‘The 12 Days of APS’

In time for semester break, my true love gave to me … Here we are: The end of the first semester of the 2019-2020. Hard to believe the New Year is nearly here! Not only is this time of year for celebration, it’s time for everyone in the Atlanta Public Schools community to rest, reflect…

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APS Leads Metro Atlanta, Exceeds State with ‘Beat the Odds’ Schools

Thirty-six APS schools performed better than expected on College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) when compared with schools with similar characteristics across the state. Hot off the press! Atlanta Public Schools, based on new analysis released today by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA), leads Metro Atlanta districts and exceeds the state in…

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The 2019 Winter Card Contest: The Season as Seen through Eyes of APS Students

As anyone following Atlanta Public Schools over the past few weeks knows, the district has found numerous ways to showcase the “EPIC” talent of our amazing students from the State of the District to the Anti-Defamation League’s Concert Against Hate to the many productions at our schools all over Atlanta. And now we have our…

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GOSA, Georgia Department of Education Release Lists of Schools Eligible for Turnaround, Comprehensive Support

For third consecutive year, APS sees decrease of schools identified by Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) for potential state intervention, while seven APS Title I schools earn “Reward” designation from GaDOE. [UPDATE (December 19, 2019): The Georgia Department of Education informed APS today that three additional schools — Hutchinson Elementary, KIPP WAYS Primary and…

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Why Am I #APSthankful? Let me Count(down) the Ways

As we near the big school breaks, we often spend time counting the days, then the hours and then the minutes until we can have extended time with our loved ones and friends. Our APS team and students have worked hard so far this semester, and they all need this much-deserved break. After all, it’s…

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Time to Take Arts in APS to ‘EPIC’ Level

Two weeks after our EPIC State of the District, I remain in absolute awe of not only the vast numbers of Atlanta Public Schools students who helped narrate our tales of transformation but the variety and sheer expertise of their performances. (If you haven’t viewed it yet, check my EPIC blog for videos and photos!)…

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When Inclement Weather Threatens APS

Colder temperatures and severe weather are approaching Atlanta already. As I do every year around this time, I am reminding everyone in the Atlanta Public Schools community to be safe in the coming weeks. I also want to re-share the district’s action plans – how we go about our decision-making process for weather-related school delays…

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EPIC

True Tales from Our Journey of Transformation and the Quest for Excellence Nearly 1,000 stakeholders from the Atlanta Public Schools community this morning gathered at Harper Archer Elementary. Following a ribbon-cutting launch of that school, we related an epic tale of an urban school district in Georgia, once beleaguered but re-emerging as if a Phoenix…

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APS Shows Significant Improvement in 4th Grade Math, 8th Grade Reading on ‘Nation’s Report Card’

District posts growth in all grades and subjects tested since 2015. Just as every student gets a report card, so does Atlanta Public Schools – directly from the U.S. Department of Education. Officially, it’s called the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), but it’s also known as the Nation’s Report Card. Quick summary: NAEP…

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APS 2019 Graduates Achieve 19.1 Average Composite ACT Score, Slight Gain over 2018

About a month after the College Board released SAT data, the other leading college entrance exam has released its own data. According to figures released today by ACT, Atlanta Public Schools’ (APS) 2019 graduates achieved an average composite ACT score of 19.1, a slight increase of 0.4 points from the 2018 average of 18.7 and…

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