Published Saturday, November 20, 2004
By Angie Green
With education reform beginning to sweep Georgia, some schools are already ahead of the game. Neighborhood Charter School in Atlanta, for instance, is in its third year of operation. Despite a fire that has left the school homeless for almost two years, and 27 percent of the students enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program, the students continue to make tremendous gains in core academic areas.
On the Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT), 97 percent of Neighborhood’s first-graders met or exceeded the reading standard, while 90 percent did so in the fourth grade. In the third grade, 100 percent of the students met or exceeded the English/Language Arts Standard. And in the fourth grade, 100 percent of students met or exceeded standards in science.
The school is making these gains with a diverse student body (47 percent black, 39 percent white, 11 percent multi-racial, 3 percent Hispanic, 1 percent other) and a commitment from parents. During the year, parents volunteered 3,267 hours, which accounted for 130 percent of the required hours.
Poised to continue these gains, the school will move back into the historic Slaton building in the 2005 school year. With a permanent home, and a firm foundation of student achievement, Neighborhood Charter School is on course to prove that all children can learn.
By Angie Green
With education reform beginning to sweep Georgia, some schools are already ahead of the game. Neighborhood Charter School in Atlanta, for instance, is in its third year of operation. Despite a fire that has left the school homeless for almost two years, and 27 percent of the students enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program, the students continue to make tremendous gains in core academic areas.
On the Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT), 97 percent of Neighborhood’s first-graders met or exceeded the reading standard, while 90 percent did so in the fourth grade. In the third grade, 100 percent of the students met or exceeded the English/Language Arts Standard. And in the fourth grade, 100 percent of students met or exceeded standards in science.
The school is making these gains with a diverse student body (47 percent black, 39 percent white, 11 percent multi-racial, 3 percent Hispanic, 1 percent other) and a commitment from parents. During the year, parents volunteered 3,267 hours, which accounted for 130 percent of the required hours.
Poised to continue these gains, the school will move back into the historic Slaton building in the 2005 school year. With a permanent home, and a firm foundation of student achievement, Neighborhood Charter School is on course to prove that all children can learn.
