IMPLEMENTATION REPORT. Education Initiatives in Metro Atlanta

Transcription

1 IMPLEMENTATION REPORT Education Initiatives in Metro Atlanta

2

3 ARC Report on Education Education is a critical issue impacting metro Atlanta s global competitive position and the quality of life of its residents. At their June 2013 retreat, the board of the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) directed ARC staff to research and report on efforts to improve educational outcomes in the region. ARC staff conducted an environmental scan and found a range of organizations and initiatives underway to improve outcomes along the cradle-to-career spectrum of education and workforce development. This report is intended to be a resource to policy makers interested in progress underway in metro Atlanta. Education Initiatives in Metro Atlanta Cradle-to-career The cradle-to-career education pipeline is a common framework used to define the full range of forces that prepare a young person to succeed in school, enter a career and achieve financial independence. In the education pipeline framework, school, the K-12 education system, is only one of a number of factors that ensure student success. While quality schools are critical, factors such as family instability, food and housing insecurity and poverty are just a few of the factors that prevent a child from succeeding, regardless of the quality of K-12 schools. The cradle-tocareer pipeline takes into consideration the various factors, from the time a child is born until he or she enters the workforce, that contribute to success. Research on educational outcomes identifies several essential measures along the cradle-to-career pipeline that are the primary indicators of future success. For example, receiving quality early childcare and starting kindergarten prepared for school are important benchmarks of early education that are highly correlated with high school graduation and post-secondary success. Similarly, reading at or above grade level by third grade, and performing at or above grade level in eighth-grade math, are proven to be crucial benchmarks. If we think education is only in the schoolhouse, we are fundamentally wrong - Jeff Edmonson, StriveTogether A post-secondary education is also considered important to help young people achieve financial independence and to produce the skilled workforce necessary for today s jobs. By 2020, it is estimated that 60 percent of jobs in Georgia will require a post-secondary education, whether a certificate, two-year or four-year degree. For that reason, it is important for young people to graduate high school prepared to succeed in college and career. In the framework of the cradle-to-career education pipeline, there are insulating factors that can wrap around the pipeline and provide the support necessary to ensure that all children succeed in school and can attain some form of post- 1

4 secondary education. These are the social and economic support systems that exist outside the classroom, but are necessary for school success: Developing a network of quality child care options and educating parents about the importance of quality care Providing a range of after school programs with academic and social enrichment components Supporting families with food or housing insecurity Mentoring children and youth with family instability Assisting at-risk youth with college and financial aid applications Supporting youth through college to increase college graduation rates This document identifies the major efforts underway in metro Atlanta to insulate the region s cradle-to-career pipeline and improve educational outcomes, and the organizations involved in these efforts. These are organized in the same manner as the cradle-to-career pipeline, starting with those efforts in Early Childhood, and ending with Work and Career. In addition, policy-level change efforts and a profile of some of the efforts undertaken in each school district in the 10-county ARC region is included. The report concludes with a brief review of some promising practices in some of Atlanta s peer regions. 1. Focus on: Policy-level Change Efforts 2. Focus on: Early Childhood Success 3. Focus on: K-12 Success 4. Focus on: Post Secondary Success 5. Focus on: Work and Career Success 6. Summary: School District Programs 7. Focus on: Promising Practices 2

5 Focus On: Policy-Level Change Efforts Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI) The Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI) is a nonprofit organization that works statewide to improve education through performance-focused leadership development, district consulting and grant-funded initiatives. Founded in 2001, GLISI is a broad, bipartisan coalition representing the business, education, higher education and state government communities. GLISI was established to strengthen the capacity of school leaders to drive improvement in outcomes for all students, drawing on best practice from business, K-12 and adult learning. In contrast to university-based programs for preparing school leaders, GLISI programs were developed with a central focus on performance measuring, managing and monitoring performance to achieve results. GLISI s seed funding was provided through a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Ongoing investments come from other national funders such as the Wallace Foundation. In addition, the state of Georgia provides support each year in the Georgia Board of Regents budget. GLISI focuses on systemic changes to district and school leadership. In the Atlanta region, GLISI has recently worked on the following projects: Data Utilization Project: Funded by the Gates Foundation, GLISI worked intensively on technical training with teachers, school and district leaders from 10 school districts to implement use of long-range data to drive college/ career readiness. This project seeks to raise the focus of districts and schools beyond high school graduation toward post-graduation college and career readiness. Five metro Atlanta districts participated: Atlanta, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett and Rockdale. The grant-funded project was completed in 2013, and the data resources are still available to the participating districts. GLISI is working with the legislature and Department of Education to fund a statewide roll-out. 3

6 Leadership Base Camp: Ongoing program in which any Georgia district can participate. Fayette County and Henry County school districts have participated in the last two years District Consulting: GLISI is currently starting work with DeKalb and Gwinnett schools on different projects. GLISI was chosen through RFP by DeKalb Schools for a strategic planning project. The first phase is strategic planning. The second phase will be to implement the strategic plan through all schools. Gwinnett asked GLISI to be lead training partner in a Wallace Foundation-funded project to create a leadership pipeline in the district. Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (GPEE) Founded in 1992 by the Georgia Chamber and the Georgia Economic Developers Association, GPEE is an independent, non-partisan, nonprofit serving as the Business voice for education. GPEE connects, convenes and communicates across districts and across the state on education issues. They also assist school districts/communities with education data analysis and education research, as well as with grants and special projects as needed. The following are some of the GPEE s projects in the region: Recognizing that their district is not prepared to respond to its rapidly changing demographics, Forsyth County asked GPEE to facilitate a strategic planning process so they can maintain their #1 ranking in Georgia. In Henry County, GPEE worked with the Henry Chamber and school district on their E² initiative to develop strategies around the county s education pipeline to support economic development in the county. GPEE worked with Marietta Schools to facilitate discussions on improving outcomes at the middle school level, based on a GPEE report into determinants of success at the different levels of K-12 education. Education Policy Fellows Program: GPEE conducts an annual leadership program focused on education policy. The program is co-sponsored by the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University and the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach at the University of Georgia. Geared toward cultivating potential education leaders from the broader community, the program has representatives from the education, business and civic communities in each annual class. Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce The Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) is a membership- based chamber of commerce serving the Atlanta region. MAC focuses its work on recruiting businesses to metro Atlanta and addressing major policy issues in order to promote prosperity and growth in the region. The Metro Atlanta Chamber convenes business leaders and stakeholders into issues councils that are designed to address major policy issues facing the region. Three of these councils address issues along the cradle-to-career education pipeline: Workforce Council: With workforce topping the list of the business community s concerns, the Workforce Council convenes the region s business leaders with public sector and nonprofit organizations to ensure the region s workforce development resources and needs are aligned. Work includes publishing and updating the MAC Workforce Trends Report, which details all electronic job postings in the region s strategic industries, and the skills and education requirements needed to fill those opportunities. The Workforce Council also maintains a searchable online database, the Higher Education Map, that allows employers to locate the schools and programs in the region producing 4

7 graduates with specific skills. ARC s Workforce Solutions Division was a key partner in developing and launching the Higher Education Map. Education Committee: To help ensure that the region s workforce can support a vibrant economy, the Metro Atlanta Chamber formed the Education Committee to identify the most effective ways business can help improve student achievement in metro Atlanta s 15 school systems. The committee partners with school superintendents to establish areas of focus to improve schools and student achievement. In addition to implementing their 2013 Education Policy Agenda, the Metro Atlanta Chamber is coordinating discussions with stakeholders in the core counties to begin implementing a Strive approach to school improvement. The Strive partnership began in 2006 in metro Cincinnati in response to slipping student performance. advocacy/education/committee ; Education Initiatives in Metro Atlanta Higher Education Council: The purpose of the Higher Education council is to increase collaboration between business and higher education with the objective of improving job creation and employment in metro Atlanta. Priorities include cultivating startups by supporting an entrepreneurial network in the region, expanding internships and co-op opportunities offered by local businesses and promoting Atlanta s strengths in innovation and higher education. Voices for Georgia s Children With a focus on three areas of childhood development - Early Childhood, Child Health and Transitioning Youth - Voices for Georgia s Children has developed a long-term, comprehensive policy agenda to improve the state of child well-being in Georgia. To make changes, Voices provides research-based information, measures, collective voice and proposed legislation to help guide decision makers in supporting policies that ensure Georgia s children grow up to be healthy, educated and productive citizens. Georgia Conservancy The Georgia Conservancy is a statewide, member-supported nonprofit environmental organization that promotes clean air and water, land conservation, coastal protection and sustainable growth in the state. As part of their work promoting sustainable growth, the Georgia Conservancy provides training and technical assistance to communities regarding school siting practices as well as reuse of old school facilities. ARC collaborated with the Georgia Conservancy from to convene the Schools and Communities Forums, an initiative to start a dialogue between school planning officials and local government planners. The Georgia Conservancy has led these meetings since 2011, with support from ARC s Community Development division. The Georgia Conservancy partnered with the Georgia chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council and Mothers and Others for Clean Air in 2012 to develop a training program based on the EPA s School Siting Guidelines, released in The program is targeted at school siting decision makers and others in the school community to assist in evaluating health and environmental factors to make the best possible school siting decisions. 5

8 6

9 Focus On: Early Childhood Success Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning In 2004, Governor Sonny Perdue and the Georgia General Assembly created Bright from the Start: the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning to streamline the state s services to Georgia s children from birth to age five and their families. This includes Administering the nationally recognized Georgia s Pre-K Program; Licensing and monitoring all center and home-based child care facilities (approximately 6,000); Overseeing the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program; Housing the Head Start State Collaboration Office; Administering the federal Child Care and Development Fund and state matching funds to increase the affordability and quality of early care and education by providing subsidized child care and other quality initiatives, such as Quality Rated; Providing technical assistance and professional development to early childhood educators and programs through the child care resource and referral agencies; Offering support to families and early care and education programs who care for children with special needs; Collaborating with Head Start, Family Connection Partnership, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Public Health and Smart Start Georgia to blend federal, state and private dollars to enhance early care and education. 7

10 Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEEARS) GEEARS is a nonprofit organization that was established in 2010 to help business, civic and government leaders maximize the economic return on the state s investments in early care and learning. GEEARS uses a growing body of research to guide public and private investment in Georgia s early care and learning programs, with the objective of helping all children enter kindergarten prepared to succeed and on a path to read by third grade. GEEARS is an independent successor group to the United Way s Early Education Commission chaired by Dennis Lockhart, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and Beverly Tatum, president of Spelman College. Smart Start United Way The education divisions of United Way of Metro Atlanta address the entire learning pipeline from birth to age 21, with an overall objective of helping all students achieve some form of post-secondary credential by age 26 in order to successfully enter the workforce and become financially independent. Smart Start is United Way of Metro Atlanta s early childhood division, focusing on improving the quality of care and education for all children, ages birth through five, and therefore increasing the number of children who enter kindergarten ready to learn. Work includes various programs to develop high quality, accredited, early learning centers; assist existing child care centers to improve instruction and pursue accreditation and involve parents in early learning. To advance these objectives, United Way also makes investments in more than 35 community-based organizations focused on improving Early Education outcomes. See the Appendix. 8

11 Focus On: K-12 Success Georgia Family Connection Partnership Georgia Family Connection Partnership (GFCP) is a statewide network of 159 nonprofit county collaborative organizations that strives to improve the quality of life for children and families by coordinating services that support the educational, social, economic and physical well-being of Georgia s children. The goal of GFCP is that every child is healthy and ready to start school, succeeds in school, is part of a stable, self-sufficient family and lives in a strong community. Governor Zell Miller started the Georgia Family Connection in 1991 as a two-year pilot program in response to the state s dismal educational ranking.(in 1990 the state ranked 48th out of 50 in the inaugural KIDS COUNT report, released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.) The state legislature appropriated funds in 1993 to establish the program statewide. The Georgia Family Connection Partnership is an independent organization that is funded by the state (the Georgia Department of Human Services is the fiscal agent of GFCP) and supports local affiliates in each of the state s 159 counties. The GFCP is also the state s designated KIDS COUNT grantee, a state and national effort funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation to track the status of children. The organization tracks 47 indicators of child well-being and reports annually. Communities in Schools of Georgia Communities In Schools is a nonprofit dropout prevention organization that began as a single office in Atlanta in Communities in Schools has since grown into a nationwide dropout prevention organization, serving more than one million youth in 25 states and the District of Columbia. 9

12 Communities In Schools focuses on improving student and school success by providing a full-time site coordinator to each school they serve. Site coordinators focus on non-instructional barriers that prevent students from being successful, including poor attendance and behavior, low levels of parental involvement, limited exposure to academic and career enrichment opportunities and a lack of access to basic necessities including shelter, clothing and school supplies. Each coordinator works with school staff to identify students at risk of dropping out and establishes relationships with local businesses, social service agencies, volunteers and healthcare providers to help each child. This includes providing basic needs like food and clothing, access to tutors, counselors and social workers and even job shadowing and leadership training. Each site coordinator is funded in part by the school district in which they are placed, and in part by private donations to the local Communities In Schools network. Communities In Schools currently has programs in school districts across Georgia, including the metro Atlanta districts of Marietta/Cobb, Douglas, Henry, Fulton, DeKalb and Atlanta. Families First A nonprofit family service agency, Families First provides solutions to support at-risk children and families. Services include adoption and foster care programs, housing and support services for homeless families, and counseling and mentoring programs to equip children and families with the skills to build and maintain individual and family relationships. Great Promise Partnership The Department of Community Affairs (DCA), along with key partners, launched the Great Promise Partnership (GPP), Inc. pilot in GPP became affiliated with the Governor s Office of Workforce Development on August 1, The program works with youth who are at risk of not graduating from high school, with the promise that if they will continue their education, GPP will support their efforts and help them prepare for further education, military service or the workforce after graduation. GPP has two programs: 12 For Life Workplace puts teens 16 and older into real entry-level jobs and provides mentoring, life and career skill sessions and service learning projects. GPP WorkPrep engages at-risk high school students in biweekly after school sessions that include life skill training, leadership development, college and career planning and a service-learning project. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Since 1951, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has connected philanthropic giving to the issues and organizations making a difference in metro Atlanta. The Community Foundation works with donors to increase their knowledge of the issues and the institutions addressing those issues so that donors can target their philanthropic efforts in the areas that will have the most impact. The Community Foundation s has several funding initiatives that affected K-12 educational outcomes in metro Atlanta: The Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Opportunities Initiative (MAYOI) works to create better outcomes for youth transitioning out of foster care. With financial literacy a main obstacle for foster youth transitioning to adulthood, the initiative developed the Individual Development Account, in which the Community Foundation provides a one-to-one match for all money saved by youth and combines that with financial training, job search assistance, housing, accessing education and engaging in the community. The MAYOI started in metro Atlanta in 2003 and became a statewide partnership with the Department of Human Services

13 Neighborhood Nexus is a regional information system, providing data, tools and expertise as a catalyst to create opportunity for all of the region s citizens. Neighborhood Nexus was created in 2009 to bring better data to the thousands of decision-makers throughout metro Atlanta and includes school-related data. Despite significant research expertise in the metro area, there is a gap in affordable, accurate neighborhood-level data that is compiled in one place and updated on a regular basis. ARC s Research and Analytics Division was a key partner in developing Neighborhood Nexus and continues to maintain and promote the tool. In addition, the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta directs donations into over 200 community-based organizations within the 10-county Atlanta region that impact educational outcomes across the cradle-to-career pipeline. A complete list of such organizations funded by the Community Foundation since 2007 is included in the Appendix. United Way of Metro Atlanta United Way of Metro Atlanta s education divisions address the entire learning pipeline from birth to age 21, with an overall objective of helping all students achieve some form of post-secondary credential by age 26 in order to successfully enter the workforce and become financially independent. United Way works to reduce high dropout rates in metro Atlanta schools by focusing their philanthropic investments into community activities and agencies that help kids transition successfully through middle school to high school, engage youth in positive behaviors and graduate high school ready for career and college. Education Initiatives in Metro Atlanta Ready by 21 - Atlanta Ready by 21 is a national effort designed to improve student educational outcomes and college/career readiness by engaging community partners to focus existing efforts toward the goal of preparing all children for a familysustaining career by age 21. United Way of Greater Atlanta is leading a Ready by 21 effort in metro Atlanta. United Way received a development grant of $100,000 to start the Ready by 21 effort, and is in the running for a three-year implementation grant of $500,000. United Way convened a local Ready by 21 Leadership Council in 2010 that led a strategic planning process in two pilot communities and the schools that serve those communities. They include Clarkston High school and feeder schools in DeKalb County (City of Clarkston community) and Banneker High School and feeder schools in Fulton County (City of College Park community.) See details on the national Ready by 21 initiative at In addition, United Way invests in more than 35 organizations that impact at-risk middle and high school students. See the Appendix. Georgia Career Pathways and College and Career Academies Georgia Department of Education Georgia Career Pathways is a curriculum initiative of the Georgia Department of Education that asks all Georgia students to choose a field of study in ninth grade that they will follow throughout high school along with their regular curriculum. The Career Pathways curriculum is organized around 17 career clusters, with multiple career pathways included in each cluster. The aim of the program is to show students the relevance of what they re learning in the classroom, whether they want to attend a two-year college, a four-year university or go straight to work. Students will begin to learn about potential careers in elementary and middle school so that they are ready to choose a pathway once they reach high school. Georgia s initiative is based on the national Career Cluster model. Legislation enabling the development of College and Career Academies was signed into law by Governor Deal in 2011 to make a College and Career Academy available to every student in Georgia. The model is designed to enhance the Career 11

14 Pathways curriculum and involve business partners with local high schools and technical colleges to allow students to obtain a technical certificate upon graduation and begin employment with a local company. These students receive specific training and develop skills needed to pursue a career path catered to them. Many work towards post-secondary education while they are still in high school. The goal is to provide greater relevance in school curriculum to produce higher graduation rates, immediate employment opportunities and greater access to college. Grant funds are currently available to local school districts and communities to develop a College and Career Academy. Georgia s goal is that every student in Georgia will have access to a College and Career Academy by Instruction-and-Assessment/CTAE/Pages/CTAE-Georgia-Career-Clusters.aspx SkillsUSA Georgia SkillsUSA Georgia is the Career and Technical Student Organization for students enrolled in Architecture, Construction, Communication and Transportation (ACCT), Cosmetology and Public Safety Career Pathways in Georgia s secondary schools. SkillsUSA Georgia continues to grow each year, with membership growing to 8,287 by the spring of 2013, including approximately 1,600 student participants in metro Atlanta. 12

15 Focus On: Post Secondary Success Complete College Georgia An initiative of Governor Deal, Complete College Georgia identifies strategies to add an additional 250,000 college graduates whether a one-year certificate, an associate s degree or a bachelor s degree by The effort unites the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia around a Higher Education Completion Plan that identifies the following strategies: better partnerships with K-12, improved access and completion for traditionally underserved students, shorter time to degree completion, restructured instructional delivery and transformed remediation services. Complete College Georgia also relies on community partnerships to increase college readiness and access. REACH Georgia REACH, an integral component of the Complete College Georgia initiative, is a needs-based mentorship and scholarship program designed to encourage students, starting in middle school, to persist in their educational pursuits. Students are provided with the academic, social and financial support needed to graduate from high school, access college, achieve post-secondary success and be prepared for the global workforce. AT&T is the founding sponsor of REACH, Georgia s first public-private needs-based scholarship opportunity. REACH is working with five Georgia school systems in the school year, including the Douglas County School System in metro Atlanta. 13

16 Project GRAD Project GRAD Atlanta is a nonprofit organization with strong community, civic and philanthropic support. It is part of a nationwide network of 13 other Project GRAD sites, all helping students succeed academically in grades K-12, as well as attain access to and success in college. The Project GRAD model consists of five components: math, reading, discipline, family support and scholarships. Project GRAD Atlanta collaborates with the Atlanta Public Schools to increase the number of students graduating from high school and college. Project GRAD Atlanta provides critical academic, behavioral, social services and college access interventions for traditionally underserved populations of students from economically-disadvantaged communities attending the Atlanta Public Schools. Six middle schools and 10 high schools in Atlanta currently receive year-round academic support from PGA. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Since 1951, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has been connecting philanthropy giving to the issues and organizations making a difference in metro Atlanta. The Community Foundation works with donors to increase their knowledge of the issues and the institutions addressing those issues so that donors can target their philanthropic efforts in the areas that will make the most impact. The Community Foundation currently has one funding initiative to increase the effectiveness of the region s college access efforts: Metropolitan Atlanta College Access Project The Community Foundation is currently seeking a partner to conduct an in-depth scan with analysis and recommendations to inform development of a comprehensive college access support system in the region -- with initial emphasis on City of Atlanta students. The overall objective is to transform metro Atlanta s college access assets into a cohesive regional network that proactively aligns strategies with public and private education systems, community partners (including business and the nonprofit and faith communities) and higher education institutions. In addition, the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta directs donations into over 200 community-based organizations within the 10-county Atlanta region that impact educational outcomes across the cradle-to-career pipeline. A complete list of such organizations funded by the Community Foundation since 2007 is included in the Appendix. Technology Association of Georgia Education Collaborative The TAG Education Collaborative (TAG-Ed) is a charitable organization established by the Technology Association of Georgia that is dedicated to preparing the next generation workforce in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). TAG-Ed s objective is to elevate the quality and effectiveness of Georgia s schools in order to produce more students pursuing STEM-specific majors in institutions of higher education and ultimately STEM-related careers. For example, TAG-Ed manages a summer internship program that leverages TAG s large statewide membership to provide high school students an opportunity to work in a technology or tech-enabled host company for a minimum of five weeks. At the end of their project, participating students receive a $1000 scholarship. 14

17 Focus On: Work and Career Success Atlanta Regional Workforce Board The Atlanta Regional Workforce Board (ARWB) is responsible for providing policy guidance for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Service Area that includes Cherokee, Clayton, Douglas, Fayette, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties. The Atlanta Regional Commission s Workforce Solutions Division is the administrative and fiscal agent of the ARWB, providing workforce solutions for dislocated workers, unemployed adults and youth and for businesses seeking qualified applicants. Youth Council The ARWB s Youth Council is one example of ARWB s support for the cradle-to-career pipeline in the seven counties it serves. The council oversees the provision of free services, funded by the WIA, to low-income youth ages who have barriers to education, training and employment. Services are provided by community-based organizations identified by the Youth Council in a competitive procurement process. Programs focus on youth who are dropouts or are in the last year(s) of high school; those who are about to transition into the real world of advanced education, training and employment; and those from particular target groups, such as youth with disabilities, immigrant youth and youth who are in the foster care or juvenile justice systems. 15

18 Local Government Workforce Investment Boards Jurisdictions in the Atlanta region administering their own workforce boards include Cobb, DeKalb and Fulton counties and the City of Atlanta. Each workforce board sets workforce policies and coordinates Workforce Investment Act services that are administered by a local administrative and fiscal agent. CobbWorks, the nonprofit administrative and fiscal agent of the Cobb Workforce Investment Board, provides workforce development services such as employment, training and education assistance to connect dislocated workers, unemployed adults and youth to work opportunities. CobbWorks also strives to ensure an adequate supply of skilled workers and supports the recruitment needs of the county s businesses. DeKalb Workforce Development, a division of DeKalb County government, is the administrative agent of the DeKalb Workforce Investment Board. The overall purpose of DeKalb Workforce Development is to provide education, training and employment programs for job seekers and workforce development services to businesses. DeKalb Workforce Development is a comprehensive one-stop center with partnering agencies. The Fulton County Human Services Office of Workforce Development administers the Workforce Investment Act for Fulton County. The Office of Workforce Development provides workforce, education and training services to dislocated workers, adults and youth to connect them to work and career opportunities, increase the availability and skill of the county s workforce and assist area employers in recruiting the talent to remain competitive. The Atlanta Workforce Development Agency provides workforce development services to assist adults and youth in training for new skills and preparing and obtaining work. It also assists employers in identifying qualified employees. The Atlanta Workforce Development Agency administers Workforce Investment Act funded programs as well as other workforce development programs of the City of Atlanta. Governor s Office of Workforce Development The Governor s Office of Workforce Development (GOWD) was created in August 2006 to improve the job training and marketability of Georgia s workforce and drive the state s future economic growth. GOWD was established to implement state workforce development policy as directed by the Governor and to serve as staff to the Georgia Workforce Investment Board. Go Build Georgia Go Build Georgia, launched in January 2012, is an initiative of the Governor s Office of Workforce Development that implements the national Go Build campaign in Georgia. The campaign is designed to educate young people on the value of learning a trade, dispel their misconceptions about the skilled-trade industry and inspire them to consider building a career as a skilled tradesman. Go Build aims to provide better opportunities for craft tradesmen, more highly skilled employees for businesses and enhanced economic development for Georgia and the nation. Georgia TRADE-UP TRADE-UP is a prep-apprenticeship and workforce development program. Developed in partnership with STAND-UP and the North Georgia Building & Construction Trades Council, TRADE-UP prepares men and women for entry into certified construction trades apprenticeship, training programs or for entry directly into the construction industry. 16

19 Atlanta CareerRise United Way of Greater Atlanta Atlanta CareerRise, United Way s workforce development initiative, focuses on advancing low-skill residents into family-sustaining careers through partnerships with employers in metro Atlanta s industry sectors with growing workforce needs. The program currently focuses on Healthcare and Logistics sectors. CareerRise identifies employers in these sectors and partners with local workforce organizations (including CobbWorks and the Atlanta Regional Workforce Board) to provide School at Work training to move low-skill workers into higher-level career tracks with the employer. Quick Start Technical College System of Georgia Quick Start is an award-winning workforce development program of the Technical College System of Georgia that has provided free, customized workforce training to qualified businesses in Georgia. Established in 1967, Quick Start has developed training systems for thousands of expansion and relocation projects in a wide range of manufacturing and service industries. For example, Quick Start has trained workers to assemble aircraft components, grow bacteria to produce vaccines, process foods such as cookies and sports drinks and field calls for customer call centers. The training services provided are designed to help a company start up or expand in Georgia. After Quick Start provides initial assistance, businesses can access customized ongoing workforce training services from the Technical College System of Georgia for continuing business support. Education Initiatives in Metro Atlanta Literacy Action Literacy Action is a nonprofit organization founded in 1968 to teach low-literate adults literacy and life skills. The objective of Literacy Action is to break the cycle of intergenerational low-literacy and enable the people they serve to become self-sufficient. To achieve this objective, Literacy Action provides free classroom instruction to adults 18 and older who have low reading, math and life skills. Literacy Action is the largest private provider of adult basic education in Georgia, with the Technical College System of Georgia being the largest provider in the state. Located in downtown Atlanta, Literacy Action primarily serves residents of Fulton and DeKalb counties, but also has a few students commute from other metro Atlanta counties, and even from as far away as Alabama. Literacy Action serves students per year. 98% of Literacy Action students are native English speakers. 90% are at or below the poverty level; all are low-income. More than 50% are women, half of whom are single heads of households. 40% are the primary caregiver to a school-aged child. The majority of students enter the program at a fifth-grade reading level. 17

20 18

21 Outside of the classroom, Georgia s biggest [issue] affecting student learning is poverty - Gale Hulme, GLISI Education Initiatives in Metro Atlanta Summary: School District Programs In the 10-county metro Atlanta region, 56 percent of all public school students are economically disadvantaged, and the high school graduation rate is 68 percent. The graph below illustrates the negative relationship between economic disadvantage and student achievement. While economic distress is just one of the external factors that impact education outcomes, there is great opportunity to improve educational outcomes in metro Atlanta by insulating the education pipeline with community-based programs. This section provides a brief overview of each school district in the 10-county Atlanta region, and some of the programs each district is implementing in order to support student success in the classroom. Economic Disadvantage Gradua on Rate 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Clayton Atlanta DeKalb Marietta Rockdale Douglas Gwinnett Henry Buford Cobb Fulton Cherokee Fayette Decatur 19

22 City of Atlanta Public Schools Atlanta Public Schools serves approximately 50,000 students in 105 school facilities. In an effort to increase the community support network for school-aged children, the City of Atlanta is reopening all 33 existing city recreation centers and has created Centers of Hope in 10 of these recreation centers. A Center of Hope is a high-performing recreation center with enhanced youth development programming that provides support to youth and encourages positive behaviors. While not an initiative of Atlanta Public Schools, the Centers of Hope provide support outside of the classroom that enables positive educational outcomes inside the classroom. Buford City Schools Buford City Schools serves 3,500 students in four school facilities. Buford has one K-1 school, one 2-5 school, one middle school and one high school. In addition to a curriculum that meets Georgia Performance Standards, Buford puts attention on individualized curriculum for each student so individuals receive additional enrichment or remediation as needed. In middle school, for example, a Flex Group Period is scheduled into the school day. The Flex period is used to deliver individual consultation to those students whose academic performance indicates a need for extension according to Georgia Performance Standards and student performance in the classroom. In other cases, enrichment opportunities related to music, art, business and technology are offered. bufordcityschools.squarespace.com Cherokee County Schools Cherokee County School District is the eighth-largest school system in Georgia, with 42 schools and more than 39,000 students. Beginning in the school year, Cherokee Academies were established at six schools within the district. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Academies were implemented at Ball Ground Elementary, Canton Elementary, Clark Creek Elementary and Holly Springs Elementary. Fine Arts Academies were created at Hasty Elementary and Oak Grove Elementary. Cherokee s high schools all have been named Advanced Placement (AP) Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) or AP STEM Achievement Schools. Eighty percent of Cherokee students who took an AP exam in 2012 scored a 3, 4 or 5, as compared to the national average of 59 percent. Clayton County Schools Clayton County Schools serves 52,000 students in 54 school facilities. The system engaged in a strategic improvement planning process that produced the CCPS Strategic Improvement Plan in The plan outlines specific performance objectives and the action steps needed to meet those objectives in six key areas: Academic Achievement; Safe, Orderly and Secure School Environments; Engagement of All Stakeholders; Effective Communication; Improved Organizational Processes and Highly Qualified and Effective Staff. This document is considered the roadmap to systemic improvement in the district, and is notable for the inclusion of specific action steps under each identified performance objective. Cobb County The Cobb County School District is the second largest school system in Georgia, with 106,000 students in 112 school facilities. Cobb County Schools were recently awarded Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) certification by the state at two magnet schools, Wheeler High School and Kennesaw Mountain High School. 20

23 The Cobb County School District also has a partnership with the Cobb Chamber of Commerce in which the chamber supports the Partners in Education programs and other supplemental programs. The Partners in Education Program is a collective effort of the Cobb Chamber, the Cobb County Public School System and the Marietta City Public School System that matches businesses and organizations with schools to provide extra funding, unique services and volunteer support. The vision behind the Partners in Education Program is to enrich the learning experience of Cobb students so that all develop a strong academic foundation, skills and core values that will benefit them in their community life and in a career. Decatur City Schools The City Schools of Decatur serves 4,200 students in eight schools. The City Schools of Decatur includes an early childhood learning center, offering early learning programs from infancy through pre-k. This is a unique partnership with City Schools of Decatur and Partners for Community Action, Inc. (Head Start Program) that increases access to quality early childhood education for Decatur children of all income levels. The College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center provides tuition programs for 0-3 year olds, and also provides non-tuition programs that include Georgia Pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start and Preschool Special Education. Education Initiatives in Metro Atlanta DeKalb County School District The DeKalb County School District is the third largest district in Georgia, serving nearly 99,000 students in 135 school facilities. DeKalb County Schools is initiating a strategic planning and implementation process. The district will develop a sustainable strategic plan and management system, establish strategies to accomplish strategic goals and develop indicators to gauge effectiveness and progress. DeKalb County Schools also participated with United Way as a Ready by 21 pilot site in the Clarkston cluster of schools. The initiative produced the Primary Home Language is Other Than English Students (PHLOTES) to the Top initiative in the Clarkston cluster of schools to improve refugee educational outcomes and college or career readiness. Douglas County Schools The Douglas County School System is the 16th largest school district in Georgia with over 25,000 students in 35 schools. The system offers pathways in 15 of the 17 Career Clusters in all five high schools. The Douglas County College and Career Institute (CCI) is the system Career Academy in collaboration with West Georgia Technical College and Douglas County Chamber of Commerce. The CCI offers 13 dual enrollment programs and two CTAE pathways. All high schools and the CCI are designated as Go Build Georgia schools. The school system works with the Go Build Douglas Committee to promote the manufacturing industry through field trips and activities for students, teachers and counselors. 21

24 Fayette County Schools Fayette County Schools serve 20,000 students in 26 school facilities. The system is currently participating in a county visioning process, along with the county, cities and Fayette County Chamber of Commerce. The initiative was recently launched with the recognition of the important role the education system plays in the community s economic development. With the announcement of the Pinewood Studios development in Fayette County, the school district recently entered into a partnership with ToonBoom to build a Digital Media Pathway curriculum to prepare students for careers in the digital media industry and develop the workforce that Pinewood Studios and related employers will require. The curriculum developed will be the first Digital Media curriculum in Georgia and will be available for use in college and career academies across the state. Fulton County School District The Fulton County School District is the fourth largest school system in Georgia, with 95,000 students and 100 schools. Fulton County Schools is in the second year of transitioning to a full charter district, a decision that came from the visioning and strategic planning process completed in The decision to move to a full charter district enables Fulton County Schools to decentralize decision-making and enable each school to develop policies unique to its student community. Fulton County will be the largest, all-charter district in the state, and among the largest in the nation, once all schools complete the charter transition. This is a three-year process that will be completed in the school year. Gwinnett County Gwinnett County Public Schools is the largest school system in Georgia, serving nearly 165,000 students in 132 school facilities. Gwinnett County Schools were chosen to be part of the Wallace Foundation s Principal Pipeline initiative. The program is a $75-million initiative to help six urban school districts develop a much larger corps of effective school principals and to determine whether this improves student achievement across the district, especially in the highest needs schools. The foundation selected these districts from 90 candidates because they already have efforts underway to groom qualified principals and are able to put complete pipelines in place. Plans include working closely with select principal preparation programs to improve the training aspiring school leaders receive before they are hired by the district. Over the next five years, Wallace will give each district $7.5 to $12.5 million to develop, hire and support new school principals. A condition of the grants is that the six districts contribute funding to the effort. Wallace s grants are to account for two-thirds of the total investment. The districts fund the remaining third. Henry County Henry County Public Schools is the seventh largest school system in Georgia, with 40,000 students in 52 school facilities. Henry County Schools partners with the Henry County Chamber of Commerce to improve educational and workforce outcomes through the Economics and Education (E²) initiative. The E² initiative developed out of the 2010 Henry County Intergovernmental Retreat, when participants commissioned a task force to study and develop recommendations that, if embraced by the entire community, would push what is already a good public school system over the top to become a great public school system. The task force, composed of more than 100 Henry County community stakeholders, is now the E² Alliance that continues work to implement the recommendations of the original E² task force. files/906.pdf 22