On Wednesday, the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement unveiled a list of schools across Georgia designated as “underperforming,” a classification that now grants parents of students in these schools the opportunity to apply for financial assistance for private education. Among the schools highlighted in the report, LeRoy Massey Elementary School and Summerville Middle School in Chattooga County were identified as underperforming.

This designation allows eligible families to apply for a voucher of up to $6,500, which can be used towards private school tuition, homeschooling expenses, or other education-related costs.  This initiative is part of the Promise Schools voucher program, which was signed into law earlier this year by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp through Senate Bill 233. The program aims to provide educational opportunities for students zoned in public schools that fall within the bottom 25% for academic achievement.

School systems across the state are questioning the matrix used by GOSA to determine the designations. A school is considered low-performing if its CCRPI score is at or below the 25th percentile for its grade cluster. The CCRPI measures a school’s performance and progress on multiple measures, including test scores. Based on 2018-2019 CCRPI scores, schools with the following scores are “low-performing schools” for the purposes of this law:

  • Elementary Schools: 2018-2019 CCRPI score of 66.1 or less
  • Middle Schools: 2018-2019 CCRPI score of 66.3 or less
  • High Schools: 2018-2019 CCRPI score of 66.2 or less

Chattooga County School Supt. Michelle Helie says that both local schools scored just below the GOSA required minimum.  Heile told WZQZ News, ” Underperforming is such a strong word, especially when both schools have shown such improvement”.  The superintendent is urging any family considering using the voucher program to contact the principal at LeRoy Massey or Summerville Middle School to have a discussion about the implications of withdrawing their student and choosing home school or private school.

Families considering using the voucher program should also realize that it is a reimbursement program, and all reimbursement expenses up to $6,500 must be approved by a review board before the money can be refunded.