Georgia Coalition for Equity in Education (GCEE) and GNETS

In July 2015, the U.S. government determined that the GNETS program illegally segregates students with disabilities. The report also stated that this was in violation of Title II of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). GCEE is urging the state of Georgia to transform its separate and unequal educational program serving thousands of children with behavioral disabilities into a system that provides needed services and supports to integrate students into their own local schools. Get all the information on GNETS and the DOJ ruling here

Georgia Department of Education CRCT-M Phase Out

This Information Sheet for Georgia parents provides information about Georgia’s transition from CRCT-M (Criterion-Referenced Competency Test-Modified) to the general assessment for Reading, English-Lanuage Arts (ELA), and Mathematics. This document will help parents as they plan with their student’s IEP team for that transition.

Georgia Appleseed Report on Student Discipline

Georgia Appleseed has released Effective Student Discipline: Keeping Kids in Class, an in-depth assessment of public school discipline policy and practice in Georgia. Drawing upon comprehensive analysis of Georgia Department of Education discipline data and interviews with more than 200 public school discipline and safety stakeholders, the report culminates with their action recommendations for policy makers and parents, designed to help kids stay in school and on track for graduation.

Bullying Prevention Resources

For children and youth to thrive in their schools and communities, they need to feel safe and be safe — socially, emotionally, and physically. StopBullying.gov is a “one stop” site with information the federal government has prepared to help prevent and address bullying in communities. The National Bullying Prevention Centr has resources, videos, and information for schools, parents, kids and teens.

Resources for Military Families

MilitaryK12Partners provides resources to assist schools serving military families. Also available are resources for families, military leaders and school leaders to support the needs of military families’ education. 

Health Care Reform

How will I be affected? Click here to review reports from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation on the impact on young adults and families.

Restraint and Seclusion of Children with Disabilities

Much work is going on right now in Georgia and across the United States to stop the misuse of restraint and seclusion with children in our schools. You can be a part of the efforts to prevent and reduce these harmful practices. Learn about how you can get involved!!

Effective Student Discipline:  Keeping Kids in Class

Phase I of this Georgia Appleseed report includes an analysis of student discipline data, a review of student discipline policies and an assessment of current state law in Georgia.

Important Offices in your County in Georgia

Need help finding your school system’s special education director, county DFCS office, or Babies Can’t Wait Office? Visit our online Special Needs Database to find these key resources.

Georgia’s County Health Rankings

Health outcomes are the primary measure used to rank the overall health of counties in Georgia. Click here to see how your county ranks.

Georgia Department of Education Parent Guide

When schools and families work together and support each other and when parents are involved and engaged in their child’s education, students achieve at higher levels. Visit this site often for the most up-to-date information about education in Georgia as well as resources designed to serve parents throughout their child’s education.

Georgia Department of Education Determinations

The U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) reviews all data that the GaDOE submits each year in their Annual Performance Report (APR) as well as any revisions to their State Performance Plan (SPP). Based upon this review, OSEP makes a “determination” about how the GaDOE is performing. Click to read GaDOE’s current “determination letter”.

Georgia Babies Can’t Wait Determinations

The U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) reviews all data that Georgia’s Babies Can’t Wait program submits each year in their Annual Performance Report (APR) as well as any revisions to their State Performance Plan (SPP).  Based upon this review, OSEP makes a “determination” about how the Babies Can’t Wait is performing. Click to read the Babies Can’t Wait “determination letter” and the “response table” that explains how the determinations were made.

Georgia Department of Education School Data

Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) data includes:

• Special Education Data (numbers of students receiving services, race/ethnicity, disability categories, where students receive services, test results, student indicators, and more)
• No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Data (student test participation, schools meeting and not meeting AYP, student academic performance on CRCT and High School Graduation test, and more)
• College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI)
• School Report Cards (demographics, state and national test results, accountability, financial, and more)

Standards

Ever wondered what to expect from your child as he or she grows and develops?  State standards and federal laws can help you know what to expect.

• Bright from the Start Georgia’s Department of Early Care and Learning Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards (GELDS) are a set of high-quality, research-based early learning standards for children, birth to age five. The GELDS answer the question, “What should children from birth to age five know and be able to do?” They are a set of standards that are flexible enough to support children’s individual rates of development, approaches to learning, and cultural context. They are divided into age groups and are aligned with the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework, the CCGPS for K-12, and the Work Sampling System Assessment.
• Georgia Department of Education ESEA Waiver. As of March 30, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education granted Georgia a waiver from some accountability requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), more commonly referred to as No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The waiver allows Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) more flexibility for how schools are evaluated and supported. Prior to the ESEA waiver, Georgia used Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) as the state’s accountability measure.
• The new statewide accountability system, the College and Career Readiness Performance Index (CCRPI) serves as the measure of accountability for all public schools and districts in Georgia