graduation ceremony

Atlanta Public Schools (APS) recently held its annual State of the District address to provide students, families, stakeholders and the community with an update on the district’s current status of operations.

Streamed live from the Junior Achievement Chick-fil-A Center, APS Interim Superintendent Danielle S. Battle shared the district’s accomplishments, how they are meeting the needs of their students and staff, what needs addressing, and what’s on the horizon.

In addition, members of the senior cabinet highlighted the outcomes achieved through their teams’ efforts in implementing the district’s strategic plan.

Here are the top ten takeaways from this year’s APS State of the District:

1. Literacy at the Heart

The theme for Dr. Battle’s administration has been Leading forward with CARE (Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Empathy). At the helm of that message is a desire to develop a district of readers.

To that end, the APS Division of Academics and the Superintendent’s office have implemented “Readers are Leaders,” an initiative named by the Teacher Advisory Committee. The initiative directly supports and meets the House Bill 538 (The Georgia Early Literacy Act) mandate, which calls for high-quality instructional materials, teacher training, universal reading screeners, and several other responsibilities and timelines to ensure teachers are fully equipped to guide students along their literacy journey.

“Atlanta Public Schools is utilizing the science of reading to equip our teachers with the additional necessary tools to birth a district of proficient readers,” said Dr. Battle.

Additionally, APS has teamed up with the Rollins Center for Language and Literacy to pilot eight schools in their Literacy and Justice for All program. Those schools are Barack and Michelle Obama Academy, Dobbs Elementary, Dunbar Elementary, Heritage Academy, Kimberly Elementary, Miles Elementary, Peyton Forest Elementary, and Tuskegee Airmen Global Academy.

2. Incentives that Motivate

To assist in carrying out the district’s objective to prioritize literacy and to ensure the success of the “Readers are Leaders” teacher initiative, APS is using the Cox Campus Modules to provide incentives for success.

All APS teaching staff participants, including the Superintendent, will engage in coursework over an 18-month period, in which teachers with a completion rate of 80 percent or higher in modules 1-4 will receive a $1250 stipend. Furthermore, an additional stipend of $1250 will be given for an 80 percent or higher completion rate for modules 5-8.

According to APS Special Assistant to the Superintendent Sherri Forrest, the work has already begun.

“I’m excited to share that we have already started professional learning in the Science of Reading,” Forrest said. “We are starting each module with principals, assistant principals, and instructional coaches first. Then we move to teachers so they will have the wraparound support needed to succeed. Families should stay tuned for some community engagement this Spring to learn more about our efforts but also how to support your students.”

In conjunction with monetary incentives, a competitive compensation philosophy has been implemented with the goal of making APS a leader in the space of Base Pay for teachers and administrators.

“We are currently reviewing our standing in the market and plan to recommend the necessary market adjustments in alignment with our compensation philosophy for the upcoming school year,” APS Chief of Human Resources Nicole Lawson said.

Additionally, APS offers sustaining programs designed to attract new teachers and staff, including a partnership with Georgia State University, where selected teachers will be able to complete fully funded master’s degree programs at the university.

3. Safety at the Forefront

The Atlanta Public Schools Police Department is committed to providing swift action in all situations involving the safety of students and staff and performing ongoing reviews of security protocols to ensure the best and most effective outcomes for those entrusted to the district’s care.

During her address, Dr. Battle stressed the importance of parents and caregivers talking to their children about making wise and safe choices and working together to provide safe environments, both at home and at school.

“If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together,” Dr. Battle said, quoting the proverb.

APS is also proactive in ensuring students have support and direct access to trusted national agencies that offer social, emotional, and mental health resources.

By combining proven safety protocols, prompt law enforcement, compassionate support, and parent partnership, APS stands ready to successfully navigate any challenge.

4. Graduation as the Goal

The mission of Atlanta Public Schools is to ensure every student graduates ready for college, career, and life through a caring culture of equity, trust, and collaboration. The graduating Class of 2023 demonstrated that mandate in action by achieving the district’s all-time highest graduation rate of 86.6 percent, exceeding the state graduation rate of 84.4 percent by 2.2 percentage points.

A comprehensive overview of this amazing accomplishment can be viewed on APS Today, the official blog of Atlanta Public Schools.

5. Milestones that Glow and Grow

Dr. Battle highlighted the gains APS experienced regarding the 2023 Georgia Milestones, sharing ways in which students were excelling and improving in their competencies. Likewise in transparency, Dr. Battle also shared the areas where there is still a need for improvement. Below is an excerpt from her address:

“In English Language Arts (ELA) in grades 3-5, we saw the highest year-over-year gains in proficient and distinguished levels since 2015. That year also brought a decrease in the percentage of beginning learners.

However, with a 34.7% proficiency rate, we know there is much more work for us to do.

In the middle grades ELA, seventh grade had the most significant year-over-year gains since 2015, with a 3.8% increase.

Sixth and seventh grades also saw a decrease in the percentage of beginning learners from 2022-2023.

In 2023, 68% of students in grades 4-8 in Atlanta Public Schools achieved typical or high growth in ELA. Growth denotes student’s academic growth compared to their peers.

But with a 31.8% middle-grade proficiency rate, we still have work to do.

We had an increase of 4.7% in 2023, which was the most significant year-over-year increase since 2015. This year also marked a decrease in those identified as beginning learners.

But we know that with a 34.1% proficiency rate in math for grades 3-5, we still have work to do.

We experienced growth in math in grades 4-8, with 66% of students experiencing typical or high growth.

2023 brought a 1.9% gain for sixth grade students scoring at the proficiency and distinguished levels. The sixth and seventh grades also saw a decrease in the percentage of beginner learners from 2022-2023.

But with a 22.8% proficiency rate, we still have a lot of work to do. The End of Course Tests brought about the most significant increase in Algebra I. Algebra I saw the largest increase in students scoring proficient or above from 2022-2023.”

—Dr. Daniells S. Battle, APS Interim Superintendent

6. Nutrition’s New Home

Larry Hoskins, Chief Operations Officer for APS, shared the news that the district will transition to an in-house food service model after partnering with outside vendors for more than 20 years. What’s especially exciting about this is that all nutrition workers will be APS employees, and more importantly, the enhancement of the quality of ingredients used in school meals will provide students with healthier and more nutritious food options.

APS has already begun the process of hiring food assistants and cafeteria workers, offering competitive salaries and incentives. The new Nutrition model will officially launch in the 2024-2025 school year.

7. Support Where it Counts

Atlanta Public Schools is prioritizing efforts to ensure the leaders on the front lines in their schools receive the support they require to effectively educate students and run the day to day operations of their facilities. By doing so, ongoing and personalized support to principals across various domains is being provided, including budget planning and management, staffing optimization, school safety protocols, strategies for student promotion and retention, and addressing retention challenges through targeted interventions and professional development opportunities.

In addition, APS will host a summer retreat to design and foster equitable learning environments, address systemic barriers, and promote inclusivity in teaching and learning practices.

8. APS by the Numbers

Each State of the District attendee received a copy of a summary of the district’s current numbers for 2023-2024 school year, which included stats on student enrollment, graduation numbers, diversity percentages, and other key indicators unique to Atlanta Public Schools.

*To view the district’s current numbers, click the image directly above.

9. Innovative Developments

With the rapid advancement of technology, APS is dedicated to ensuring its students and staff have access to state-of-the art tools and devices that will usher them into the future.

This school year, APS oversaw the implementation of the only four Verizon Innovative Learning Labs in the State of Georgia. Students at Crawford W. Long Middle School, H.J. Russell West End Academy, Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, and Price Middle School now have access to robotics, equipment and other emerging technologies designed to elevate the educational space.

There are also several new developments on the horizon at APS that will not only support the mission of the district but also uplift the well-being of the entire family.

Over the coming months, the APS Division of Academics will be conducting multiple stakeholder engagement sessions to determine the needs of students and families to be incorporated into a new student and family services center, which will be housed at the Oglethorpe Building.

“All of our student support services [will be housed in the center] like school social work, homeless services, health services, student assignment and records, school counseling, etc.,” APS Chief Academics Officer Yolanda Brown said. “This will allow students and families easier access to services and supports.”

10. The APS “Battle Plan”

APS is moving forward along a solid, strong trajectory and will continue to lead the charge of effectively preparing its students for college, career, and life.

The reoccurring themes in the State of the District address supported what Dr. Battle called the “Battle Plan” of the district: prioritizing efforts in literacy, special education, principals and schools, and resources.

As APS continues to lead forward with CARE, celebrating accomplishments while maintaining transparency and addressing the areas of need will remain a primary focus, making APS a leader in primary and secondary education. “I say this all the time and I truly believe it to the core— Atlanta Public Schools can be that urban district that is the model for the country,” said Dr. Battle.

To view the video recording of the 2024 Atlanta Public Schools State of the District Address, please click the image below. APS ©