For the second year in a row, the Henry County Board of Education has been named a finalist for the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) Large System Governance Team of the Year, a recognition awarded to only 11 out of 180 districts in the state.
It has been a busy year for the local board of education, as they have led the district through the continued effects experienced from the global pandemic. Work of the board has included adoption of a new five-year strategic plan, making historic investments in the district’s workforce and per-student expenditures, strong investments in student and staff safety and health, and continuing to earn the community’s trust as evidenced through the passage of E-SPLOST 6 and continued transparency of district investments. The board has also remained committed to assurances of proactively monitoring and accelerating reading proficiency for every student, addressing essential standards and skills gaps caused by disruptions in learning in ELA and math, and supporting students in high school to recover course credits needed to graduate.
Most notable, however, is that the recognition is bestowed only to districts and governance teams demonstrating strong student performance results. Despite the strains the pandemic placed on education, students in Henry County Schools are outperforming peers across the nation in reading and math according to results garnered from the Measuring Academic Progress (MAP) Growth assessments the district utilizes. In the 2017-18 school year, 35 schools were in the low achievement category in math performance and 18 schools were in the low achievement category in reading based on MAP assessment results. Looking at the 2020-21 school year, the performance levels reversed, and now 21 schools are in the high achievement category in math and 27 schools are in the high achievement category in reading. This demonstrates that COVID has not caused all to be lost for kids and their learning.
“We are fortunate to be able to serve such a great community of engaged citizens who care about the future and success of students,” said Board Chair Holly Cobb (Dist. 3). “Being recognized as a top board of education for the second year in a row is a testament to our unified governance model and our collective work to ensure that all students and staff have an exceptional educational experience right here in Henry County Schools.”
Members of the board and Superintendent Mary Elizabeth Davis attended the awards ceremony in Atlanta on Wednesday, December 1, where they were recognized for their finalist accomplishment along with other finalist districts. It was a great moment for the governance team to reflect on the work accomplished and the opportunities ahead.
For more information on Henry County Schools, visit www.henry.k12.ga.us.
