Atlanta Public Schools (APS) continued to show overall improvement on the College and Career Readiness Index (CCRPI), according to the 2025 CCRPI data, released by the Georgia Department of Education.
The CCRPI includes five components: Content Mastery, Progress, Closing Gaps, Readiness, and – for high schools – Graduation Rate. APS scored 100 on the Closing Gaps component in elementary schools and improved Readiness and Content Mastery scores at all grade bands. Additionally, students with disabilities and who are economically disadvantaged made gains in 11 of 12 areas.
Here is how Burgess-Peterson Academy Elementary School achieved its gains:
Q: What specific strategies or initiatives did your school implement that you believe contributed most to the CCRPI improvement?
A: We have an intentional focus on four key school initiatives: our structured literacy practices, effective math instruction, enhancing our IB PYP program, and daily Social Emotional Learning across the school day.
Our biggest assets are our teachers and students. We invest and support our teachers to elevate their strengths and knowledge for personal and student growth.
Q: Can you share examples of how your teachers are driving student growth and achievement, and any practices that have been particularly effective?
A: Our BPA teachers drive student growth and achievement through deep content expertise, consistent instructional excellence, and highly collaborative practices. Every day is a day with high-quality instruction.
Grade-level teams meet regularly to intentionally internalize upcoming lessons, align instructional strategies, and build scaffolds or enrichment to support diverse learners.
We procure professional learning opportunities for our staff in alignment with needs identified by our teachers and our data. For example, we have a partnership with Reading is Essential for All People (REAP) and Reading Universe, which has strengthened our structured literacy practices and helped ensure all teachers have access to high-quality training.
In math, our teachers use consistent practices guided by our schoolwide scope and sequence, BPA unit instructional plans, and common, collaboratively created, standards-aligned assessments for each unit. This alignment gives teachers clear goals, consistent checkpoints, and dedicated time to internalize content and reflect on student learning, strengthening instruction across the building.
Q: What is something impactful/innovative happening in the area of teaching and learning at your school that sets your school apart?
A: We excel in daily structured literacy instruction based in the Science of Reading – intentionally integrated with science and social studies through our IB Planners.
Our dedicated student support team uses data to provide targeted instruction in our Reading and Math Lab, focused on remediating and excelling student achievement. We align interventions with classroom instruction and monitor progress closely to support each student as they make meaningful growth.
BPA implements a comprehensive school counseling program that ensures all students receive data-driven support through Tier 1 counseling instruction and Tier 2 small group instruction, with topics such as executive functioning skills, study skills, and employability skills. Students are empowered to develop self-advocacy skills essential to their academic success as they matriculate to middle and high school.
There is a schoolwide culture of celebrating students and their growth, going beyond traditional incentives. We have a system where students can set and know their goals, track their progress, and get schoolwide recognition for meeting and exceeding expectations within our BPA schoolwide morning meetings, earning brag tags, special t-shirts, and more.
BPA has three signature events to bridge our daily teaching and learning with family engagement – Family Literacy Night, Family Math Night, and Culture Fest. These three events strengthen the connection between BPA and home, bring excitement to literacy, math, and our IB PYP program, while providing families with resources, strategies, and opportunities to engage as a school community.
Q: What are your hopes or expectations for student achievement moving forward, and how do you plan to build on this recent success?
A: BPA is committed to deepening proficiency in literacy and mathematics and continuing to close gaps through intentional, data-driven supports – all while addressing the needs of the whole child.
A major part of our plan is to maintain a strong, stable, and highly skilled staff. We want BPA to continue being a place where great educators feel proud to work and inspired to stay. That means investing in meaningful professional learning, honoring teachers’ expertise, and fostering a school culture where all staff feel respected, supported, and trusted. When we take care of our staff, they in turn take exceptional care of our students, and that is at the heart of how we will continue building on this success.
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