Parents/Guardians,
Earlier this week, Pickens County School District was notified that the Governor's Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) published their list of schools eligible for the Georgia Promise Act. The Act, enacted in 2024, aims to provide eligible families with an opportunity to pursue alternative educational programs through nonpublic schooling, including private schooling.
We understand that you may have questions, so we wanted to share some FAQs with you.
How does a school end up on the list?
For a school to be on the list, they must be in the bottom quartile of schools based on their average performance over the prior two years on the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI). Please note that eligibility is not based on current year data.
What is CCRPI?
CCRPI is a tool used by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) to measure how well schools, districts, and the state are preparing students for college and careers. CCRPI measures how well schools are performing in four main areas: content mastery, progress, closing gaps, and readiness.
Are any PCSD schools on the eligibility list?
Yes, Pickens Junior High School is on the list of eligible schools for Georgia Promise.
What is PCSD doing this year to get off the list in the future?
Pickens Junior High School has implemented a number of school-wide initiatives to address students' performance on Georgia Milestones and the school's CCRPI scores. Those initiatives include the following:
Professional learning communities with PJHS teachers collaborating to plan appropriate instruction for all students.
Increased professional development for all teachers, including additional collaboration with North Georgia RESA.
Creation of more frequent assessments across all academic areas to check student understanding.
Tutoring during the school day for students who need academic assistance.
Varsity Tutors for students who need additional help outside the school day.
Continued communication and support for families focused on student growth.
Statement from Dr. Travis Thomas, Superintendent:
“While we are disappointed to receive this news, we are not disappointed in our people. As a school district, one of our beliefs is that we will strive to have continuous improvement in student achievement, and we will keep working towards this. We are seeing progress from the initiatives we had already enacted at Pickens Junior High, and we appreciate the continued support of our families and our community.”