370 schools awarded for outstanding results

Governor’s Office of Student Achievement recognizes improvements on state test scores

Gov. Nathan Deal announced today that 370 Georgia public schools are being recognized for improvement and achievement during the 2010-2011 school year. The schools are being recognized under Georgia's Single Statewide Accountability System (SSAS), developed by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, to award schools based on their performance on state curriculum exams and Adequate Yearly Progress status.

"Congratulations to these 370 schools for their commitment to hard work and high academic standards," said Deal. "The principals and teachers at these schools are to be commended for maintaining a focus on providing every student with a world-class education."

The awards are being announced as part of the release of the 2010-2011 K-12 Public Schools Report Card. The Report Card, which features the SSAS awards, was developed by GOSA and provides bottom-line data for Georgia’s preschools, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, technical colleges, and educator licensing and accreditation. It includes school, system and state level reports organized into seven major sections: Accountability, Georgia Tests, National Tests, Indicators, Student and  School Demographics, Personnel, and Comparisons.

“I am pleased to recognize these schools for their continued focus on student achievement," said Bonnie Holliday, Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Student Achievement. "Congratulations to the students at these schools for their accomplishments and to the staff  for their ongoing commitment to learning."

The schools are awarded on four levels -- Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze -- in two categories:
* Greatest gains: 111 schools are being recognized for demonstrating significant improvement on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) or the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT).
* Highest performance: 259 schools are being recognized for high achievement on the CRCT or GHSGT.

The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement provides accountability for all of Georgia’s education system from pre-kindergarten to post secondary to drive improvement in student achievement and school completion through meaningful, transparent and objective analysis and communication of statewide data. To learn more about GOSA, please visit www.gaosa.org.

To access a complete list of 2010-2011 SSAS award winners, visit gaosa.org.