EdQuest Georgia highlights seven core policy areas common across high-performing states and countries
MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Cardoza, mcardoza@gpee.org, 404-223-2464
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November 9, 2017 – The Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education today released a new policy framework for education – EdQuest Georgia: Charting Educational Reform (EdQuestGa.org) at the November Critical Issues Forum. The EdQuest Georgia framework is designed to help stakeholders understand Georgia’s system of education, and to provide a concept of how the parts and pieces of the system fit together and reinforce each other.
Based in best practice research, EdQuest highlights seven core policy areas that are common across high-performing states and countries. The baseline report examines where Georgia is strong and should continue the great work being done, as well as opportunities that need to be addressed to move the state forward.
“There is still work to be done in order to make Georgia a top performing state where all children – despite race, economic background, or community – have the same access to a high-quality education,” said Dr. Steve Dolinger, president of the Georgia Partnership. “The research presented in the EdQuest report represents common factors that account for the success of other countries and states that have the best education outcomes. I encourage our elected officials and policymakers to review EdQuest and take action on the opportunities presented throughout.
In one form or another, all high-performing states and countries share core policy areas that support the following:
- Foundations for learning, which include supports from birth for families, schools, and communities as well as access to high quality early learning.
- Quality teaching must be ensured for all students by providing supports for teachers across recruitment, retention, and professional development and learning.
- Quality leadership within schools – such as teacher-leaders, counselors, and principals – and those outside the school building such as district and state leaders.
- Supportive learning environments that promote positive conditions for learning both within schools through fostering positive school climate and social and emotional learning for students, and outside of school in the home and throughout the community.
- Advanced instructional systems that support high standards, personalized learning, innovation, a strong accountability system, and aligned curriculum.
- Clear pathways to post-secondary success that support the transition from high school into post-secondary education, and ensure post-secondary education access and success.
- Adequate and equitable funding for all students.
“I am so proud to have been part of the EdQuest development,” said Stephanie Blank, EdQuest Steering Committee member and longtime champion of children and education. “If the opportunities for sustained support and strategic changes found in this report are implemented in a meaningful way, I believe we will make great progress towards our EdQuest goal of making Georgia a national and global education leader.”
STEAM Asset Map
The STEAM Asset Map, also part of EdQuest Georgia, is a map designed to show where investments have been made in STEM and STEAM education across Georgia. STEM/ STEAM are acronyms for the subjects of Science Technology Engineering (Arts) and Math. This map contains the following layers:
Schools: Information on all Georgia public schools, including demographic information of the school and neighborhood, student achievement in STEM fields, and whether those schools have been STEM or STEAM certified by the Georgia Department of Education.
Out of School Opportunities: Opportunities for students to participate in STEM or STEAM activities outside of school, including where these activities are located and when they take place. These opportunities were reported by partner organizations and through self-reporting, and we present them with no judgment as to the quality of each. Please contact individual programs for more information.
Grants: Philanthropic investments in STEM and STEAM throughout the state.
Tract Conditions: Filters indicating the concentration throughout the state of the following:
Children below 200% of the Poverty Line
Families below the Poverty Line
Local Conditions Index
For more information, visit EdQuestGa.org.