State’s struggling schools include several across midstate

Nearly 20 Middle Georgia schools were on the state’s latest lists of struggling schools released Wednesday.

On the lists were 12 Bibb County schools, three Houston County schools, two schools in Peach, and one school each in Twiggs and Jones counties.

Schools deemed a “priority school” fall in the lowest 5 percent of Title I schools in the state based on achievement. Schools classified as “focus schools” are in the lowest 10 percent of Title I schools in terms of the achievement gap between the school’s bottom quartile of students and the state average.

“Identifying priority and focus schools allows us to offer targeted assistance where it is needed most,” state school Superintendent Richard Woods said. “The Georgia Department of Education will work with the schools identified to ensure they have the resources they need to provide a quality education for their students.”

Once a school is designated a priority or focus school, it’s a three-year process to come off the list.

“People are not happy when you’re on a priority list,” said Sylvia Hooker, Bibb’s assistant superintendent for district effectiveness and special programs.

But those schools are now going to receive special support from the state. That includes additional funds for priority schools, Hooker said, and that’s “in addition to what they get for their regular Title I” status as schools with high percentages of children from low-income families.

The exact amount in support funds each school will receive is still being decided.

While Bibb had new schools joining the struggling schools lists, it also had four schools come off the focus or priority list. Those are Ingram-Pye Elementary, and Howard, Miller and Weaver middle schools.

“We are proud of the efforts made by the principals and staff at Ingram-Pye, Howard, Miller and Weaver in their removal from the priority and focus lists,” Hooker said.

Schools coming off those lists, she added, shows that “the movement has always been positive and forward.”

Hartley Elementary became eligible for removal from the state’s struggling schools lists last fall, but it stayed on the list so it could continue participation in another program that provides money for the school, the School Improvement Grant program.

Faculty and staff at Hartley developed a school improvement plan with four sources of school data: perception, demographic, student learning and process.

The goal, Hooker said, for improving schools on the lists starts with the question, “What’s the plan for sustainability?”

The plan led to a complete makeover for Hartley, which has changed the school’s culture and raised academic expectations and achievement.

Central and Rutland high schools were also removed from the state’s 2012 list of priority schools last year.

“I’m excited and I am looking for continued sustainability. Once you’re off a list, that’s not good enough,” Hooker said. “That’s the first step.”

To contact writer David Schick, call 744-4382.

This story was originally published July 8, 2015 at 1:37 PM with the headline "State’s struggling schools include several across midstate ."