Monthly update [Oct. 2014]

GOSA Monthly Update

October 2014 Monthly Update
Connections for Classrooms Grant Awards
On Oct. 27, GOSA and the GaDOE released $36.7 million in grant awards to 103 local education agencies to build out network infrastructure in schools and classrooms. In addition to detailing their technology expansion plans, applicants had to spell out how these grant awards would enable them to implement digital and blended learning, improve student achievement, and align with the recommendations of Gov. Deal's Digital Learning Task Force. 146 local education authorities--143 districts, 2 state charter schools, and 1 state school--applied for more than $198 million. By next summer every school district will receive increased bandwidth, equivalent to 100 Mbps per school, through the expansion of the University System of Georgia's PeachNet. Grant awards were prioritized to build out district- and school-level infrastructure equipment needed to ensure that schools can fully utilize that connectivity.
Connections for Classrooms is a grant program joining multiple state agencies around the common goal of ensuring Georgia schools and classrooms have the high-speed broadband access required for digital and blended learning. The program is part of a broader statewide effort to expand classroom high-speed broadband access in response to Gov. Deal's Digital Learning Task Force recommendations as well as the GaDOE's efforts to enable personalized learning for Georgia students.
Click here to learn more about the awards and to download a list of grantees and award amounts.
Click here to learn more about the Connections for Classrooms grant program.

Friend on Facebook
The Governor's Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) strives to increase student achievement and school completion across Georgia through meaningful, transparent, and objective analysis and communication of statewide data. In addition, GOSA provides policy support to the Governor and, ultimately, to the citizens of Georgia.

Get Georgia Reading Campaign
GOSA's Reading Mentor Program is a proud partner of Get Georgia Reading, a coalition of leaders committed to ensuring all students read on grade level by the end of 3rd grade.
Increasing the percentage of students reading at or above grade level by the completion of 3rd grade is one of Gov. Deal's strategic goals in education.
To learn more about the Get Georgia Reading Campaign, click here.
To learn more about GOSA's Reading Mentor Program, click here.

New IE2 Evaluation Policy
In collaboration with the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), GOSA has revised its Investing in Education Excellence (IE2) Evaluation Policy to provide more clarity to districts making flexibility decisions. The document outlines target setting and timelines for evaluation results.
IE2 contracts provide local school districts with greater governance flexibility as a means to increasing student achievement. Local Boards of Education can enter into multi-year contracts with the State Board of Education based on strategic plans developed in partnership with GaDOE and GOSA.
Click here to view the new IE2 Evaluation Policy.
Click here to learn more about IE2.

Reading Mentor Program Serves Title I Reward Schools
As part of the ESEA Waiver, GaDOE is required to identify Reward Schools each year. Reward Schools fall into two categories, Highest Performing and Highest Progress. To be classified as a Highest Performing school, the average achievement of all students on standardized tests in a school is among the highest 5% of Title I schools over three years. To be considered a Highest Progress School, the school must be among the highest 10% of Title I schools in academic progress over the past three years.
The Reading Mentor Program is proud to serve in five schools on the 2014 Highest Progress List:
East Broad Street Elementary, Chatham County Brockett Elementary, DeKalb County Telfair Elementary, Telfair County Harper Elementary, Thomasville City Scott Elementary, Thomasville City
The program also serves in one school on the Highest Performing List:
Jerger Elementary, Thomasville City

To read more about the Reading Mentor Program, click here.
To read more about the 2014 Reward Schools, click here.
To read GOSA's E-bulletin on the ESEA Waiver, click here.

Forward to a Friend Copyright 2014 Governor's Office of Student Achievement, All rights reserved.
unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences