Disproportionate number of 8th Graders Left Behind

In an effort to leave no child behind (NCLB testing), a disproportionate number of 8th graders in Atlanta are in fact being left behind.

Read: Caught by the eighth-grade CRCT? Have to change your plans?

Eighth-graders are required to pass the CRCT math test before being promoted to high school, so school systems across the state, including Gwinnett County's, are anticipating heavier than normal attendance at summer school.

Has the new, tougher test affected your family?

The AJC wants to hear about your experience.

Language Classes are in High Demand

The program director of Gwinnett Technical College continuing education languages has more than tripled her English as a Second Language course offerings, from 75 in 2005, to more than 179 courses offered this past quarter. The courses cost $425.00


English Language Institute, which is also run by Gwinnett Tech has the highly popular free ESL/civics courses, funded by federal and state funds, typically has a waiting list of 150 to 200 students. The institute also runs evening courses at Berkmar Community High School.


The institute is working on a partnership with Victory Church in Norcross that may serve an additional 120 students this spring.

At the Asian American Resource Center in Norcross, Steve Lee is part of an team of seven ESL teachers who teach free classes from Level 1 – very basic ABCs — to level 5, conversational English and writing. (Registration is $20.)

Websites for ESL in Gwinnett:
www.literacygwinnett.com
http:/aceweb.Gwinnett.tec.ga.us/wconect/ShowSchedule.awp
http://gwinnetttech.edu/content.cfm

Full story here: http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2008/01/25/literacy0125.html

Local Colleges

What to go to a local college?

Georgia Gwinnett College
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georiga Tech)
Gwinnett Tech
University of Georgia (UGA)

County Redistricting plan has residents up in arms

There are not enough public schools in Gwinnett. That is a fact. The last school my children went to (before homeschooling) had 25% as many trailers as classrooms. (1 classroom trailer for every 4 classrooms) After adding a second floor to a portion of the school, the amount of trailers has not decreased. This is not unique to this school. It is rampant in Metro Atlanta.

The solution... build new schools. But after the new schools are built who will go to them. This is why a redistricting plan is needed. Parents are not happy.

Perhaps new students can go to the new schools, and existing students can stay in their current schools if they wish.. But this would be a complicated approach to leveling out the number of students enrolled in each school.

Meanwhile here are the important dates you should be aware of
Here's a look at key dates in the redistricting process:

•Nov. 1: Deadline for people to weigh in on the plan by completing a comment form for the school system to review.

•Nov. 13: Public meeting to discuss proposed attendance boundaries — 7 to 9 p.m. in the board room at the Instructional Support Center at 437 Old Peachtree Road in Suwanee.

•Nov. 15: A second public meeting — 7 to 9 p.m. in the board room at the Instructional Support Center at 437 Old Peachtree Road in Suwanee.

• Dec. 5: Revised redistricting maps released.

•Dec. 13: School board votes on redistricting plan.

more info here