Georgia Children Rank Low in Chances for Success
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From: Whitehorse, Yukon
Georgia Children Rank Low in Chances for Success
http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=98080&c=10
ATLANTA - Children in Georgia, as well is in other Southern states, not as likely to be successful in school and in life as other states, according to a new study.
Georgia ranked 38th in the nation in providing the basics children need to do well, a report published Wednesday in Education Week found.
And with few exceptions, Southern states ranked on the lower end of the study.
The study was conducted for the weekly newspaper by the Maryland-based Editorial Projects in Education Research Center.
Virginia was ranked at the top of the list, and New Mexico was ranked last on the study's ``Chance for Success'' index. By combining 13 social, economic and educational measures, researchers created a picture of ``educational trajectories,'' representing lives that rise or fall depending on where a child lives.
``At this point in our history, educational attainment does depend on things like family income, family socio-economic status and family educational attainment,'' said David S. Spence, president of the Southern Regional Education Board, an Atlanta group that works to improve public education.
``I mean, those are facts. It's always been that way, and it's true some states on average have higher rates of these factors,'' said Spence, who contributed an editorial for the report. ``But it's not a matter of whether it's fair or not. Our job and the job of state policy makers is to reverse that.''
In a statement, State Superintendent of Schools Kathy *** said she found good news in the study, which cited Georgia's education policies as being among the best in the nation.
``There is still a lot of work to be done to make sure that every student is receiving a top-notch education and is, at least, getting a high school diploma,'' said ***, who is beginning her second term. ``That hard work is happening.''
Steve Dolinger, president of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, said the state is making improvements in education.
Georgia was a leader in providing public pre-kindergarten and now is addressing the problem of high school dropouts. With a new, more rigorous curriculum in math, English, science and social studies being implemented, Georgia can only improve, Dolinger said.
``They put a spotlight on the data,'' Dolinger said. ``It's our challenge and our responsibility to get into that data and see what it tells us about our state. But I don't think it's an alarm signal to move from Georgia.''
Georgia ranked 38th in the nation in providing the basics children need to do well, a report published Wednesday in Education Week found.
And with few exceptions, Southern states ranked on the lower end of the study.
The study was conducted for the weekly newspaper by the Maryland-based Editorial Projects in Education Research Center.
Virginia was ranked at the top of the list, and New Mexico was ranked last on the study's ``Chance for Success'' index. By combining 13 social, economic and educational measures, researchers created a picture of ``educational trajectories,'' representing lives that rise or fall depending on where a child lives.
``At this point in our history, educational attainment does depend on things like family income, family socio-economic status and family educational attainment,'' said David S. Spence, president of the Southern Regional Education Board, an Atlanta group that works to improve public education.
``I mean, those are facts. It's always been that way, and it's true some states on average have higher rates of these factors,'' said Spence, who contributed an editorial for the report. ``But it's not a matter of whether it's fair or not. Our job and the job of state policy makers is to reverse that.''
In a statement, State Superintendent of Schools Kathy *** said she found good news in the study, which cited Georgia's education policies as being among the best in the nation.
``There is still a lot of work to be done to make sure that every student is receiving a top-notch education and is, at least, getting a high school diploma,'' said ***, who is beginning her second term. ``That hard work is happening.''
Steve Dolinger, president of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, said the state is making improvements in education.
Georgia was a leader in providing public pre-kindergarten and now is addressing the problem of high school dropouts. With a new, more rigorous curriculum in math, English, science and social studies being implemented, Georgia can only improve, Dolinger said.
``They put a spotlight on the data,'' Dolinger said. ``It's our challenge and our responsibility to get into that data and see what it tells us about our state. But I don't think it's an alarm signal to move from Georgia.''
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Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,182
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From: the moral high ground
Virginia here.
The "... picture of "educational trajectories,'' representing lives that rise or fall depending on where a child lives..." is locality based, not statewide.
When I had two school aged children, I moved to a house I could barely afford with a longer commute to work, for the school system.
Both school systems had dedicated staffs and acceptable curriculum.
The difference was obviously on the homefront.
On PTA 'Back to School' night, the parking lot was nearly empty. My wife and I would sit in a classroom with thirty desks with maybe one or two other parents. I wondered where the other 28 parents were.
The new school system was a shock. Trouble finding a parking space. The cafeteria was packed, if you didn't arrive early you stood in the back of the room. Hard questions were asked and the staff sweated bullets. On 'Back to School' nights there were nearly two adults for each child. I was late for every class due to the hallway congestion. This scenario played out from grade school thru high school.
We could have skipped some meetings but our kids expected us there as did their teachers.
Now, both kids have college degrees and good jobs.
Most important, neither is digging into my wallet so the sacrifices made over the years was worth it.
If you want to evaluate a school system, go to a PTA meeting.
(...or just drive by and look for parking)
The "... picture of "educational trajectories,'' representing lives that rise or fall depending on where a child lives..." is locality based, not statewide.
When I had two school aged children, I moved to a house I could barely afford with a longer commute to work, for the school system.
Both school systems had dedicated staffs and acceptable curriculum.
The difference was obviously on the homefront.
On PTA 'Back to School' night, the parking lot was nearly empty. My wife and I would sit in a classroom with thirty desks with maybe one or two other parents. I wondered where the other 28 parents were.
The new school system was a shock. Trouble finding a parking space. The cafeteria was packed, if you didn't arrive early you stood in the back of the room. Hard questions were asked and the staff sweated bullets. On 'Back to School' nights there were nearly two adults for each child. I was late for every class due to the hallway congestion. This scenario played out from grade school thru high school.
We could have skipped some meetings but our kids expected us there as did their teachers.
Now, both kids have college degrees and good jobs.
Most important, neither is digging into my wallet so the sacrifices made over the years was worth it.
If you want to evaluate a school system, go to a PTA meeting.
(...or just drive by and look for parking)
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 1998
Posts: 1,719
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From: Blue Ridge Mountains, GA
Praise the Lord that my nieces and nephews attend private Christian schools and will never see the interior of a public school. Too much corruption in the public schools:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...cheating_n.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...cheating_n.htm