ARCHE Report Quantifies the Benefits of Investing in Education
The number of years a student remains in school has a direct correlation to a wide range of factors that influence that student's quality of life. The same correlation also affects job success and other measures of prosperity for Georgia citizens (higher salaries, home ownership, children who tend to do better in school, etc.) and for society as a whole (more talented workforce, higher tax revenues, lower spending for prisons & public assistance and healthier citizens). These are the issues examined in a newly published report by the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education (ARCHE).
Higher Return: How Investing in Education Pays Off For Georgia was sponsored in part by the Georgia Power Foundation and the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation. The report analyzes data from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey and other federal and state government data sources. Human Capitol Research Corporation compiles and analyzed the data for ARCHE.
The report contains 20 charts that provide a graphic understanding of the benefits of staying in school and completing an education that matches a student's personal and career goals.
One of those charts compares the salary for a high school graduate with the salary of a college graduate in 26 job categories. Example: full time Food Service Manager with HS diploma ($32,120) vs. Food Service Manager with college degree ($55,445)
Again from the study: People with college degrees average higher personal incomes and are less likely to be unemployed.
Engineer Your Life (ELY) is a message, a campaign and a web site designed to encourage high schools girls, along with their families, teachers and advisors, to learn more about what life and work are like for engineers. The ELY website features reasons to become an engineer, video of inspiring women engineers, descriptions of dream jobs and resources for further decision making.
Engineer Girl! is a website for girls in middle school who are exploring career options in engineering. This website also includes suggested high school classes to take to plan for an engineering career.
Atlanta Public School Students Participate in Julliard Summer Jazz Residency
The partnership between APS and Julliard, the performing arts school in New York City, is in its second year. In mid-June, Middle and High School Students attended master classes, private, ensemble and theory lessons along with viewing and listening sessions in a week long residency held at North Atlanta's Center for the Arts. The culminating activity of the week was a recital held at Jackson ES.
View the Atlanta Public Schools press release for complete details, pictures and student quotes.
ContactL David Lee Simmons APS Print and Digital Writer 404.802.2849 dsimmons@atlantapublicschools.us
Atlanta Bar Association Offers Summer Internships to Area Students
The Foundation for the Atlanta Bar Association offers a range of programs, including the Summer Law Intern Program. This opportunity allows high school students to experience a 6-week internship in local law firms, government agencies or corporations.
Thirteen current and graduating students from the Therrell High School of Law, Government & Public Policy were joined by students from Southwest DeKalb HS, Pebblebrook HS, Druid Hills HS and Eagle's Landing Christian Academy for the 2009 Internship.
In an Atlanta Public Schools press release, goals for the interns were listed as: * Provide a valuable work experience * Further the students' understanding of the law * Provide a mentor relationship for the students
New Episodes Available for Students & Educators from this Award Winning Series
The producers of Road Trip, the award winning program with the tag line “staying in school is worth the ride” have completed episodes #11 and #12 of the 12 episode series. It is now available on GPB broadcast schedules and on the web for streaming.
In this new episode (#11), All That Matters, Daniel encounters a female student's bubbly, self-confident aunt, who insists that since she dropped out as a teen, her niece should consider it too.
Featured Road Trips
Tour of Moultrie Technical College's HS Horticulture and Construction programs
Tour of Sandersville Technical College's Commercial Truck Driving and Welding programs
Tour of Bainbridge Technical College's Industrial Maintenance program
In the new episode (#12), Home Again, a teen, overwhelmed by choices, is troubled by what to do after his fast approaching graduation from high school.
Featured Road Trips Tour of East Central Technical College's Telecommunications Technology and Recreation Vehicle Technology programs
Tour of West Georgia Technical College's Digital Video Production and Sports and Fitness Management programs
Created by the Technical College System of Georgia in partnership with Georgia Public Broadcasting and in association with the national Stay-in-School initiative, Road Trip is now an official hit in the world of educational programs and is among winners that represent the best work in the industry.
Report of 8th Grade Achievement in the ArtsFirst Since 1997
On June 15, 2009, The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)released The Nation's Report Card (report) on the performance of 8th grade students in music and visual arts as measured on the NAEP assessment administered January-March, 2008 to 7,900 students nationwide. The results were compared to the last time NAEP administered the arts assessment in 1997. Student and school background factors as related to arts achievement are also included in the report.
Students taking the assessments in music were asked questions that required both responding and creative and critical thinking. A sample response question was to ask students to identify the instrument featured in a solo piece of music.
Students in the visual arts were asked to identify the similarities between two self-portraits. They were also asked to add a project to the tasks being measured by including the creation of a self-portrait with materials that were supplied.
The full assessment that includes grades 4 and 12 was not included due to budget cuts. Dance and Theater were not assessed due to the small number of schools that offer all four arts.
The 2008 NAEP arts assessment indicates a decrease in student achievement and a decrease in student visits to museums and other cultural institutions. Viewdata, full report and archived webcast of the NAEP news release event.
The purpose for conducting an assessment in the arts is to provide evidence based practices to guide arts education instruction and make these practices available to all educators and students.
First Participants Add to State's Expertise in Education
The Education Policy Fellowship Program is an professional development initiative of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (GPEE) and co-sponsored by the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University and the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach at the University of Georgia.
View a list of the first class of graduates and a presentation on the Education Policy Fellowship program. The charge given to the graduates was to "do the difficult work, ask the tough questions, and say what needs to be said".
Press Announcement from GPEE The inaugural class of the Education Policy Fellowship Program graduated 20 participants June 18 with an observance held at Georgia Power headquarters. The Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education brought the national program to the state last October and the first group of Fellows began their 10 month course of instruction.
Georgia State University's Andrew Young School of Public Policy and the Office of the Vice President for Public Service & Outreach at the University of Georgia are co-sponsors. Georgia is one of 13 states and the District of Columbia to offer the unique program designed to build education policy expertise.
The Georgia Partnership has long recognized the need to develop leaders across the state who have a clear understanding of how education policy is made. The organization collaborated with The Institute for Educational Leadership in Washington DC, which oversees the national operation.
Speaking at the program were Dr. Art Dunning and Dr. David Sjoquist representing the University of Georgia and Georgia State University respectively. Both men underlined the importance of the program and encouraged the graduates to use what they had learned to make a difference in education in Georgia.
The program was composed of eight monthly colloquiums, attendance at a national leadership conference in Arizona, and a participation in a National Washington Policy Seminar. Speakers included leaders in a wide variety of subjects including funding, higher education, school choice, early education, politics, the demographic landscape and more.
For more information, contact Kelley Dean (kdean@gpee.org)
