Board Bulletin for 10/12/2022

 

The Fulton County School Board of Education met on Tuesday for their regularly scheduled Board meeting at the North Learning Center. The following are highlights of some of the more highly discussed topics, with the full agenda available online. Other topics discussed or approved are available via BoardDocs. Summaries of Board actions can be found here and Board policy updates can be found here.

Superintendent’s Report

Graduation Rates Reach New High
During his comments, Superintendent Mike Looney congratulated our schools and students as Fulton County Schools’ (FCS) achieved its highest-ever graduation rate in 2022. FCS has made intentional investments in post-pandemic learning recovery programs that are now producing encouraging outcomes, with the district exceeding state scores by 5.2 points according to a report by the Georgia Department of Education. FCS increased results to 89.3 percent, ranking among the highest graduation rates for Atlanta metro school districts. Additionally, FCS rates rose 1.6 percent from 2021, making this the second consecutive banner year, continuing the steady improvement in graduation rates since 2012. Click here to read more.

SAT Success
Dr. Looney announced that SAT results from 2021-2022 have exceeded the state and national scores, by 49 and 73 points respectively. The results at four FCS schools ranked in the top ten in the state, besting all other Georgia districts who produced no more than two in the top listing. FCS also ranked second, trailing by only 10 points, among large, metro-Atlanta school systems. There was also a seven percent increase in participation. Four high schools posted graduation rates at or above 97 percent. Including these, FCS reported a total of seven schools above 96 percent. Click here to read more.

Redistricting Update
In his remarks about redistricting, Dr. Looney assured the community that he believes the process the Board has put in place will yield results that impact the district in a positive way. The second round of maps and idea sets will come forward next week publicly and he believes there will be fewer families impacted in the next set of data.

He reminded the community there are three primary criteria for redistricting, which are geographic proximity to a school, instructional capacity as projected, and projected enrollment. Secondary criteria include traffic patterns, previous rezonings, special programs in schools and school feeder alignment. He encouraged parents to stay engaged and visit the redistricting website for updated information.

Mental Health Awareness
Finally, Dr. Looney addressed the importance of taking care of your mental health and encouraged students and parents to reach out if they need help. Click here to see a list of agencies FCS has partnered with to provide direct support to students.

FCS Students Chosen for State Student Advisory Council
Dr. Looney proudly announced that three Fulton County School students have been selected to serve on State School Superintendent Richard Wood’s 2022-2023 Student Advisory Council. Throughout the year, these students will meet with Superintendent Woods to provide feedback on the impact of state policies in the classroom.

Other Information

Program Evaluation
The Board has committed resources to three innovative solutions, including Fulton Academy of Virtual Excellence, Global Impact Academy, and the FCS Innovation Academy, that allow learners different options that best meet their preferred method of learning. Team members from the Department of Program Evaluation, in partnership with the principals of the three schools, presented findings from evaluations conducted on each school during the 2021-2022 school year. The evaluation report provided a high-level overview of each school’s enrollment, teacher’s perceptions of implementation, and recommendations for each principal to implement as we move forward with these exciting campuses.

The presentation also included an update on the program evaluation plan for this school year.  The Department of Program Evaluation has scheduled 14 different evaluations this year, which is the largest agenda in the department’s history.

For more details on the presentation, please click here.

Instructional Calendar Draft
This month, the Superintendent brought forward a recommendation for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 instructional calendars based on the Board-approved calendar parameters. The calendar drafts include the following:

Proposed 2023-2024 Instructional Calendar

• 175 Total Instructional Days (S1: 84, S2: 91)
• Pre-Planning Begins on August 1, 2023
• First Day for Students August 7, 2023
• 7 Professional Development Days (includes pre-planning)
• 7 Teacher Workdays (includes pre- and post-planning)
• Last Day for Students May 23, 2024

Proposed 2024-2025 Instructional Calendar

• 176 Total Instructional Days (S1: 88, S2: 88)
• Pre-Planning Begins on July 29, 2024
• First Day for Students August 5, 2024
• 7 Professional Development Days (includes pre-planning)
• 8 Teacher Workdays (includes pre- and post-planning)
• Last Day for Students May 23, 2025

The Board will discuss these versions with their communities this month to gather feedback for the Superintendent before final approval. Click here to see the calendars.

Board Recognitions
Each month the Board of Education recognizes outstanding students, staff and schools that have been honored at the state, national or international levels. Below is a superstar who was highlighted at the meeting. Click the link below to see her recognition video.

Senior Sophia Sun from Johns Creek High School

Let’s Talk Schools
Check out our weekly series, Let’s Talk Schools, hosted by Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney, as he chats about all things FCS. This week, Dr. Looney sits down with IT Director Dr. Emily Bell.

Extra! Extra!
Find out what is going on at Fulton County Schools. Be sure to check out the special News section of the district’s website for the latest and greatest FCS happenings.