Latest news with #Governor'sOfficeofStudentAchievement
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia school voucher list makes more than 400,000 students eligible
ATLANTA (AP) — Two months of recalculating made little difference in a list of Georgia's lowest performing schools, meaning more than 400,000 students will have a chance to apply for $6,500 vouchers to pay for private school tuition or home-schooling expenses. The Governor's Office of Student Achievement released the new list on Friday, after releasing and then removing two previous lists in December. The new list made only a handful of additions and deletions. Students zoned for the lowest performing 25% of schools under Georgia's academic rating system are eligible to apply for what the law calls 'promise scholarships.' See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. The Georgia Education Savings Authority, a body created by the law, interpreted the measure to say any students in such a school's attendance zone are eligible, even if they don't attend that school. For example, if a middle school is on the list, elementary and high school students who live in that zone can also apply. An Associated Press analysis finds every student in 65 of Georgia's 180 traditional school districts are eligible to apply, including every student in Augusta's Richmond County and in Macon's Bibb County districts. Most of the districts where all students are eligible are small and rural, though. A majority of students in the DeKalb County, Clayton County and Atlanta districts will also be able to apply, the AP finds. The list was released just before the first application period of March 1 to April 15. The authority plans additional application periods during June and September. However, application deadlines for many private schools for the 2025-2026 academic year have already passed. Students could be admitted if they applied before they were certain of eligibility, or if schools allow late applications. The law capped spending at 1% of the funding formula for public schools, or $141 million. That could provide more than 22,000 vouchers. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp recommended spending that much, but lawmakers haven't yet decided on the amount. The law requires that Georgia fully fund its public schools before any money is allotted to vouchers. The money for vouchers is appropriated separately, on top of public school funding. Georgia has 1.75 million public school students. Broad eligibility means applications could far exceed the spending limit, creating pressure to raise it. Already, Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones has endorsed a proposal to make all foster children eligible. Voucher programs are ballooning nationwide. Many supporters want all students to be eligible, regardless of school performance or family income. States that have adopted such universal vouchers, such as Arizona, Florida, Iowa and Ohio, reported more applications than expected, causing costs to bulge. Georgia's law is more limited. Only children zoned for a low-performing school who have been enrolled for two semesters or who are incoming kindergartners can apply. If more students apply than there are vouchers available, students from households with incomes of less than four times the federal poverty level are prioritized. That's about $100,000 for a family of three. If there are still too many applications, a random statewide drawing decides who gets the money. The money can be spent on private school tuition, textbooks, transportation, home-schooling supplies, therapy, tutoring or early college courses for high school students. The House approved the program with no votes to spare this spring after seven rural Republicans and a Democrat flipped under pressure from Gov. Brian Kemp, House Speaker Jon Burns of Newington and other Republicans. The list had to be reworked twice after officials determined they would exclude some schools, including charter schools and alternative schools.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
COUNTY-BY-COUNTY: Which schools in your district are low-performing, according to the state?
The Governor's Office of Student Achievement released an updated list of the state's lowest-performing schools for 2024. The list also determines which students are eligible for the Georgia Promise Scholarship school voucher program. The office posted the original list in November but had to take it down for additional analysis of the data. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The list contains public schools that are in the bottom 25% for academic achievement. Here are the schools in metro Atlanta and north Georgia that were included. B.E.S.T Academy Benjamin E. Mays High School Booker T. Washington High School Carver High School Carver High School Cascade Elementary School Charles L. Gideons Elementary School Continental Colony Elementary School Crawford Long Middle School D. M. Therrell High School Emma Hutchinson Elementary Finch Elementary Frederick Douglass High School Harper-Archer Elementary School Heritage Academy Elementary School Herman J. Russell West End Academy Jean Childs Young Middle School John Lewis Invictus Academy Joseph Humphries Elementary School M. A. Jones Elementary School Martin L. King Jr. Middle School Michael R. Hollis Innovation Academy Miles Elementary School Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School Peyton Forest Elementary School Ralph Bunche Middle School South Atlanta High School Sylvan Hills Middle School Thomas Heathe Slater Elementary School William J. Scott Elementary School Woodson Park Academy School Banks County Elementary School Banks County Banks County High School Auburn Elementary School Statham Elementary School Winder Elementary School Cass High School Jackson Elementary School Bowdon High School Mt. Zion Middle School Sharp Creek Elementary School Temple Middle School Villa Rica Middle Leroy Massey Elementary School Summerville Middle School Alps Road Elementary School Shoals High School Coile Middle School Gaines Elementary School Hilsman Middle School Howard B. Stroud Elementary School Whit Davis Road Elementary School Anderson Elementary School Church Street Elementary School East Clayton Elementary School Eddie White Middle School Forest Park Middle School Harper Elementary School Huie Elementary School Jonesboro Middle School Kendrick Middle School Lee Street Elementary School Lovejoy High School Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School Morrow High School Mount Zion High School North Clayton High School North Clayton Middle School Northcutt Elementary School Pointe South Elementary School Riverdale Middle School Sequoyah Middle School Suder Elementary School West Clayton Elementary School Argyle Elementary School City View Elementary School Compton Elementary School Green Acres Elementary School Mableton Elementary School Osborne High School Riverside Elementary School Russell Elementary School Arnco-Sargent Elementary School Glanton Elementary School Jefferson Parkway Elementary School Ruth Hill Elementary School Smokey Road Middle School Browns Mill Elementary School Cedar Grove High School Cedar Grove Middle School Chapel Hill Elementary School Clarkston High School Columbia High School Columbia Middle School Cross Keys High School Doraville United Elementary School Dresden Elementary School Fairington Elementary School Flat Rock Elementary School Flat Shoals Elementary School Henderson Middle School Hightower Elementary School John Robert Lewis Elementary School Lithonia High School Lithonia Middle School Marbut Elementary School Martin Luther King, Jr. High School Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School McNair High School 6 Miller Grove Middle School Murphey Candler Elementary School Panola Way Elementary School Peachcrest Elementary School Pine Ridge Elementary School Pleasantdale Elementary School Redan Elementary School Redan High School Rock Chapel Elementary School Ronald E McNair Discover Learning Academy Salem Middle School Sequoyah Middle School Shadow Rock Elementary School Snapfinger Elementary School Stone Mill Elementary School Stone Mountain Elementary School Stone Mountain High School Stone Mountain Middle School Stoneview Elementary School Towers High School Tucker Middle School Woodridge Elementary School Alexander High School Beulah Elementary School Bill Arp Elementary School Burnett Elementary School Chestnut Log Middle School Eastside Elementary School Factory Shoals Elementary School Factory Shoals Middle School Mirror Lake Elementary School Mount Carmel Elementary School Stewart Middle School Turner Middle School Little Mill Middle School Asa Hilliard Elementary School Bear Creek Middle School Camp Creek Middle School Conley Hills Elementary School Heritage Elementary School McNair Middle School Paul D. West Middle School Tri-Cities High School Woodland Middle School Centennial Arts Academy Fair Street International Academy Gainesville Exploration Academy Gainesville Middle School East Gainesville Middle School West Anita White Carson Middle School Anne Street Elementary School Atkinson Elementary School Cowan Road Elementary School Cowan Road Middle School Griffin High School Jordan Hill Road Elementary School Kennedy Road Middle School Moore Elementary School Spalding High School Alford Elementary School Baldwin Elementary School Berkmar High School Britt Elementary School Graves Elementary School International Transition Center Lawrenceville Elementary School Meadowcreek High School Minor Elementary School Nesbit Elementary School Norcross Elementary School Radloff Middle School Rockbridge Elementary School South Gwinnett High School Stripling Elementary School Summerour Middle School Cornelia Elementary School Chestatee High School Chicopee Elementary School Friendship Elementary School Lanier College and Career Academy Lanier Elementary School Lyman Hall Elementary School McEver Elementary School Oakwood Elementary School Tadmore Elementary School West Hall High School West Hall Middle School White Sulphur Elementary School Ephesus Elementary School Bethlehem Elementary School Cotton Indian Elementary School Dutchtown Middle School Eagle's Landing High School Eagle's Landing Middle School Fairview Elementary School Hampton High School Hampton Middle School Locust Grove High Locust Grove Middle Luella High School Luella Middle School McDonough Middle School Oakland Elementary School Pate's Creek Elementary School Red Oak Elementary School Stockbridge Elementary School Stockbridge High School Stockbridge Middle School Tussahaw Elementary Unity Grove Elementary School Walnut Creek Elementary Wesley Lakes Elementary School Lamar County Elementary School Lamar County High School Lumpkin County Middle School Greenville High School Manchester High School Manchester Middle School Mountain View Elementary School Alcovy High School Clements Middle School Cousins Middle School Flint Hill Elementary Heard-Mixon Elementary School Indian Creek Middle School Liberty Middle School Live Oak Elementary Livingston Elementary School Middle Ridge Elementary School Newton High School Rocky Plains Elementary School South Salem Elementary School West Newton Elementary School Oglethorpe County High School Allgood Elementary School Bessie L. Baggett Elementary Connie Dugan Elementary School Dallas Elementary School Herschel Jones Middle School Irma C. Austin Middle School Lillian C. Poole Elementary School McGarity Elementary School Pickens County Junior High School Rockmart Middle School Van Wert Elementary School Youngs Grove Elementary School Putnam County High School Edwards Middle School Hightower Trail Elementary School Rockdale County High School Salem High School Sims Elementary School Main Elementary School Rome Middle School West Central Elementary School Social Circle Middle School Upson-Lee Middle School Callaway Elementary School Clearview Elementary School [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia republishes list of low-performing schools eligible for voucher program
Months after it was taken down, Georgia officials have republished the list of low-performing schools where students are eligible for the state's new voucher program. The Governor's Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) created and published several versions of the school list at the end of November and start of December, but each time they pulled it back after calculation 'outliers.' [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] In a statement shared with Channel 2 Action News, GOSA Director Joy Hawkins said the office needed to do a 'careful, thorough and conscientious analysis of the validation process to ensure the ultimate list is correct.' On Friday, the GOSA republished the list which along with a list of frequently asked questions. You can see below if your student's school is on the list. Georgia Promise Scholarship Public School List by WSB-TV Assignment Desk on Scribd The list is one of several factors that determines if a student is eligible for the Georgia Promise Scholarship vouchers. Gov. Brian Kemp signed the law approving the program in 2024. Under the act, eligible families can get up to $6,500 to pay for private school tuition, home-school expenses or other education related expenses. In addition to attending a low-performing school, the student must also have attended the public school for at least two consecutive semesters or entering kindergarten. The student's parent or parents must have been a Georgia resident for at least a year unless they are on active duty in the military. The law also states that priority goes to families who earn less than four times the federal property level. The application portal opens on March 1. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The school voucher program has been met with mixed reaction since its approval. This week, a Georgia state representative has introduced a bill to overturn the school voucher program. 'Since being signed into law, the voucher bill's implementation has been fraught with delays and unforeseen challenges, causing further issues for our public education system,' Rep. Floyd Griffin (D-Milledgeville) said. 'The voucher program disproportionately affects our state's rural school districts, where private schools are inaccessible to most families. We see a similar challenge in urban school districts, where transportation and private school tuition costs also make the voucher program unattainable for families. In attempting to improve our school systems, the program has done the exact opposite and has reduced vital funding to students and families who rely on public education,' he added. RELATED STORIES: Georgia school voucher program may be in jeopardy due to confusion over the law State takes down list of low-performing schools where students are eligible for voucher program Georgia $6,500 school vouchers: What to know about the bill heading to Gov. Kemp's desk Georgia moves forward in creating voucher program for private and home schools
