Queue Offers Free Previews

Queue, Inc. is offering public schools free previews of Queue’s best-selling test prep and curriculum-based workbooks. Queue publishes test prep workbooks in reading comprehension and math for grades 2-8 based on the CRCT standards as well as a a wide variety of workbooks in language arts, reading comprehension, math and science ideal for test prep.

Go to http://www.qworkbooks.com/GA/GA.html descriptions.

Order previews online, or call Queue at 800.232.2224.

Georgia Leads the Nation in Educational Technology

Georgia is a national leader in the use of educational technology to enhance both teaching and learning, according to a recent report.

Education Week's annual "Technology Counts" report gave Georgia the highest score when it comes to the use of technology in the classroom and building capacity for the use of technology.

"Georgia realizes that technology is a key component to improving education and preparing our students to be successful," said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. "I am proud that Georgia -- even in difficult budget times -- invests in technology that helps our students and teachers be the best they can."

"Technology cannot replace the interaction between a highly-qualified teacher and a student," Superintendent Cox said, "but it can enhance that interaction and make it available to more students."

This year, the report ranks states on two criteria: use of technology and capacity to use technology. Georgia was able to answer "yes" to every indicator in both of these categories and was one of only two states to get a score of 100 in both areas. (The state report includes a third criteria -- access to technology -- but those results were from last year's report. You can see all of Georgia's grades at http://tinyurl.com/GaTCGrades).

Georgia has many ongoing statewide technology initiatives, including:

- Georgia Virtual School: The Georgia Virtual School, run by the Georgia Department of Education, offers students all over the state on-line access to rigorous classes, including Advanced Placement, foreign languages and core subjects. The state currently offers 121 on-line courses and this school year alone, nearly 4,000 students have enrolled in Georgia Virtual School classes.

- Credit Recovery: The Georgia Virtual School is also being used for a credit recovery program that allows students to catch up if they have fallen behind. Just since January 2008, over 40,000 students across the state have used the virtual school resources for credit recovery.

- Digital Content: Georgia is increasing access to digital content that can be used to help teachers prepare and supplement classroom learning. Much of this content is available or linked on www.georgiastandards.org.

- Increased Bandwidth: At its March meeting, the State Board of Education approved a contract that doubled the bandwidth available to local school systems, starting J uly 1.

Education Watch: Tracking Achievement, Attainment, and Opportunity in America’s Public Schools

The 52-report series from The Education Trust is a tool for measuring the impact of federal stimulus funding on improving the academic opportunities and outcomes for all of our nation’s students

Last month, Congress made an unprecedented commitment to America’s public schools, passing the single biggest increase in federal education funding in our nation’s history. As the U.S. Department of Education begins to distribute the one-time funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the onus is on states to live up to that challenge and ensure that this investment boosts overall achievement and closes gaps.

To measure how effectively states are using the infusion of federal support, the public will need accurate, reliable data. The Education Trust’s Education Watch series assembles some of the most critical indicators of student achievement, attainment, and opportunity, providing a state-by-state snapshot of public education in America.

The data in these reports and the accompanying “quick look” chart mark the starting line in America’s “Race to the Top” – the federal effort to provoke bold, enduring progress in education. Education Watch reveals which states are farthest along the course, which are gaining on those leaders, and which are barely out of the starting blocks. Throughout the duration of ARRA spending, The Education Trust will provide updates on state progress as new data become available.

These reports reflect the most up-to-date information available across states. While some states may have more recent data on their own schools and reform efforts, Education Watch uses only data that are consistent across states. This allows for accurate comparisons and the ability to identify and learn from the leaders on each indicator. While no state is yet where it needs to be, especially in terms of educating lower income students and students of color, some are doing a much better job than others.

For example, on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP):

Delaware posted the biggest gains in fourth-grade reading performance for African-America, Latino, and lower income students. Delaware’s scores are up by 24 points for African Americans, 42 points for Latinos, and 25 points for lower income students since 1998.

· In eighth-grade math, Massachusetts leads the nation in gains overall since 2000, and was among the top gainers for Latinos and lower income students. However, state improvement among African-American students (6 points) lagged significantly behind the national average (16 points), resulting in a widening of the performance gap between African-American and white students. Massachusetts was one of just two states in which an achievement gap between student subgroups grew larger.

Louisiana is the only state in which the gap between African-American and white students has narrowed significantly in both fourth-grade reading and eighth-grade math.

Though each state is different, common patterns emerge from these NAEP data, indicating just how far we have to go to ensure that all young Americans have equal access to a high-quality education – especially lower income students and students of color, who now comprise almost half of all students in our nation’s public schools. Student performance is too low overall, varying dramatically between student groups, and the pace of improvement is far too slow.

“These reports provide a sobering look at the challenging work that lies ahead,” said Kati Haycock, president of The Education Trust. “One thing is clear: To secure our economic future, we must confront educational inequities head-on and ensure that every school in America is ready to help every student advance farther, faster. The federal dollars are not a license to do business as usual; they come with a demand for change. We will never have this opportunity again, so the pressure is on for states to invest big in what works for kids and stop supporting the policies and programs that simply aren’t getting the job done.”

When evaluating student achievement data, many people are quick to attribute performance to the home lives of students. But the variation of results among states for the same groups of students proves that what happens in school matters immensely.

That’s why the Education Watch data on opportunity in education offer a valuable way to compare student achievement, taking into account the level of resources available to each student group. A look at these data show that lower income students and students of color – the ones who most often come to school with less – are consistently and systematically provided with less of everything that research and experience tell us matters most in school: less access to well-prepared, effective teachers; less access to challenging curriculum; and less funding.

For example:

In Colorado, Latino students represent 20 percent of the state’s 11^th- and 12^th-grade students. But just seven percent of the students taking Advanced Placement exams in Calculus, English Language and Composition, and Biology are Latino.

Schools in Pennsylvania’s high-poverty districts have $1,153 less to spend per pupil than schools in the state’s more affluent districts.

In only three states – California, New York, and Indiana – does need-based state aid intended to help lower income families pay for college amount to more than 20 percent of the average tuition costs at the states’ four-year colleges and universities.

Georgia report:

http://www2.edtrust.org/edtrust/summaries2009/Georgia.pdf

Chatham County School District

Chatham County School District encompasses all of Chatham County, including the county seat of Savannah, with an enrollment of 33,990. The bonds are direct, general obligations of the district, secured by an unlimited ad valorem tax and any state appropriation earmarked for the district. Overall net debt is a very low 0.66% of market value, and the district has no plans to issue further bonds in the foreseeable future.

Due in part to mid-year state aid reductions of approximately $9 million, the district projects a $12.5 million drawdown in the general fund for fiscal 2009, leaving an unreserved fund balance of $20.1 million (6.6% of annual spending and transfers out). The district enjoys great flexibility in its revenue-raising options, not being subject to any state-imposed levy growth limit or voter approval for millage rate increases. The district's current operating millage rate is 13.4, well below a state-imposed ceiling of 20 mills.

The district's tax base grew strongly, at a compound average rate of a little more than 11%, between 2002 and 2008, without any years of negative growth. The tax base is moderately concentrated, with the 10 largest taxpayers contributing less than 9% of its total assessed valuation (AV). Its largest taxpayer, aircraft manufacturer Gulfstream, represents under 3% of AV.