Eric.ed.gov – Race to the Top. Georgia. State-Reported APR: Year One

This paper describe Georgia’s progress in implementing a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform from the time of application through June 30, 2011. In particular, it highlights key accomplishments over the reporting period in the four reform areas: standards and assessments, data systems to support instruction, great teachers and leaders, and turning around lowest-achieving schools. Race to the Top focuses on improving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education for Georgia students. The plan includes providing professional development for math and science teachers, strengthening the pipeline of science and math teachers from institutes of higher education, and expanding STEM related virtual courses. As a result, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Tech received funding through the Race to the Top program to expand STEM programs through its outreach center, the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC). In year one, Georgia established the “Innovation Fund,” a competitive grant program to promote innovative and high-impact practices that boost student achievement. The program is designed to support the establishment and deepening of partnerships among Georgia’s local education authorities (LEAs) or charter schools, institutions of higher education (IHEs), businesses and non-profit organizations. Through Race to the Top funds, Georgia is expanding its existing partnership with Communities in Schools in Georgia (CISGA). These funds allow for the creation of three new CISGA-led centers in LEAs that have lowest-achieving schools. Through RT3, Georgia entered into strategic partnerships with organizations such as Teach for America (TFA) and The New Teacher Project (TNTP) to increase the pipeline of effective teachers to low-achieving schools. The Race to the Top–Georgia “steering committees” continue their work around three major components of the program: Value Add/Student Growth, Evaluations, and Other Student Learning Measures. [For the state summary report, “Race to the Top. Georgia Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report],” see ED529314. For “Race to the Top Annual Performance Report,” see ED529267.]