ATLANTA — Knowing the fundamental importance of early literacy and students’ ability to read proficiently by third grade, the Georgia Department of Education is recognizing schools with exceptional achievement or growth in third grade reading as 2022-23 Literacy Leaders.
Schools with 90% or more of their third-grade students reading at grade level or above are being recognized for outstanding achievement, and schools with a 15% or higher increase from 2021-22 to 2022-23 are being recognized for outstanding growth.
Five Clayton County schools were recognized for outstanding growth — Harper Elementary School, Kay R. Pace Elementary School of the Arts, Northcutt Elementary School, Pointe South Elementary School, and West Clayton Elementary School.
A total of 155 schools statewide met the qualifications to be recognized as Literacy Leaders.
Seventy were recognized for achievement while 84 were recognized for growth. One school — Eastside Elementary School in Coweta County — qualified in both categories.
“The ability to read opens up the doors not only to the rest of a student’s education but to their ability to continue learning throughout their life,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “That’s why we are laser-focused on literacy at the Georgia Department of Education and as a state. These schools — our Literacy Leaders — are doing exceptional work to ensure every student is equipped with the lifelong skill of literacy, and it’s an honor to recognize them.”
Throughout September and October, Woods is visiting selected schools identified as Literacy Leaders to recognize and congratulate them.
The 2022-23 Georgia Milestones scores showed positive indicators in the area of early literacy — particularly given the critical importance of students’ ability to read by third grade.
Third-grade English…
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