MEDIA CONTACT:
Matt Cardoza, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 651-7358, mcardoza@gadoe.org
-Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram
July 21,
2016 – The Georgia
Department of Education has partnered with a broad group of education
stakeholders to develop a state plan responsive to the Every
Student Succeeds Act (gadoe.org/ESSA), the replacement for the federal law
commonly known as No Child Left Behind.
A State
Advisory Committee will bring together local superintendents, teachers,
students, parents, state agency heads, and representatives of education organizations,
advocacy groups and civil rights groups. Six Working Committees are charged
with developing Georgia’s draft ESSA plan for submission to the Advisory
Committee. During this process, GaDOE will also host public feedback sessions
throughout the state, and the draft state plan will be posted for public review
and comment. Full implementation of Georgia’s ESSA plan will take place during
the 2017-18 school year.
“With the
passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act, we have an enormous opportunity to reshape
Georgia education and get rid of the standardized, one-size-fits-all model that
became prevalent under No Child Left Behind,” State School Superintendent
Richard Woods said. “The federal overreach has been dialed back and we can now
create a system that offers a holistic, personalized educational pathway for
each child, with a strong focus on foundational skills, social-emotional
learning, responsible accountability and elevating the teaching profession.
We’re inviting all interested stakeholders into this process and hope Georgia’s
teachers, students, parents, and community members will participate as we lay
the foundation for educational excellence in our state.”
ESSA was signed
into law in December 2015, replacing the top-down federal government approach
to education required by No Child Left Behind. The new law allows states and
local schools/districts to make education decisions that are best for their
students, and requires states to develop plans that address standards,
assessments, school and district accountability, and special help for
struggling schools and students.
The initial
meetings of the Advisory Committee and six Working Committees were held on July
18 and 19 (presentations can be found at gadoe.org/ESSA.
Below are the
committees responsible for gathering public feedback and developing Georgia’s
plan (click the links to view members):
Advisory
Committee
The ESSA State
Advisory Committee will create a list of focus areas, as well as discussion
points, for the various working committees. The working committees will then
present their work to the Advisory Committee for feedback and refinements.
Accountability
Committee
Chair: Allison
Timberlake, Director of Accountability, Georgia Department of Education &
Co-Chair: Molly Howard, Superintendent, Jefferson County Schools
This committee
will examine Georgia’s current accountability platform, the College and Career
Ready Performance Index (CCRPI), and help make refinements to the model, taking
a responsible approach to accountability and finding a way to represent school
performance in a public-friendly manner. The goal is to develop a tool that is
flexible enough to align with the individual strategic goals of schools and
districts, capturing and encouraging innovation while also providing useful
data to guide improvement. The end result should be less cumbersome and
burdensome for districts and schools, while still providing an accurate
assessment of student achievement and school quality.
Assessment
Committee
Chair: Melissa
Fincher, Deputy Superintendent for Assessment & Accountability, Georgia
Department of Education & Co-Chair: Steve Barker, Superintendent, Coweta
County Schools
This committee
will review assessment requirements and needs, examining ways to take a more
innovative approach to assessing students, strengthen formative tools, and make
assessment data more timely and useful.
Communications
Committee
Chair: Matt
Cardoza, Chief Communications Officer, Georgia Department of Education &
Co-Chair: Stan DeJarnett, Executive Director, Georgia Vision Project
In order for
Georgia to use the framework of ESSA to implement changes that will best serve
students, teachers, and schools, extensive two-way communication with the
public is essential – Georgia must engage with and seek continual feedback from
all stakeholders. This committee will discuss ways to bring stakeholders to the
table and facilitate effective communication related to Georgia’s ESSA
plan.
Education
of the Whole Child Committee
Chair: Caitlin
Dooley, Deputy Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction, Georgia
Department of Education & Co-Chair: Susan Adams, Assistant Commissioner for
Pre-K and Instructional Support, Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning
This committee
will discuss physical, social, and emotional well-being, positive learning
climate, experiential learning, and personalized education in Georgia’s pre-K
through 12 education system. Members will examine ways to maximize
opportunities using effective practices and innovation and provide an
excellent, relevant, and meaningful education to all students, recognizing that
all children learn at different rates and have individual needs.
Educator
& Leader Development Committee
Chair: Cindy
Saxon, Associate Superintendent for Teacher and Leader Effectiveness, Georgia
Department of Education & Co-Chair: Ernie Lee, 2016 Georgia Teacher of the
Year and Savannah-Chatham County Schools social studies teacher
Teacher and
leader quality has an enormous impact on student achievement. This committee
will examine ways to strengthen the teaching profession and empower and support
school leaders. Members will discuss teacher preparation, recruitment,
retention, and development and personalized professional learning, and will
help define supports on the teaching continuum from first-year teacher to
teacher leader.
Federal
Programs to Support School Improvement Committee
Chair: Debbie
Gay, Director of Special Education Services and Supports, Georgia Department of
Education & Co-Chair: Leigh-Ann Putman, Executive Director of Metro RESA
and immediate past president of Georgia RESAs
This committee
will address the various federal programs that support school improvement at
the state level, examining the way Georgia identifies schools in need of
assistance and the type and quality of assistance provided by the state.
Members will provide suggestions on using federal programs/dollars to the
maximum benefit of Georgia’s schools and students. The goal is to leverage
state and community resources more effectively to support schools, streamlining
the process for schools and districts and affording maximum flexibility while
ensuring transparency. The state’s role should, ultimately, shift to service
and support – in other words, the state’s efforts to support schools should
complement local efforts.
More
Information
ESSA website: gadoe.org/ESSA
ESSA contact
information: essa@doe.k12.ga.us