Overview
A series of field trips, sponsored by The American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF), provided state and district leaders, state legislators, educators, and others with opportunities to see first-hand how their counterparts in other jurisdictions have solved problems and put policy goals into practice. Each trip in the series of ten focused on key elements that National Governors Association’s Honor States take on as a high school reform priority. Sessions with local leaders and visits to schools provided participants with a close look at exemplary programs as well as opportunities to ask questions and discuss their observations. This project, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was conducted jointly with the National Conference of State Legislators.
Purpose
Participants in the sixth trip—educators and policymakers from Colorado, Delaware, Michigan, North Carolina, and Virginia—had the chance to explore the implementation of Georgia’s college- and work-ready standards. In meetings with Governor Sonny Perdue, leaders and policy experts in the Georgia Department of Education, state university system officials, and business and civic leaders, as well as visits to several redesigned high schools, the participants had the chance to learn why Georgia has been recognized for its success at tightly aligning its standards with the needs of postsecondary education and the workplace. The purpose of the trip was to give participants an understanding of the state’s high school redesign work, the processes they have used in developing their rigorous standards, their assessment and accountability measures, and the leadership and partnerships that have made their success possible.
Background
Georgia has faced a variety of challenges as it worked to raise academic achievement and work-readiness. As State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox explained to the group, the state is changing quickly. Half the students who attend the public schools live in the metropolitan Atlanta region, and many rural areas are rapidly becoming suburban.
Georgia has made increasing the rate at which its students graduate from high school ready for college, work, and life a primary goal. With just 31% of the state’s 9th graders currently graduating “college-ready”—that is, taking challenging classes, becoming proficient readers, and earning a diploma within 4 years—state leaders have worked to make standards both more rigorous and more relevant to the demands of college and career. Governor Sonny Purdue and Superintendent Cox took the lead in forging a partnership with the legislature and other major stakeholders to raise the bar for students, teachers, and schools. The development of the revised Georgia Performance Standards was an ideal vehicle for building the trust and partnership Cox and Purdue knew was necessary for this work. By turning first to the business and higher education communities for their views of what college freshmen and entry-level employees need to know and be able to do, the state was able to develop standards that can guide schools in effectively preparing students.
The state has also used both its NGA Honor States grant and its membership in the American Diploma Project, a coalition of 29 states dedicated to aligning K–12 curriculum, standards, assessments, and accountability policies with the demands of college and work, as a catalyst for change. Georgia received a Phase II NGA Honor States grant in 2005 to support this work by (1) creating a permanent P-16 Council that will oversee the redesign of the state’s high schools in alignment with college- and work-ready standards and other elements of the system, (2) funding increased enrollment in Advanced Placement courses, and (3) funding new partnerships to expand online learning opportunities. As a member of the American Diploma Project, Georgia is working to develop challenging academic standards and to align them with course requirements, assessment systems, and accountability efforts.
Georgia has also had a high school exit exams, which requires students to demonstrate mastery of core subjects in order to graduate—in place since 1986. The state currently offers four diploma tracks: College-Prep, Technology/Career-Prep; Dual Seal, and Special Education. They also have a dual enrollment program that allows high school students who are ready for college-level work to gain college credit while completing their high school diplomas. Another key ingredient in Georgia is the HOPE scholarship program, in which all students who meet eligibility requirements and gain acceptance at state colleges and universities receive substantial financial assistance with tuition and other costs.
Georgia also has had a statewide accountability program in place since the early 1990s, which includes curriculum-based assessments and an annual state report card for all public schools. As a result, the state was in a good position to respond to the requirements of the No Child Left Behind law, though it has added additional data reporting requirements to comply with the law.
Overview of the State Policy Context
In the trip’s opening session, participants were given the opportunity to hear from Georgia leaders who had been instrumental in creating an educational improvement agenda and high school redesign strategy. State Superintendent Kathy Cox helped set the context for the trip by discussing the creation of key partnerships that have created the atmosphere for the state’s reform efforts and providing historical information on education reform in Georgia.
Georgia has worked hard to coordinate numerous initiatives around the primary goal of preparing students for school and work, helping Georgia to meet its goal of “leading the nation in improving student achievement.” Superintendent Kathy Cox was elected in 2002, the same year Governor Sonny Purdue took office. At that time, the state began a complete overhaul of its academic standards, and Cox explained that her primary goal was to convert “random acts of school improvement” into a coherent, full-scale improvement of the schools. From her perspective, the key was to develop constructive partnerships among the Georgia Department of Education, the governor’s office, the higher education and business communities, and other stakeholders. In place today is a system of P-16 education governance in which the Governor’s office, the Alliance of Education Agency Heads (AEAH), and the Joint Education Boards Liaison Committee collaborate on policy direction and goals for the state. An Implementation Team made up of deputies from systems represented on the AEAH focuses on what is needed to get the job done.
The mission of the AEAH reflects the focus that has guided the state through its reform process: “Create the finest schools in the nation, where every Georgia student is optimally educated, college and work ready, and prepared to compete in the global marketplace.”
In addition to a comprehensive presentation from Superintendent Cox, participants heard from Dr. Martha Reichrath, Executive Director, Governor’s Office of Student Achievement and Dr. Jan Kettlewell, Associate Vice Chancellor for P-16 Initiatives, University System of Georgia. They discussed the many strategies Georgia has in place to boost opportunity and achievement for all its students.
Department of Technical and Adult Education
Dr. Frieda Hill, Assistant Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education (DTAE) provided background for the participants on the role of technical and adult education. Working together with the AEAH and other state leaders, the DTAE has used several initiatives to support and engage students. The Stay-in-School initiative is designed to encourage students in grades 8 through 10 to stay in school and show them ways they can be successful. Using career interest inventories and academic career plans, structured guidance, and improved coordination among middle and high school teachers, the program has reduced the number of students who need remediation, course failures, absenteeism, and disciplinary referrals by 10%. Goals for building on this success include increasing the coordination, offering more structured guidance, and improving data sharing, as well as developing collaboration with graduation coaches and business and industry partners.
DTAE schools also offer career-focused dual-enrollment opportunities, and Hill described some of the benefits. Georgia students enrolled in dual-enrollment classes tend to better than their peers who are not in the classes, and their high school graduation rate is 98%, she explained. Moreover, the program saves both families and taxpayers money, increases young people’s access to higher education, and improves the attitudes and self-confidence of those who participate. The program also develops young skilled workers for the employment sector and increases potential income.
Central Educational Center, Coweta County Schools
The Central Educational Center (CEC) is a model recognized in Georgia and around the country for its success in preparing students to join the workforce. CEC is a charter school that, as its CEO Mark Whitlock explained, was designed through a collaboration among Coweta County Schools, West Central Technical College, and local leaders from business and industry. The school is organized around the goal of breaking down barriers—those “between academics and career/technical classes, between high school and college, and between education and the workplace.”
The CEC was developed as a response to a combination of circumstances in Coweta County. High school dropout rates were high, and while just over half of high school graduates were going on to college, a significant percentage was not completing a degree. Local employers were finding it increasingly difficult to fill positions that required technological sophistication and the skills and motivation to thrive in a fast-paced work environment.
A needs assessment led to the decision to develop an alternative for high school students—a school that would allow them to design their own pathways and to pursue the highest levels of learning. The program meets the state’s academic standards, but CEC students have many opportunities to experience work-based learning. The program pays particular attention to transitions for students, working to make them “seamless” by helping students prepare for next steps and choose among options that include technical training, academic coursework, and dual enrollment courses at West Central Technical College. Students are treated as team members and are graded both for their coursework and work ethic (e.g. attendance, attitude, productivity, and organizational skills). CEC also educates students beyond high school, offering technical and GED courses to adults as well as custom training for local corporations.
Coweta County Superintendent Blake Bass described some of the benefits CEC has brought, including a reduction in dropout rates, a greater degree of flexibility for a growing student population, and a focus on cooperation and positive engagement with the business community. Business leaders echoed these benefits, noting that graduates are “easily employable.” Bass emphasized that charter school status has given the school’s administrators critical flexibility, both in staffing and in selecting students. This point gave rise to questions from participants about replicability, as well as some of the challenges of funding dual enrollment programs without penalizing either the secondary or the postsecondary partner—and the recognition that there are no easy answers to these questions.
Dinner Presentation: “Business Community Expectations and Connections”
Steve Dolinger, President, Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, gave participants an overview of the business community’s role in high school redesign across the state. As a whole, they have been supportive of the efforts led by Governor Purdue and State Superintendent Cox. Dolinger invited a number of business leaders to speak to their involvement with education as well as two members of the state board of the education.
Gateway to College Academy at Georgia Perimeter College, Clarkston Campus
The Gateway to College Academy was developed to serve students ages 16 to 20 in DeKalb County who have dropped out of high school or are significantly behind in earning credits but still want to earn a diploma. The program, which opened in 2005 with approximately 100 9th grade students, is a replication site of the Gateway to College program at Portland Community College in Portland, Oregon. According to Georgia Perimeter College (GPC) Vice President of Education Outreach Margaret Venable, Gateway to College Academy was developed through a partnership between GPC and DeKalb County Schools and offers students targeted support to help them succeed in a collegiate environment when they have been unsuccessful in a traditional high school.
Entering students begin as members of cohorts who work together in a program, focused on reading, writing, math, college survival, and career development that prepares them for the transition to the GPC campus. Each student is assigned a Resource Specialist who works with them as long as they stay in the program, offering academic advising, personal counselling and guidance, as well as information, referrals for other resources, and support with enrollment, registration, and other paperwork. In turn, students are asked to commit to regular attendance and completion of all class and homework assignments. By taking classes at GPC, the students are able to earn college credits as well as work towards a high school diploma. The first students are expected to graduate from the program in May of 2007.
Venable explained that the program is designed to serve students who need additional supports, but are capable of college-level work. Among the current student body, approximately a third were enrolled in high school but planning to drop out, a third had dropped out, and another 15% were struggling with credits or attendance. The program offers morning, afternoon, and evening schedules to accommodate students who may be employed, have children to care for, or have family or medical problems. Students must earn at least a C average to proceed from the foundational semester to GPC courses and must take placement exams. Early results are promising, with 92% of Gateway students passing the Georgia High School Graduation Test in English/Language Arts, 71% passing it in math, and 100% passing it in writing.
Initial funding for the Gateway to College Academy took the form of grants from foundations and funds from the federal government for charter school implementation. DeKalb County funds the ongoing operation of the school at the “alternative education” funding rate, while students are responsible for certain fees. GPC provides space for some Academy activities and the college’s foundation has established a scholarship for students who can’t easily afford the fees and other costs.
Venable explained that though Georgia’s Gateway to College program is too new to have produced results, the Portland Community College program on which it is modelled has shown improved rate of high school graduation, persistence in postsecondary studies, and other indicators. Moreover, the program offers an option for students who may otherwise have given up on school altogether. Many hear about the program through a “dropout roundup” held by the district, through graduation coaches, or even through the juvenile justice system. The students we spoke with were enthusiastic—one summed up the experience this way: “when you are dealing with people who care and want to see you do good, then you want to make them proud.”
Meeting with Governor Sonny Perdue and Jennifer Rippner, Governor Perdue’s Education Policy Advisor
Trip participants had the opportunity to meet with Governor Sonny Perdue and his Education Policy Advisor Jennifer Rippner. Ms. Rippner described several key goals for the Governor’s education agenda: increasing the high school graduation rate, increasing average SAT and ACT scores, creating a culture of respect for teachers, and “putting the money where it matters.” Several key programs illustrate the way these goals are being implemented.
Governor Perdue has launched a program to put a graduation coach in every high school—this individual has no other duties besides working with students on goals and challenges related to graduation. The Georgia Virtual School, currently serving approximately 2,000 students, offers Advanced Placement (AP) classes to schools throughout the state. The program also subsidizes the cost of AP exams for students.
The Governor has also instituted the Governor’s Cup Challenge, through which the schools that achieve the largest improvement in their average SAT scores are recognized. Winning schools receive a $2,000 grant.
A program to recognize and certify Master Teachers was put into place in 2005, and the state is working to develop more academic coach positions as a way of both recognizing teachers with extra skill sets and helping schools and systems benefit from their knowledge and expertise.
Governor Perdue shared the Stephen Covey quote, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” He believes this philosophy should drive the work in his state because education, workforce development, and jobs are the bridge to building a stronger state. Currently, Georgia is directing 64% of its state budget towards education. The Governor was proud that Georgia was being showcased an example, but indicated the state still had much work to do be done.
Morgan County High School
The group visited Morgan County High School (MCHS) in Madison, a suburban-rural community approximately one hour east of Atlanta, a school that was selected in 2005 as one of five in the state to pilot a research-based redesign. The school, which has a total enrollment of 990 students, was selected because it was identified as having a forward-thinking principal and the momentum and energy to make the redesign a success.
The MCHS program is based on five Rs: readiness, rigor, relevance, and relationships, and results. As principal, Mark Wilson explained, this means supporting students as they tackle challenging work, providing many opportunities for students to see connections between what they are learning and the world around them, and finding a variety of ways to establish links among students and between students and their teachers and counselors.
MCHS has implemented strategies for guiding students through the transitions that take them from elementary school to college and work. These include a Freshman academy designed to support students as they begin high school work and help faculty identify and work with those who are struggling, which has yielded a 92% pass rate for freshmen.
Both increased AP offerings (seven offered on campus and many more available online) and the opportunity to earn an International Baccalaureate diploma are ways the MCHS has made its program more rigorous. Nearly half of MCHS graduates go on to a four-year college, while another 24% go on to a two-year or technical college.
MCHS also offers many opportunities for students to link to the world of work, focus their studies on career preparation, and take advantage of options beyond the school’s walls. The Math and Science Academy allows students who are committed to preparing for postsecondary study and or careers in technical fields to begin that preparation in high school. Through the Middle College Program, career technical courses offered through DeKalb Technical College, but taught at the MCHS campus allow students to sample college-level work and pursue subjects not available at the school.
Online learning opportunities also supplement the MCHS curriculum. Georgia’s Virtual School program, which makes online courses available throughout the state, allows motivated students to pursue courses in foreign languages, business, test preparation, advanced placement classes, and other material in the core curriculum under the supervision of MCHS faculty. Programs such as TeenBiz3000, a reading program for 9th-12th graders that sends students reading assignments on current events via e-mail and the PLATO, a computer-based reading remediation system offer various forms of individualized instruction and support.
MCHS is moving to become a charter school in order to gain greater flexibility in class sizes and other state rules
Dinner Presentation: Creation of Math Standards
A presentation by Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools; Claire Pierce, Math Program Manager, Georgia Department of Education; and Brad Findell, Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education, University of Georgia, provided participants with a sense of how a variety of resources from the K-12 and postsecondary sectors were leveraged in the development of new, rigorous standards. Scores on mathematics assessments have consistently shown significant score gaps among students, with the performance of Black and Hispanic students lagging behind those of Whites. Georgia students as a group had also lagged nationally in their SAT scores, math course taking, and other indicators.
To begin rectifying this situation, Georgia decided to align its mathematics standards with those of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and they used an expert advisory panel, teams of teachers, and a high school advisory committee to develop standards that won approval by the State Board of Education in 2006. Collaboration among the university system, the Department of Technical and Adult Education, the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development, and many other groups ensured that the standards truly met Georgia’s needs. The resulting standards are, as Cox explained, lean, rigorous, coherent, and student-focused. They are also linked to a coherent curriculum that challenges students. All students must take four years of math to graduate, and all must reach the level of math three or higher. The standards are being implemented gradually with teacher training for grade 6 beginning in 2004, and classroom implementation of the grade 12 standards complete in 2011.
Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville
The last stop for participants was the Early College program at Georgia College and State University (GCSU) in Milledgeville, located in central Georgia, where Georgia early college high school program director Dawn Cooper provided an overview of the initiative in the state. Early College High Schools (ECHS) offer students who have struggled in traditional high schools the option of earning credits toward an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree while earning their high school diploma. The aim of these programs is both to offer struggling high school students a career-focused alternative and also to increase college admissions and success among groups not traditionally well represented in postsecondary education.
Nationwide, there are 130 ECHS in 23 states. Georgia currently has five ECHS, and the state hopes to develop more if they continue to be effective at reducing dropout rates and improving college readiness and access for underserved students. The Georgia Early College Initiative is a partnership between the state Department of Education and the University of Georgia’s P-16 Department.
Georgia College Early College (GCEC) opened in 2006 to serve 55 7th graders, who applied and were chosen by lottery. Most programs start with 9th grade but GCEC hopes the extra two years will give the students more time to prepare for and become interested in the college option. They will follow the high school curriculum through grade 10 and spend grades 11 and 12 taking core college classes, and will be eligible to earn up to 60 college credits. While some may think of the kinds of students served by Georgia College Early College as “at risk,” the school staff considers them to be “at promise.”
The program is a partnership between Georgia College and State University, Baldwin County Schools, Putnam County Schools, and Oconee Regional Education Service Agency, who worked together to run the program until a principal was identified. A primary goal of the program was to counter the perception of college as a gated community that was not open to some kinds of students, and presenters described the powerful message students receive about the possibilities ahead of them when they study on a college campus. In response to questions, Director Camille Daniel-Tyson commented that transporting the students efficiently is their biggest challenge and that charter status was not necessary to allow the degree of flexibility they needed to develop the program. For her the potential for the program cannot be underestimated—she commented that “this will change the face of education as much as integration.”
Contact Information
Iris Bond Gill
Senior Program Associate
American Youth Policy Forum
1836 Jefferson Place, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Business: 202-775-9731 / Fax: 202-775-9733
ibgill@aypf.org
Jennifer Brown Lerner
Program Associate
American Youth Policy Forum
1836 Jefferson Place, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Business: 202-775-9731/ Fax: 202-775-9733
jlerner@aypf.org
Jim Ballard
Executive Director
Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals
1001 Centennial Way
Suite 100
Lansing, MI 48917
Business: 517-327-5315 / Fax: 517-327-5360
jimb@michiganprincipals.org
Wanda Barrs
Chair
Georgia State Board of Education
465 Ruth Church Road
Cochran, GA 31014
Box 165
Business: 478-934-4728 / Fax: 478-697-0035
barrsw@bellsouth.net
Stuart Bennett
Chief Deputy
Georgia Department of Education
2062 Twin Towers East
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-651-7562 / Fax: 404-656-0966
stbennet@doe.k12.ga.us
James Bostic
State Board Member
Georgia State Board of Education
2052 Twin Towers East
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-652-5250 / Fax: 404-657-6978
jebostic@gapac.com
William Bryant
State Board Member
Georgia State Board of Education
P.O. Box 450648
Atlanta, GA 31145
Business: 770-938-7000
bbryant911@aol.com
Brian Burdette
State Board Member
Georgia State Board of Education
2052 Twin Towers East
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-657-7410 / Fax: 404-657-6978
Irma Clark-Coleman
State Senator
Michigan State Senate
State Capitol
P.O. Box 30036
Lansing, MI 48909-7536
Business: 517-373-0990 / Fax: 517-373-5336
seniclark-coleman@senate.michigan.gov
Judi Coffield
Education Associate, Secondary Schools
Delaware Department of Education
Townsend Building
401 Federal Street, Suite 2
Dover, DE 19901-3639
Business: 302-735-4000
jcoffield@doe.k12.de.us
Sharmila Conger
Policy Analyst
State Higher Education Executive Officers
3035 Center Green Drive, #100
Boulder, CO 80301-2251
Business: 303-541-1602 / Fax: 303-541-1639
sbconger@sheeo.org
Tim Connell
President
Georgia Student Finance Commission
2082 East Exchange Place
Tucker, GA 30084
Business: 770-724-9000 / Fax: 770-724-9089
timc@gsfc.org
Dawn Cooper
Director
Early College
University System of Georgia
270 Washington Street, SW
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-656-7836 / Fax: 404-463-1760
dawn.cooper@usg.edu
Kathy Cox
State Superintendent of Schools, Georgia
2066 Twin Towers East
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 770-460-3052 / Fax: 770-460-3053
kathy@kathyforeducation.com
kcox@doe.k12.ga.us
Ann Cramer
Director
Corporate Community Relations and Public Affairs
IBM Corporation
4111 Northside Parkway, NW, L09F20
Atlanta, GA
Business: 404-238-6660 / Fax: 404-238-6138
acramer@us.ibm.com
Wanda Creel
Director
School Improvement
Georgia Department of Education
2054 Twin Towers East
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE
Business: 404-656-2800
Atlanta, GA 30334
wcreel@doe.k12.ga.us
Erroll Davis
Chancellor
Georgia Board of Regents
University System of Georgia
270 Washington Street, S.W.
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-656-2202
chancellor@usg.edu
Stan DeJarnett
Superintendent
Morgan County Public Schools
Madison, GA 30650
1065 East Avenue
Business: 706-752-4600
stan.dejarnett@morgan.k12.ga.us
Steve Dolinger
President
Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education
233 Peachtree Street, Suite 2000
Harris Tower
Atlanta, GA 30303-1402
Business: 404-223-2280 / Fax: 404-223-2299
sdolinger@gpee.org
David Feenstra
Principal
Hudsonville Senior High School
5037 32ND AVE
Hudsonville, MI 49426-170
Business: 616-669-1500 x20310 / Fax: 616-669-4891
dfeenstra@hudsonville.k12.mi.us
Brad Findell
Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education
University of Georgia
College of Education
1011 Stewart Avenue
Augusta, GA 30904-3151
Business: 706-583-8155 / Fax: 706-542-4551
bfindell@gctm.org
Cowen Harter
Assistant Director
Governor’s Office of Student Achievement
2054 Twin Towers East
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-463-1168
charter@gaosa.org
Joy Hawkins
Vice President – Regional Education
Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
235 Andrew Young International Blvd. NW
Atlanta, GA 30303
Business: 404-586-1917
jhawkins@macoc.com
Judith Heiman
Deputy Secretary of Education
Commonwealth of Virginia
Patrick Henry Building
Office of Governor Tim Kaine
1111 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Business: 804-692-2546
Judy.heiman@governor.virginia.gov
Cassandra Herring
Policy Director
Georgia Department of Education
2054 Twin Towers East
205 Jesse Hill Drive SE
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-657-2965 / Fax: 404-657-6978
cherring@doe.k12.ga.us
Freida Hill
Assistant Commissioner
Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education
1800 Century Place
Suite 400
Atlanta, GA 30345
Business: 404-679-1660 / Fax: 404-982-3485
fhill@dtae.org
Albert Hodge
State Board Member
Georgia State Board of Education
2052 Twin Towers East
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-657-7410 / Fax: 404-657-6978
amh@romega.com
Ronald Jackson
Interim Commissioner
Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education
1800 Century Place NE
Suite 400
Atlanta, GA 30345
Business: 404-679-1600 / Fax: 404-679-2998
rjackson@dtae.org
Antonio Jordan
Director
High School Partnership
North Carolina Community College System Office
5016 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27603
Business: 919-807-7100 / Fax: 919-807-7164
jordana@nccommunitycolleges.edu
Jan Kettlewell
Associate Vice Chancellor for P-16 Initiatives
University System of Georgia
270 Washington Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-656-2261 / Fax: 404-657-0336
jan.kettlewell@usg.edu
Joanne Leonard
Director of Accountability Programs
Governor’s Office of Student Achievement
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive
1966 Twin Towers East
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-463-1538
jleonard@gaosa.org
Debra Lyons
Director of Workforce Development
Governor’s Office of Workforce Development
270 Washington Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-463-5283
dlyons@gov.state.ga.us
Amy Mast
P-16 Division
University System of Georgia and Georgia Department of Education
270 Washington Street, SW
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-463-1754
amast@doe.k12.us.ga
Marsha Moore
Commissioner
Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning
Bright from the Start
10 Park Place South
Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30303
Business: 404-656-5957
Mary Murray
State Board Member
Georgia State Board of Education
2052 Twin Towers East
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404657-7410 / Fax: 404-657-6978
state.board@doe.k12.ga.us
Peggy Nielson
State Board Member
Georgia State Board of Education
2052 Twin Towers East
Atlanta, GA 30308
Business: 229-432-5400 / Fax: 229-434-1172
psn1100@bellsouth.net
Deb Page
Executive Director
Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement
760 Spring Street Room 217
Atlanta, GA 30308
Business: 404-385-4087 / Fax: (404) 385-4151
deb.page@galeaders.org
Claire Pierce
Math Program Director
Georgia Department of Education
2054 Twin Towers East
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-656-3963
Martha Reichrath
Executive Director
Department of Education
Governor’s Office of Student Achievement
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive
1966 Twin Towers East
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-463-1150 / Fax: 404-463-1163
mreichra@gaosa.org
Jennifer Rippner
Education Policy Advisor
Office of Governor Sonny Perdue
Georgia State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-463-2251
jrippner@gov.state.ga.us
Jim Sandy
Executive Director
Michigan Business Leaders for Education Excellence
600 S. Walnut St.
Lansing, MI 48933
Business: 800-748-0266
jsandy@michamber.com
Brad Sims
Communications Office
Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education
1800 Century Place NE Suite 400
Atlanta, GA 30345
Business: (404) 679-1601
bsims@dtae.org
Sue Snow
Director
Curriculum & Instructional Services
Georgia Department of Education
2054 Twin Towers East
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-656-2800
ssnow@doe.k12.ga.us
Robert Strange
Policy Specialist, Education Programs
National Conference of State Legislatures
7700 E. First Place
Denver, CO 80230-7143
Business: 303-364-7700
robert.strange@ncsl.org
Cheryl Thompson-Stacy
President
Eastern Shore Community College
29300 Lankford Hwy
Office A-25
Melfa, VA 23410
Business: 757-789-1775
cstacy@es.vccs.edu
Lydia Tucker
Executive Director
Tech Prep Delaware
371-A West North Street
Dover, DE 19904
Business: 302-739-6163 / Fax: 302-739-6171
ltucker@doe.k12.de.us
Margaret Venable
Assistant Vice President, Education Outreach
Early College Coordinating Committee
Gateway to College, Georgia Perimeter College
3251 Pathersville Road
Decatur, GA 30034
Business: 678-891-2770 / Fax: 404-244-5109
mvenable@gpc.edu
Linda Wallinger
Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
Virginia Department of Education
James Monroe Building
101 North 14th Street, 25th Floo
Richmond, VA 23219
Business: 804-225-2023
Linda.Wallinger@doe.virginia.gov
Ken Whitehurst
Associate Vice President, Academic & Student Services
North Carolina Community College System
5016 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699
whitehurstk@nccommunitycolleges.edu
Mark Whitlock
CEO
Central Educational Center (CEC)
160 Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive
Newnan, GA 30263
Business: 678-423-2009 / Fax: 678-423-2008
mark.whitlock@gacec.com
Mark Wilson
Principal
Morgan County High School
1231 College Drive
Madison, GA 30650
Business: 706-342-2336
mark.wilson@morgan.k12.ga.us
Larry Winter
State Board Member
Georgia State Board of Education
2052 Twin Tower East
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 706-278-2834
state.board@doe.k12.ga.us
James Woodard
Director
Career, Technical, & Agricultural Education
Georgia Department of Education
2054 Twin Towers East
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 404-657-8304 / Fax: 404-651-8984
jwoodard@doe.k12.ga.us
Linda Zechmann
State Board Member
Georgia State Board of Education
2052 Twin Towers East
Atlanta, GA 30334
Business: 912-285-4499 / Fax: 912-285-2558
lindazechmann@wayxcable.com
