Five Middle Georgia education stories to watch in 2016

The last year has brought plenty of changes for Middle Georgia's schools, and more could be in store in 2016.

In 2015, some of the major stories revolved around new superintendents, a new school and a new name for what is now Middle Georgia State University.

Looking ahead, some of those same themes will continue with added interest in at least one statewide decision.

Here are five education-related stories to watch in 2016:

POTENTIAL SCHOOL BOARD TURNOVER

Because school board seats are elected positions, having board members up for re-election is a common occurrence. In Middle Georgia's two biggest school districts, though, 2016's election could result in a majority of new board members.

In Bibb County, the regular election cycle has all six district seats up for a public vote in May. That means Ella Carter, Thelma Dillard, Jason Downey, Lester Miller and Sue Sipe could all be running for re-election, while Tom Hudson has reached his three-term limit.

There will be two elections in Houston County this year. First, Posts 2 and 3 will be up for a special election on March 1 to fill unexpired terms, with Lori Johnson and Dave Crockett holding those seats on an interim basis since August. Then in May, the seats held by Crockett, Helen Hughes, Rick Unruh and Bryan Upshaw will be up for regular election.

CHARTER SCHOOL FUTURES IN QUESTION

Macon Charter Academy opened in August 2015 and has experienced trouble ever since. The school building wasn't ready when classes began on Aug. 3, so students and teachers gathered in the Macon Coliseum for three weeks.

Then the school was put on probation and has seen resignations from two entire governing boards and its principal. Associate State Superintendent Lou Erste has expressed confidence that the new governing board "will succeed at saving Macon Charter Academy on behalf of the students that attend the school," but MCA remains on probation and is working to resolve conflicts between its charter and a contract with Renaissance School Services, a management firm.

Elsewhere, Byron Peach Charter High School was set to open in 2015 but ran into challenges based on a federal desegregation order the county's schools have operated under since the 1970s. Because of the order and a related decision by federal judge Marc Treadwell, the school will have to provide transportation and work for a student body that closely represents the county's demographics.

CCRPI TAKES ON BIGGER ROLE AS SCHOOLS TRANSITION

By the end of June 2015, school districts across the state had to make a choice whether to transition to a charter system or a strategic waivers system. With each, schools would be provided added flexibility in exchange for increased accountability.

Peach County chose to become a charter system, meaning each school will have its own governing board that still answers to the county's school board, while Houston and Bibb counties chose a strategic waivers system. That option requires specific growth on the state's College and Career Ready Performance Index each year but allows the district to forego some state regulations.

For both options, the CCRPI results from the 2015-16 school year, set to be released toward the end of 2016, will be used as a baseline for that required improvement. The school districts should receive 2014-15 CCRPI results, delayed by the first administration of the Georgia Milestones assessment, within the next couple of months. Those scores could give officials a better idea of what to expect later in the year.

OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT COMES TO A VOTE

The CCRPI scores would also play a big role in Gov. Nathan Deal's Opportunity School District proposal, which Georgia's General Assembly passed in 2015.

The Opportunity School District would allow the state to take over up to 20 schools a year for stints of at least five years, meaning the district could cover as many as 100 schools statewide. Schools would be eligible for a takeover if they scored below 60 on the CCRPI for three years in a row.

State Superintendent Richard Woods said keeping schools from reaching that point would be the goal regardless of whether the Opportunity School District comes to fruition.

"In my view, the Georgia Department of Education's role in this proposal is simple: It's our job to make sure schools aren't failing in the first place," Woods said in a news release. "I've charged my staff with making sure no school ends up on this list because they didn't have the resources and support they needed from us."

Schools across the Middle Georgia area have scored close to or below that number in the first few years of the CCRPI's existence, especially in Bibb County, where half of the district's schools scored less than 60 in 2014.

The proposal will be up for a public vote on the November ballot across the state.

MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE ADDS MASTER'S PROGRAMS

As part of reaching university status, Middle Georgia State University added two master's programs to its catalog for the spring 2016 semester in information technology and nursing.

Classes for those programs will begin on Jan. 11 with the rest of the university's offerings.

In the future, MGSU plans to add graduate programs for teaching and management, with the teaching degree aimed specifically at those who have undergraduate degrees in other fields. "We are responsible for the next generation," university President Christopher Blake said at a forum in November. "We are stewards of that next generation."

To contact writer Jeremy Timmerman, call 744-4331 or find him on Twitter @MTJTimm.

This story was originally published January 1, 2016 at 9:29 PM with the headline "Five Middle Georgia education stories to watch in 2016 ."