became a teacher at Langston Chapel Middle School after graduating from Georgia Southern University. She has spent her entire career at Langston Chapel and is currently teaching English Language Arts, Resource Language Arts and Remediation English Language Arts.

In her application, Ms.Coes stated, "You have a choice. Choose wisely. This is one of the most important lessons that I hope to instill in the life of every student that I come in contact with. When teaching students, it is important that lessons are choice-driven, authentically student-centered, and goal-oriented.”

Ms. Coes chairs and facilitates a program called Delta Academy, which fosters a love of science, technology, engineering and math for middle school girls in Southeast Georgia. She is a mentor at a group home for homeless girls in Bulloch County. Ms. Coes is also involved with Kiwanis and Toastmasters. Once a month, Ms. Coes leads scrapbooking projects with children in the local community who have never been exposed and don’t have the means to create crafting projects.

As Georgia Teacher of the Year, Ms. Coes will represent Georgia teachers by speaking to the public about the teaching profession and possibly conducting workshops and programs for educators. She will also compete for the 2014 National Teacher of the Year.

The Georgia Teacher of the Year Program is sponsored by United Healthcare.

2014 Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalists (in alphabetical order by district)
Teacher, Subject, System, School

Tamika N. Ball, Mathematics
Atlanta Public Schools, D.M. Therrell School of Health Sciences and Research

Brandon A. Mitchell, Physical and Environmental Science
Barrow County, Winder-Barrow High

Terrie L. Ponder, Social Studies
Carrollton City, Carrollton Junior High

Jeanine Wetherington, Gifted K-5
Colquitt County, Norman Park Elementary

Shannon Pollitz, Eighth Grade Gifted English Language Arts
Floyd County, Pepperell Middle

Barbara Rosolino, English Language Arts, AP Literature and Composition
Henry County, Eagle’s Landing High

David DuBose, Advanced Music, Band and Instrumental Music
Marietta City, Marietta High (Runner-up)

Dr. Polly S. Holder, Spanish
Walton County, Walnut Grove High

Tanya Smith, Physical Science and Gifted/Accelerated Chemistry
Wayne County, Wayne County High

Release Date: 5/3/2013

U.S. Department of Education names National Green Ribbon District and School in Georgia

Dorie Nolt — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:21:34 GMT

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MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Cardoza, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 651-7358, mcardoza@gadoe.org or Keisha Ford-Jenrette, kford@gadoe.org (404) 657-2949

April 24, 2013 — The U.S. Department of Education on Monday announced the second annual Green Ribbon Schools honorees and inaugural District Sustainability Awardees. Gwinnett County Public Schools is among the 14 inaugural honorees of the District Sustainability Award and Ford Elementary (Cobb County) is among the 64 schools announced as 2013 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools. The selected districts and schools are being honored for their exemplary efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education, including civics and green career pathways.

“We are so proud that once again a Georgia school has been named a National Green Ribbon School,” said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge. “We are equally proud of Gwinnett County Public Schools for being named as one of the first National Green Ribbon Districts. This goes to show that schools and districts in Georgia are striving to be more energy efficient, developing healthy living habits and providing environmental education.”

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan added, “The honorees are modeling a comprehensive approach to being green. They are demonstrating ways schools can simultaneously cut costs; improve health, performance and equity; and provide an education geared toward the jobs of the future. In fact, the selected districts are saving millions of dollars as a result of their greening efforts. And the great thing is that the resources these honorees are using are available for free to all schools."

Through a partnership involving the Georgia Department of Education, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, the U.S. Green Building Council of Georgia, Georgia EPD, the Clean Air Campaign, Captain Planet Foundation and the Turner Foundation, Gwinnett County Public Schools and Ford Elementary were nominated by the Georgia Department of Education.

“We are so honored to have the state of Georgia recognized through the efforts of Gwinnett County Public Schools and Cobb County’s Ford Elementary as recipients of the 2013 National Green Ribbon Award,” said Lt. Governor Casey Cagle. “In these challenging times, school systems across the state are embracing innovative ideas to reduce costs and focus resources on the classrooms where students learn. I am very proud of all of Georgia’s schools that applied for the National Green Ribbon Award and continue to create a healthier learning environment for our children.”

Gwinnett County Schools and Ford Elementary will split $10,000 award prize money from the Turner Foundation, for demonstrating energy efficiency efforts.

“The Turner Foundation is proud to once again provide a $10,000 cash prize to the winners of the U.S. Department of Education's national Green Ribbon Schools Recognition Program, said Turner Foundation Trustee Laura Turner Seydel. “Both Ford Elementary and Gwinnett County Public Schools will be receiving a $5,000 grant in support of their efforts to provide green schools to Georgia students."

"We are thrilled that Ford Elementary, an exemplary example of environmental and STEM education in practice, has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Green Ribbon School,” said Leesa Carter, Executive Director of the Captain Planet Foundation. “And that Gwinnett County, who has made such an outstanding commitment and investment to reducing their energy consumption system-wide, is one of the first-ever Green Ribbon School Districts recognized! There is impressive sustainability work happening all around Georgia in schools and school districts, and it is wonderful for them to receive such glowing recognition."

The list of Green Ribbon school selectees includes 54 public schools and 10 private schools. The public schools include seven charter, five magnet and four career and technical schools. The schools serve various grade levels, including 40 elementary, 23 middle and 19 high schools are among them, with several schools having various K-12 configurations, from 29 states and the District of Columbia. Over half of the 2013 honorees serve a student body more than 40 percent of which is eligible for free and reduced price lunch. The list of all selected schools and districts, as well as their nomination packages, can be found here. A report with highlights on the 78 honorees can be found here.

The U.S. Department of Education is looking forward to a third year of the program, and will be publishing updated competition criteria this summer, once again working closely with participating states, who nominate both schools and districts to the federal agency. State education agencies are encouraged to indicate their intent to nominate schools and districts within their jurisdiction in 2014 by August 1, 2013.

More information on the federal recognition award can be found here. Resources for all schools to move toward the three Pillars in which the 2013 honorees are exemplary can be found here.

NATIONAL GREEN RIBBON SCHOOL

FORD ELEMENTARY

Sitting amid more than twenty acres, Ford Elementary School in Acworth, Georgia utilizes more than 60% of the grounds for environmental education and habitat protection. Within its first year, Ford became a National Wildlife Certified Schoolyard Habitat. And for almost twenty years, Ford has been committed to protecting, restoring and sustaining its native forests and stream beds while developing outdoor learning labs. Ford’s award winning model school for environmental education strives for relevance and resiliency while serving as a mentor to others across the state and nation.

NATIONAL GREEN RIBBON DISTRICT

GWINNETT COUNTY SCHOOLS

With more than 23-million square feet of ENERGY STAR-certified areas, Gwinnet County Public Schools (GCPS) leads the nation for K–12 certified building space. These ENERGY STAR certified buildings use 35% less energy, generate 35% fewer greenhouse gas emissions and cost up to 40 cents less per square foot to operate than similar buildings across the nation. In addition, GCPS has completed several energy efficient upgrades of their facilities including: lighting retrofits in the classrooms, occupancy sensors, automated energy management systems, water source heat pumps, and variable frequency drives. As the 12^th largest school district in the nation, GCPS is committed to their core mission of teaching and learning while encouraging environmental awareness and outstanding stewardship of resources.

Release Date: 4/24/2013

Haralson County Middle School Principal Named Georgia’s Principal of the Year

Dorie Nolt — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:23:27 GMT

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MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Cardoza, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 651-7358, mcardoza@gadoe.org
Dorie Turner Nolt, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 656-5594, dnolt@gadoe.org

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April 18, 2013 -- The Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals recently named Dr. Brian Ridley, Haralson County Middle School Principal, as the 2013 Georgia Middle School Principal of the Year.

After spending several years on the Department of Education’s “Needs Improvement” list, last year Haralson County Middle School (HCMS) received recognition as one of only eight “2012 Breakout Schools” in the state awarded for dramatically improving student achievement. After a short four years at HCMS, Dr. Ridley successfully transitioned the underperforming school to one determined to break out of the status quo, but is quick to reflect praise and credit the dedication of teachers, administrators and students of HCMS.

"I am tremendously honored to have been named Georgia's Middle School Principal of the Year,” said Ridley. “It is a testament to the hard work of our faculty, students and parents. The best part of all of this is that people all over our state will get to see how awesome our kids are!"

“Dr. Ridley is a great example of what it means to be an excellent school leader,” State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge said. “The dramatic improvement in student achievement his school has seen is just one of his many accomplishments as a principal, but it gets to the heart of why we’re all in education – to help children accomplish their dreams through a quality education.”

Dr. Ridley was a 2012 finalist for the Parent To Parent of Georgia's Education Impact Award and has been featured as a keynote speaker at conferences sponsored by the Georgia Department of Education and Georgia's Parent Mentor Partnership. He is a graduate of the Haralson County Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Haralson project and the Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement. He currently serves as a member of the State Board of Directors of the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals (GASSP) as a district director and also serves as a liaison to the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA).

“I am very proud of Dr. Ridley for the way in which he has worked collaboratively with his faculty, staff and students to move Haralson County Middle School in a positive direction regarding the school improvement process,” said Haralson County School System Superintendent Brett Stanton. “This recognition is a direct reflection on his dedication, determination and persistence in focusing on the best interest of students. In addition, this brings attention to the results of innovative and progressive ideas being implemented by quality employees throughout our school system.”

The Principal of the Year recognition program is sponsored by MetLife and the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals. Dr. Ridley will represent the state in the competition for National Principal of the Year. The Principal of the Year program recognizes principals who excel in educational leadership, resolving complex problems, developing self and others, and community service.

Dr. Ridley lives in Tallapoosa with his wife, Carmi, and their five children Josh, Jacob, Jada, Brendan, and Raven.

Photo: Brian Ridley.jpg.

Release Date: 4/18/2013

Superintendent Barge Presents Fountain Award to Athens Teacher

Dorie Nolt — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:08:06 GMT

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MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Cardoza, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 651-7358, mcardoza@gadoe.org or Keisha Ford-Jenrette, kford@gadoe.org (404) 657-2949

April 23, 2013 – State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge last week presented the Fountain Award to Elizabeth Upchurch, a teacher at Chase Street Elementary in Athens. The Fountain Award is named after Monty Fountain, a teacher and coach who helped Dr. Barge and countless others write a better story for themselves. This award was created to recognize teachers who have had a tremendous impact on the education and lives of others.

Dr. Barge surprised Ms. Upchurch with the Fountain Award at an assembly congratulating Chase Street Elementary for winning the 2012 National Blue Ribbon School award.

Ms. Upchurch teaches fourth and fifth grade in the Gifted Education Program. She was a physical science teacher at Clarke Central High School and was nominated by her former student Rachel Kulikoff, a sophomore at the University of Chicago.

In her application, Miss Kulikoff said, “It is unquestionable that Mrs. Upchurch has inspired me—to become a better student. More importantly, she encouraged and inspired me to grow into a better person, to give back to my community, and to care about the world that we live in: our natural habitat, but also the people with whom we share the world. Ms. Upchurch showed me through example what it means to care, and instilled in me the will to do the same. What more can we ask from teachers?”

“Ms. Upchurch epitomizes what the Fountain Award is all about,” said Superintendent Barge. “In reading her application it was very obvious why she would be nominated by a former student, because she encouraged that student and helped her become a better person. I thank Ms. Upchurch for her service as a teacher and as a mentor to numerous students.”

The Fountain Award is sponsored by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, a non-partisan, non-profit policy and research organization whose mission it is to improve student achievement in our state. (www.gpee.org)

Nominating a Teacher

The Georgia Department of Education will select one teacher each quarter for this award. Nominate an educator by emailing Keisha Ford-Jenrette at kford@gadoe.org.

Release Date: 4/23/2013

Georgia Announces Six New Elementary Dual-Immersion Programs For The 2013-2014 School Year

Matt Cardoza — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:13:51 GMT

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MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Cardoza, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 651-7358, mcardoza@gadoe.org
Dorie Turner Nolt, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 656-5594, dnolt@gadoe.org

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April 17, 2013 – Six new dual immersion elementary schools were recently awarded start-up grants to support materials and professional development in the 2013-2014 school year. These elementary schools will receive grants in the amount of $15,000 each for start-up and training costs to implement dual-immersion instruction in languages deemed vital to the economic development of our state and region.

Congratulations to the following schools:

District	School	Language
Atlanta Public Schools	D.H. Stanton Elementary School	Spanish
Atlanta Public Schools	Perkerson Elementary School	Spanish
DeKalb County Schools	Ashford Park Elementary School	German
DeKalb County Schools	Evansdale Elementary School	French
DeKalb County Schools	Rockbridge Elementary School	French
Henry County Schools	Dutchtown Elementary School	Chinese

“Based on what global companies in Georgia tell us, we have set a goal for Georgia to have twenty dual-immersion programs in place by 2020,” said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge. “These programs will help ensure a Georgia workforce that is fluent in languages and skilled at cultural interactions that are necessary for the economic development of our state and region.”

The Georgia Dual Immersion Program supports acquisition of advanced-level skills in world languages and provides students and communities with competitive advantages in an increasingly global economy. During implementation of these programs, the World Languages and Global Initiatives Unit of the GaDOE will collaborate with district and school leadership to ensure proper oversight of research-based principles of dual-immersion language development.

Students who complete dual-immersion programs will be prepared to continue higher-level study of language through middle and high school. Many of these students will be able to complete a college minor in their language prior to graduating from high school and will have the language expertise to study and work abroad - even selecting entire university or technical college programs overseas.

Additional support for the Georgia Dual Immersion Program has been provided by The German American Cultural Foundation (GACF), The Halle Foundation, and the German Consulate General in Atlanta.

Georgia Dual Immersion Program Basics:

The Georgia Dual Immersion Program will use the 50/50 model, in which students spend half of the school day in the target language and the other half-day in English.

- The state’s programs will begin in Kindergarten and maintain the 50/50 model throughout elementary school

- The state’s model will be a two-teacher model, one who instructs exclusively in the target language for half the day, and a second who teaches in English for half the day

- The state model currently supports dual-immersion program development and offers curriculum in Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and Chinese languages. Each of these languages is determined to be a language vital to economic development and growth in our state and region.

- In grades 7-9, one content course will be taught in the target language, and a second course in advanced language study will be made available

- Many students will enroll in Advanced Placement language coursework and complete the AP exam in 9^th grade

- In grades 10-12, students may select to continue advanced language study through partnerships with area universities (possibly completing a university minor in the language while in high school), schools may offer advanced language study opportunities, or students may begin study of a third language

- Schools receiving these start-up grants will receive targeted professional development and will take part in the new Southeast Dual Immersion Institute (SEDII) scheduled for July, 2013. This institute will be supported through a STARTALK teacher training grant provided by the National Security Language Initiative and in partnership with Georgia Regents University.

Release Date: 4/17/2013