Martha Dalton

 State data show more Georgia high school students are earning diplomas. Last year, about 69% of high school seniors graduated, compared to about 67% the year before. 

State officials say the number of bicycle-related fatality crashes in Georgia is on the rise. According to the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the number increased by 28% in 2012. 

Officials attribute the increase to a growing number of cyclists on the road. Kari Watkins, a professor of civil engineering at Georgia Tech, developed an app for Atlanta cyclists.

During  the recent legislative session, some lawmakers introduced a bill repealing Georgia’s adoption of a set of new education standards called the Common Core. The bill didn’t pass the House, but that hasn’t stopped some officials from voicing their opposition. The Cobb County school board recently voted against adopting math materials aligned to the standards.

Cobb County school board chair Randy Scamihorn says he voted “no” because he wasn’t sure if the Common Core would stick around.

The Cobb County school board is expected to vote Thursday night on a budget for the upcoming school year. The district is facing an $86 million deficit.

To balance the budget, the board is considering some steep cuts. Board member David Morgan says the district has to adjust to living within its means, which includes a shrinking tax digest.

  Gov. Nathan Deal Wednesday issued an executive order regarding Georgia’s adoption of a new set of education standards, called the Common Core.  The order comes after some Republican lawmakers have publicly opposed the standards. 

The governor’s order states that federal education standards won’t be imposed on Georgia. He also distinguished between standards and curriculum.

Five of six suspended members of the DeKalb County school board have petitioned Gov. Deal to get their seats back. The governor suspended, and then replaced, the six members at the recommendation of the state board of education. 

Former board chair Eugene Walker, Jesse Cunningham, Donna Edler, Sarah Copelin-Wood, and Pam Speaks are the five who’ve submitted petitions. Gov. Deal’s spokesperson Brian Robinson says the clock is ticking.

Educators hope a statewide longitudinal data system will help them address critical issues, such as increasing retention and graduation rates. The system tracks students from Kindergarten to 12th grade. 

The Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education hosted a panel discussion on data uses. Educators discussed how to use the data system to help students. Panelist Andy Parsons, an assistant commissioner with the Technical College System of Georgia, said the data system can identify gaps, such as which students need remediation.  

Georgia is one of 45 states adopting a new set of education standards called the Common Core. The state-led initiative was devised with input from educators, parents, and other stakeholders. But recently, some state lawmakers have opposed Georgia’s adoption of the standards. 

Georgia is wrapping up year one of Common Core implementation in Math and English/Language Arts. Lawmakers who support the move, such as Sen. Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody), say it will help boost achievement.

Officials with the DeKalb County schools originally predicted the district would run a deficit of tens of millions of dollars next year. But when interim superintendent Michael Thurmond released his proposed budget last week, it revealed a surplus of more than $9 million. 

District spokesman Jeff Dickerson says the money came from federal and state reimbursements that district officials didn’t know to ask for.

Georgia has one of the nation’s lowest college completion rates. According to national data, in 2009, just 47% of the state’s college students graduated from a four-year school. Now some schools are trying to boost rates by reaching out to adult learners.