January 24, 2020 – State
School Superintendent Woods has been recognized by Georgia Trend as one
of the 100 most influential Georgians. The annual
list recognizes “people who prepare, work hard, and have contributed to making
life better for Georgians.”
“Woods’
priorities for his second term as state superintendent include expanding
educational options for students and increasing students’ reading and math
skills, especially in grades K-5,” Georgia Trend’s profile reads. “In October
2019, Georgia got a boost in those efforts in the form of a nearly
$180-million federal grant to support literacy efforts in its K-12 public
schools.”
The
grant the magazine refers to is the federal Comprehensive Literacy State
Development Grant, which will fund a second round of Georgia’s Literacy for
Learning, Living and Leading in Georgia (L4GA) initiative. L4GA aims to improve
literacy outcomes for students from birth through grade 12.
Superintendent
Woods, who has led the Georgia Department of Education since 2015, has more
than 25 years of Pre-K through 12th grade experience in public
education. In his time as superintendent, he has focused on creating a culture
of collaboration and innovation at the Georgia Department of Education, and
expanding opportunities for students in areas such as fine arts, world
language, computer science, STEM and STEAM, and more. He is a strong believer
in educating the whole child and preparing students for life.
