​This work led by the Georgia Department of Education: Office of School Turnaround.

Intervention Models

All identified Race to the Top, Lowest Achieving Schools in Georgia have selected one of the four intervention models below, as prescribed through Race to the Top:

Participating LEAs with schools that have been identified as lowest achieving schools are:

 •Utilizing resources made available to the LEA by the state through RT3 in a fashion that aligns with the state’s plan to turn around Georgia’s lowest achieving schools.

•Participating in an ongoing state-level intensive diagnostic, the Georgia Assessment of Performance on School Standards (GAPSS), to be performed by a state team of “turnaround experts” 

•Maintaining a high-performing principal at the helm of the low-performing school with autonomy over staffing and budget 

•Implementing the state’s common evaluation system for teachers and leaders that will include a qualitative, observation-based component and a significant quantitative student achievement-based component 

•Pursuing meaningful partnerships to advance applied learning opportunities 

•Establishing a minimum of 60 minutes per week of common planning time for teachers 

•Increasing learning time for all students and increasing the amount of intervention time for student subgroups that need additional remediation 

•Utilizing at least one full-time graduation coach and one full-time math coach per school

 

Schools for Turnaround

 

Bibb County Schools

School                                                   Intervention Model               Feeder School Central High School                                  Transformation                    Miller Middle

 

Burke County Schools

School                                                   Intervention Model               Feeder School

Burke County High School                        Transformation               Burke County Middle

 

DeKalb County Schools

School                                                   Intervention Model               Feeder School Clarkston High School                              Transformation                 Freedom Middle

Freedom Middle School                             Transformation               Allgood Elementary

 

Dougherty County Schools

School                                                   Intervention Model            Feeder School

 

Communities in Schools (CIS) opened and operate new Performance Learning Centers (PLC) in Floyd County School System and Richmond County School System this past school year 2011-2012.  They will work with Carrollton City School System to open a PLC starting in the school year 2012 – 2013. The PLC model builds on decades of Communities In Schools experience. The model addresses the needs of students who have the potential to thrive in a supportive learning environment but are in danger of dropping out because they are unmotivated by traditional instructional methods or facing social barriers to success. PLCs incorporate individualized instruction, a computer-based curriculum, a business-like learning environment, internships, post-graduation preparation, and connections to colleges and careers. The self-paced curriculum and low teacher-student ratio (1 to 15) helps ensure individual student success and increased opportunities for dual enrollment with colleges, vocational internships, and service learning. Each PLC has a support staff position called a CIS site coordinator (or Site Coordinator) who works with local colleges and businesses to create such opportunities, and to secure mentors and tutors from the community for students when appropriate. The PLC represents a true partnership between the local education agency (LEA), the local CIS program, and CIS of Georgia.

Communities in Schools – Georgia: Scope of Work

 

The New Teacher Project (TNTP), a national non-profit organization, will help the State of Georgia strengthen the effectiveness of new teacher hires and ensure the highest-need subject areas and schools in four rural areas are staffed with excellent teachers. Through its Georgia Teaching Fellows (GTF) program, TNTP is recruiting, selecting, training and certify recent college graduates and mid-career professionals over a five year period (assumes a no cost extension) to teach full-time in high-need schools in Georgia. Georgia Teaching Fellows will fill positions in teacher shortage subject areas; work to raise student achievement; and will incorporate service learning into their curriculum. Over five years, Georgia Teaching Fellows members will have a direct impact on approximately 47,000 high-need students in Georgia.

The New Teacher Project (TNTP): Scope of Work

 

Teach For America – Metro Atlanta is currently partnering with the Georgia Department of Education to increase the pipeline of effective teachers and principals to help turn around Metro Atlanta’s lowest achieving schools as outlined in GA’s Race To The Top application. Race to The Top funds will enable TFA to accelerate efforts to recruit, select, train, and provide ongoing support to the nation’s most promising future leaders. Teach For America- Metro Atlanta has corps-members placed in Atlanta Public Schools, Clayton County Schools, DeKalb County Schools, and Gwinnett County Schools.

Metro Atlanta/Teach for America