Atlanta Public Schools (APS) is Atlanta’s school system. From Cascade to Glenwood, Northside Drive to Cleveland Avenue, and everything in between, Atlanta’s students are being educated and empowered to shape the future.
APS is home to more than 49,000 students spread across 65 neighborhood schools, 18 charter schools, two citywide single-gender academies, two alternative schools, and five partner schools.
Photos by Jessica Mynatt
During a sprawling city-wide bus tour in the custom wrapped APS MARTA bus, APS Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson visited a few of the amazing schools where students are thriving in a variety of programs that are preparing them to be successful in whichever career pathways they choose.
Students at the Atlanta College and Career Academy (ACCA) get an immersive, hands-on experience with different career pathways that prepares them to immediately enter the workforce.
ACCA offers scholars the opportunity to complete an entire pathway in one academic year and also earn college credits while still in high school. They learn directly from professionals who work in industries like automotive repair, HVAC, healthcare, and dentistry.
“Being able to take what I learned in class and immediately be able to apply it in the real world towards my career gives me a great platform,” said Christian Garcia, a North Atlanta student whose experience at ACCA has already helped him get a job.
The next stop on the APS x MARTA tour was Benteen Elementary School, an International Baccalaureate (IB) school that also has a Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program where Atlanta’s youngest students are learning to become globally conscious, bilingual citizens of the world.
Another diamond in APS is one of the only two single-gendered public schools in the state of Georgia, Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy (CSKYWLA). The city-wide, all-girls school consistently posts a 100% graduation rate and is the only APS school that offers Spanish, French, German, Mandarin (Chinese), Japanese, and American Sign Language (ASL) courses. Next year, the school is also adding Korean to its impressive list of language offerings.
The final stop on the APS x MARTA tour was H.J. Russell West End Academy, home of the best honey in the city. The students in the Russell Bee Club aren’t just beekeepers, but entrepreneurs who collect, package, and sell the honey they harvest.
The students were also proud to share their recent accomplishments at the APS Esports tournament and the APS Flag Football season with Dr. Johnson.
This tour was just a glimpse into some of the incredible programs that students in APS have access to. Across the district, school administrators, teachers, and staff are going the extra mile to bring excellence out of all of Atlanta’s students.
APS is going Back to the Basics to strengthen the foundation of learning within the school district. By elevating rigorous instruction, ensuring equitable access to advanced learning opportunities, and deepening investment in student well-being, every APS student, in every school, will have the tools, experiences, and support needed to pursue a future full of possibility.
In the past few years, APS has continued to break its own record graduation rates. Graduates are earning millions of dollars in scholarships. APS schools are earning state recognition in literacy, academic growth, and literally Beating the Odds.
Learn more about Atlanta Public Schools by visiting our district website.
