Georgia education plan wins federal approval - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Georgia education plan wins federal approval

May 19, 2003 

(Atlanta-AP) -- Georgia has won federal approval for its education accountability plan, a step required by the No Child Left Behind Act. U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige visited the state Capitol today to announce that Georgia is the 20th state to earn federal approval for its plan.

New national education laws require states to show how they will close achievement gaps and have all students proficient in reading and math by 2014. States must also give periodic tests to gauge performance and create school report cards to tell parents about the school's progress.

The nation's education chief was joined by Schools Superintendent Kathy Cox and two Georgia congressmen. The officials were surrounded by uniform-wearing third-graders from an Atlanta private school. Private schools are not subject to the same "No Child Left Behind" rules as public schools.

 The federal act is aimed at improving school performance among the children that often fail -- racial minorities and the poor.

Schools that do not show adequate progress face a series of sanctions, from the provision that parents can transfer their children out of schools labeled failing to state intervention.

On the Net:
Georgia Education Department: http://www.doe.k12.ga.us
No Child Left Behind: http://www.nochildleftbehind.gov