Latest news with #GeorgiaDepartmentofEducation
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Should students go back to learning cursive? Georgia schools say 'Yes'
Remember all the loops, curls, and swirls involved with learning how to write in cursive? Well, movies aren't the only thing that can be rebooted. Georgia Department of Education has revised its standards for English Language Arts to require cursive writing after disappearing from the Common Core State Standards for more than a decade. A packet has been issued to schools providing guidance on how they may frame and implement these lessons. Cursive has been made part of the ELA Standards' "Foundations" for grades 3-5. This involves learning how to read in cursive as well as developing the fine motor skills to form legible letters and words in cursive. Each school is encouraged to establish a uniform cursive writing style or method. The packet gives details on the commonly-used Zaner-Bloser and D'Nealian styles, but there are other styles to choose from as well. Some are more simplistic and almost print-like, while others may look like something off the Declaration of Independence. But before learning to do any style, students must first develop a strong foundation in print handwriting (AKA "normal" writing) including proper spacing of letters and accurate formation of individual letters. Guidance has also been given on how to support left-handed writers in these lessons. These standards have been set for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year. It's unclear when specifically during the school year they will start learning this and will likely vary by school and even by teacher. Learning cursive has become a controversial subject, with the National Education Association laying out pros and cons on both sides in 2022: Those for teaching cursive point to studies that have shown learning cursive improves retention and comprehension, engages the brain on a deep level, enhances fine motor dexterity, and gives kids a better idea of how words work in combination. Georgia's education officials used similar arguments. In a college lecture hall, for example, longhand note-takers may not be able to write everything said, but they will be able to recall more of the information. Those against writing cursive say the curriculum is already packed and is a step backwards as the world becomes more and more digital. In a college lecture hall, those with a laptop will be able to type notes much faster than someone writing them, and would be able to collect more information. So which is better? That debate has been going on for years and will likely continue for years to come. Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@ This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Georgia Department of Education brings cursive to schools 2025-2026
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Local elementary school deemed state 'Literacy Leader' for 2nd year running by GA State Superintendent
WARRENTON, Ga. (WJBF) – Georgia State Superintendent Richard Woods made a stop at Mildred E. Freeman Elementary School Tuesday to honor them as a state 'Literacy Leader'. It's the second consecutive year they've been recognized, and school leaders say the hard work from teachers and students is why they're in the spotlight once again. The Georgia Department of Education started the annual award in 2023 to highlight schools across the state with outstanding achievement or growth in reading. It's an honor that Principal Jessica Nicholson doesn't take for granted. 'Reading is very important, because reading is fundamental. Reading is needed for everything. Everywhere you go, you have to be able to read. So that's very important to me as a principal to know that all of our students are able to read at grade level,' said Nicholson. She says that hard work is a collaborative effort between teachers and students with various programs the school has in place. 'All of our teachers teach literacy, and they have a variety of intervention programs in addition to enrichment programs for our higher-level students,' Nicholson said. 'We give books through a grant we received through the Deal Center, and thanks to that grant we give books to our Pre-K, Kindergarten and 1st graders almost monthly—and we'll continue with those same initiatives next year.' Freeman Elementary School's 3rd graders saw an 18 point increase in literacy scores from last year, with the 5th graders seeing a 26 point increase. Warren County School System Superintendent Dr. Christopher Harris Sr. says a lot of credit goes to Nicholson, who is seeing these results in just her second year at the school. 'The teachers love her, the kids love her, and those relationships mean so much. She's invested in the community too—you see her at pop warner games, you see her at rec games—the strong suit you have in a rural community that rigor, that relevance, that relationship, and that trust,' said Harris Sr. Superintendent Woods is also giving Nicholson credit for getting the best out of her 306 students while handling the challenges that come with education in a rural area. 'You don't necessarily have all the resources and the funding that perhaps a larger district would have. But also, we live in a very impoverished area—that's what we call a Title I school—so that is another barrier to overcome. But what we're showing is that with the right work, the right emphasis, the right teachers in front of our kids, and the support—anything is possible,' said Woods. Harris Sr. echoes Nicholson's message of the importance of reading. 'I think the results are evident that we are instituting the proper structures and support, and now it allows us to continue to fine tune and educating the most precious resources any of us have—and that's our children,' Harris Sr. said. With end-of-the-year testing coming soon, school leaders say the goal is to boost test scores even more—to keep the state superintendent coming back, and setting students up for a bright future down the road. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lee County STAR Student Christopher Dowling named a Georgia Scholar
LEESBURG — Lee County High School senior Christopher Dowling has been named a Georgia Scholar, an honor recognizing his outstanding achievements in both academics and community service. The Georgia Department of Education selects scholars who have carried exemplary course loads during their four years of high school, performed excellently in all courses, successfully participated in interscholastic events within their schools and communities, and assumed leadership roles in extracurricular activities sponsored by their schools. Georgia Scholars are high school seniors. 'This distinction, awarded by the Georgia Department of Education, highlights Christopher's dedication and hard work,' Lee County High School Principal Karen Hancock said. 'We are excited to celebrate his success as he receives this well-earned recognition.' Dowling is one of 145 students selected as Georgia Scholars from across the state. Each honoree will receive a seal for their diploma along with a graduation cord to recognize their achievement. 'I would like to congratulate Christopher for this well-deserved award', Lee County Board of Education Chair Claire Lang said. 'This distinguished award recognizes exemplary work both inside and outside the classroom throughout his four years of high school. I wish him great success in his future endeavors.'
Axios
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Educators raise alarm about childhood hunger
Teachers across the country are growing increasingly worried about childhood hunger, with three-quarters reporting students come to school hungry, a nationally representative survey of U.S. teachers found. Why it matters: The growing fears among educators come at a time when food prices remain high five years after the onset of the COVID pandemic and a growing percentage of Georgia public school students are eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunches. The big picture: Proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a federal food assistance program serving more than 41 million Americans, could exacerbate an already dire issue, experts say. Around 40% of SNAP benefits go to children, per USDA data. What they're saying:"SNAP is one of the most effective tools we have as a nation to address childhood hunger," Sarah Steely, director of No Kid Hungry Virginia, told Axios. "It provides families with that extra help to put food on the table so that kids can have access to consistent nutrition all year round, especially filling the void during school breaks." The latest: Nearly 8 in 10 (78%) of teachers said they were concerned about food insecurity in the communities where they teach, per a survey of 1,000 K-12 public school teachers. It was commissioned by meal kit provider HelloFresh in partnership with No Kid Hungry, a campaign focused on ending childhood hunger. "Teachers are sounding the alarm that the state of hunger in this country and in their classrooms is really unacceptable," Steely said. Zoom in: 67.5% of public school students were eligible for free and reduced-price lunch as of Oct. 1, 2024, according to Georgia Department of Education data. That's up from 63.7% reported on Oct. 1, 2023 and 59.3% documented a year before that. Flashback: A federal program that provided free school lunches to all students, no matter their household income, came to a halt in 2022 when Congress didn't continue the pandemic-era waiver. Georgia opted out of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Summer EBT Program, which would have provided free summer lunch to students in low-income households. House Bill 60, which would have provided free meals to Georgia students, failed to gain traction during this year's legislative session. The Georgia Department of Education does have a Seamless Summer Option, under which districts can opt in to provide free meals to students.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The Georgia Department of Education has a new initiative to bring more teachers to the state
AUGUSTA, Ga, (WJBF) – Teach in the Peach is a website made for teachers by teachers to not only get more teachers in Georgia schools but to educate people on why teaching is so important. In 2022, the Georgia DOE looked at why teachers were leaving the classroom. The most common answer was teacher burnout. Christy Todd, a former teacher and Education Program Specialist at the Georgia Department of Education, was one of the people who helped with the website, she says they wanted to find a way to bring teachers back into the classrooms. They worked with more than 90 current teachers and others to make sure the website has anything you can think of. Todd says, 'We worked with over 250 individuals, people who wanted to be a teacher that currently aren't, to figure out what are some of the barriers they're facing, what are some of the questions they have.' They worked closely with state representatives on this initiative with a goal of having all of the information in a centralized hub. Todd says the feedback has been positively overwhelming; the day the website launched, it had almost 900 page visits. The website has several sections — things like benefits, an interactive job map, and a career quiz. but one of the most popular is the contact form, where current and former teachers can share their stories. 'Through the contact form we are hearing stories. We are hearing stories of a business professional who owns his own multi-million dollar company that doesn't feel fulfilled and he wants to become a teacher, so he sent us on the form saying 'how can I become a teacher, is there a place for me.'' Todd says. Current teachers love seeing the positive feedback on the site and Todd says teachers are the ultimate influencers. 'It's because we change the future when we help students see their potential. There is no denying the influence of a teacher, every single one of us can think of one if not dozens of teachers who have had a massive impact on our lives.' she says. If you or someone you know are interested in becoming a teacher or want to learn more about Teach in the Peach you can find the link here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
