University System News:
www.ajc.com
Georgia agency releases education report card
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-education/georgia-agency-releases-education-report-card/nmjRs/
Ty Tagami
The Georgia Governor’s Office of Student Achievement has published graduation rates, student retention rates, teacher quality and other educational “report card” measures on its website. The 2013-14 data include elementary and high school test scores, and more obscure metrics: the percentage of classes at high poverty schools not taught by high quality teachers was 7.14 versus 2.53 at low-poverty schools, for instance; and 58.1 percent of 4-year-olds were enrolled in pre-K programs, down from 58.5 percent the prior year. The one-year system-wide student retention rate at University System of Georgia was 78.5 percent, up from 76.1 percent the year before, with Georgia Tech leading the group.
www.ecampusnews.com
Future of textbooks increasingly looks digital
http://www.ecampusnews.com/top-news/future-digital-textbooks-563/
By Lee Shearer, Athens Banner-Herald
Students and teachers in some University of Georgia introductory biology courses experimented with using a free digital textbook instead of expensive paper texts in fall 2013 courses, and liked it. About 86 percent of nearly 700 students surveyed after the courses said their online textbook was as good as or better than a traditional paper textbook. But that experiment was just a fraction of what’s coming, according to Houston Davis, executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer of the University System of Georgia.
USG Institutions:
www.gainesvilletimes.com
Lot could alleviate UNG parking problems at Gainesville campus
Renovations for sidewalks planned to aid students
http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/6/article/110477/
By Hailey Van Parys
Students have been complaining about the parking options at the Gainesville campus of the University of North Georgia for several years, but their troubles may soon be over thanks to an existing park-and-ride lot off Exit 17 of Interstate 985. A plan for the lot’s renovation will include a sidewalk 1,500 feet long and 5 feet wide off Landrum Education Drive. Oakwood City Council voted Monday night to move forward on the $45,000 project with the college and Hall County, with each party pitching in $15,000.
www.onlineathens.com
Fired UGA officer on track to file lawsuit, lawyer says
http://onlineathens.com/uga/2015-06-23/fired-officer-track-file-lawsuit-lawyer-says
By LEE SHEARER
A fired University of Georgia police officer hasn’t yet filed a lawsuit against his former employers, but it’s only a matter of time, according to his lawyer. But former UGA officer Jay Park, fired after a dispute with his bosses stemming from an alcohol and drug “amnesty” law, is on track to file, said lawyer Michael Puglise. Park requested reinstatement at UGA, which was denied; Puglise has also filed a notice of his claims with lawyers for the state, he said. “We have to wait till UGA formally denies the claim,” he said. Park has also filed an EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) complaint, Puglise said.
www.wmbfnews.com
Fugitive protester granted bond
http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/29377945/fugitive-protester-granted-bond
By Colter Anstaett
VALDOSTA, GA (WALB) -The fugitive protester accused of bringing a gun onto the Valdosta State University campus in April could get out of jail on bond. Eric Sheppard was originally denied bond after he was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Tampa Bay, Florida, but his attorney appealed the decision and a Lowndes County Magistrate Judge had, as of Monday, granted Sheppard a bond of $25,000.
Higher Education News:
www.getschooled.blog.ajc.com
Get Schooled with Maureen Downey
Georgia spends less on students than 39 other states. Does it show?
http://getschooled.blog.ajc.com/2015/06/22/georgia-spends-less-on-students-than-39-other-states-does-it-show/
The AJC ran a news story about average state investments in education that merits discussion, especially when the governor wants to assume control of low performing schools and install them in a state-run district. A June report out of Georgia State University shows the state — one of three primary sources of school funding, along with local property taxes and federal dollars — does not invest as much in education as many other states. The report ranks states according to state and local dollars spent on education in 2011-2012. Not surprisingly, the top 10 states are largely in the Northeast and outperform Georgia academically. Georgia ranked 34th in state and local dollars going to schools, investing $9,402 per pupil on average. New York invested the most in education, spending $20,812 per pupil.
www.diverseeducation.com
Study: Knowledge of Earnings Potential Empowers Students
http://diverseeducation.com/article/74096/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203SpecialSend062315&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=cc75b6a04d23459e8b3e16cdbff7c8b9&elqCampaignId=700&elqaid=1038&elqat=1&elqTrackId=754e1a177e9f49289c414fbdfc6e50f6 by Jamaal Sbdul-Alim
In the ongoing discussion about the need for students in the United States to know more about how much they are likely to earn if they pursue a particular program major at a particular school, it pays to take a look at a recent study of an experiment in Chile. There, researchers from Princeton and Brown universities discovered that providing students with information about earnings from a particular degree program more commonly led low-income students to choose programs that will likely enable them to earn about a million more pesos by age 30 than they might have otherwise. That only translates to about $1,923 in U.S. currency, but when you consider all the students involved in the experiment — 37,747 — it accounts for an increase in aggregate earnings of about $72 million.