GAINESVILLE - The Gainesville School Board Monday night discussed changes coming to Gainesville High School and the middle school as a result of a couple of new state laws.<br />
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LaCrisia Larkin, Kay Holleman, from the high school, and Rakia Marcus from the middle school, presented the impact of House Bill 168 and House Bill 400, the "Bridge Act," will have on the two schools.<br />
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The legislation requires middle schools to provide career education, survey with interest inventories, development of student individual graduation plans, which includes parent approval, and documenation in GaCollege411. Eighth-grade students are then advised on a Program of Study for high school that includes career, technical, engineering, or agricultural courses based on their career interests. <br />
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The Board was also told that Gainesville High School will begin exploring restructuring schedules and organization in order to transition to a new high school diploma that is expected to begin in 2012-2013. <br />
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Special features of HB 168 include an emphasis on performance outcomes rather than seat time. Examples of alternate ways to complete course credits were given. They included students taking an assessment and demonstrating mastery of the standards and receiving course credits prior to spending the "seat time" in the class. Dual enrollment options have increased at GHS, and more will continue to be offered. The Board clarified with staff that current programs, like arts and Advanced Placement, would remain in place.<br />
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AYP UPDATE <br />
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Adequate Yearly Progress Final Determinations were announced. Gainesville City Schools is required to meet state targets in 106 groups and sub-groups. One hundred targets were met. <br />
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Gainesville High School, Enota, Fair Street, New Holland, and Gainesville Exploration Academies made AYP in the final determination. Gainesville Middle Schools missed targets in English Language Arts and Math for English Language Learners and English-Language Arts for Students with Disabilities. Wood's Mill Academy missed targets in GHSGT Math. <br />
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Data was presented that showed that Gainesville Middle School had increased their over-all score performance over the prior year. However, federal targets, Annual Measurable Objectives, were increased this year. <br />
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Data was presented that showed that at every school in the district, the number of students exceeding expectations had increased. Jamey Moore, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, explained that the efforts to improve the rigor and relevancy in the classroom and school-wide enrichment called "talent development" in elementary schools attributed to those results.<br />
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Gainesville High School has an 87.6 graduation rate for this year. That is an increase from last year's 81.3 rate. <br />
