As you might have noticed, it was a busy week downtown!  The State Board of Education compressed its usual two days worth of meetings into one and quickly took care of its business.  When sworn in, the Board will have two new members: Nick Ellis, former local school board member in Wayne County, replaces Mike Long in District 1 and Richard Valladares, an attorney with Greenberg Traurig and a mentor to students participating in the Georgia Latino Law Foundation, will represent the 6th Congressional district.  Redistricting put Scott Johnson and Scott Sweeney in the same district.  Scott Sweeney now represents the 11th Congressional district.

Agendas for the Committee of the Whole and the State Board meeting are available by clicking on the links. All items were moved to the consent agenda and approved by the Board. State Board member Lisa Kennemore, representing the 4th Congressional district, offered a prayer and led the pledge to begin the meeting of the Committee of the Whole.

Budget items all reflected distribution of federal funds.  Two items were specifically for rural schools as 34 districts receive up to $1.4 million to improve school safety practices and infrastructure and 115 receive up to $11.5 million to improve technology and infrastructure.  To support schools newly identified as Targeted Support and Improvement , Comprehensive Support and Improvement, or Tier IV the Title I, Part A school improvement grant was increased by $1.7 million.

An amendment to the Dual Enrollment State Board rule was initiated to retitle the two options for the program. Standards were adopted for Army JROTC Cyber 1, Hotel Operations and Management, and three courses for the Powersports and Small Engine Maintenance and Repair Pathway. These course will be added to the State-funded List of K-8 Subjects and 9-12 Courses.

An amendment to the Hall County Strategic Waivers Contract was approved to add a waiver of the requirements for school councils. 

State Superintendent Richard Woods passed on offering a report this month.  Chair Jason Downey invited Blake Sullivan to share with the State Board "The Leader In Me" program begun in Bibb County by the Business Education Partnership in Macon.  The program is based on Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It is being used in over 5,000 schools in all 50 states and over 50 countries. Mr. Sullivan offered results from Bibb County. They would like to expand the program statewide.

The State Board will hold its next regularly scheduled meetings February 15-16.