SACS review team recommends accreditation for Floyd County Schools

Posted on 03/09/2011

The Quality Assurance Review team from AdvancED, the accreditation organization that includes the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), has completed an extensive review of Floyd County Schools and recommended the system receive District Accreditation. Dr. Drew Moore, lead evaluator of the Quality Assurance Review (QAR) team, addressed a called meeting of the Floyd County Board of Education this afternoon to present the teams findings to the board. “Truly outstanding, this is an unbelievable place,” stated Dr. Moore as he addressed the board. “You have a truly wonderful school system with incredible things happening in the classrooms here in Floyd County.” Floyd County Schools is the first school system to undergo a SACS review as a charter system. Floyd County is one of seven school systems in Georgia operating as a charter system and the largest charter system in the state. 

The QAR team presented five commendations to the board in his review. The commendations were:

• The common sense, hands-on, collaborative, visionary approach inspired by the superintendent, combined with the honesty and transparency of the district with all stakeholders through “intentional listening” actions have elevated the quality of district initiatives, resulting in the intense focus on students and achievement. 
• The deep level of collaboration, refined during the charter process and now evident in every part of the system that has fostered and sustained the far-reaching of levels of processes supporting teaching and learning.
• The unique relationship between the Board of Education and the superintendent that has resulted in strong, courageous, and proactive leadership as the system responded to major reductions in revenue without reduction in force or cancellation of academic programs.
• The strong relationship with post-secondary institutions and the business community that have shaped a curriculum through which students can reach success and enjoy a quality life regardless of their career choice. 
• The strong relationship between community and the schools that have been developed by communicating with those being served, thus bringing the community together and paving a way for great things that are happening in Floyd County Schools.
  

The team also outlined three required actions for improvement for the system. The required actions were:

• Develop the data management system further to promote consistency of analysis and delivery to the classroom level to inform teaching and learning.
• Complete the process of Central Office reorganization and realignment with the vision and mission to streamlining the system, cut costs, increase efficiency, and more effectively support school level operations.
• Review and revise the technology plan to ensure equitable and ongoing implementation of instructional technology throughout the system.
  

The QAR team rated the school system on the seven standards as a part of the review. The rating rubric included the categories: Not Evident, the district has not put practices in place or beginning efforts to meet the standard; Emerging, the district is beginning to put in place the practices necessary to meet the standard but is not meeting it at this time; Operational, The district is demonstrating the standard and using practices commonly found in other schools; and Highly Functional, the district is exceptional in its demonstration of the standard and exhibits practices not commonly found in other schools. 

The standards and the QAR ratings were:

• Standard 1: Vision and Purpose – Operational
  
• Standard 2: Governance and Leadership – Operational
  
• Standard 3: Teaching and Leaning – Operational
  
• Standard 4: Documenting and Using Results – Operational
  
• Standard 5: Resources and Support Systems – Operational
  
• Standard 6: Stakeholder Communications and Relationships – Highly Functional
  
• Standard 7: Commitment to Continuous Improvement – Operational 
  

Dr. Lynn Plunkett informed the review team that the system has already started the process of developing a plan of action to move the system forward after the Accreditation review. “Our committee chairs, who worked with the standards associated with the QAR review, have already begun the process to develop an action plan for moving the school system forward in each standard area,” Dr. Plunkett stated. “We do not look at this as the end of a process, but rather, a beginning point to launch our school system toward an even higher level of performance for the children we serve.” 

The QAR team will now submit a written report recommending accreditation approval to the AdvancED Accreditation Commission. The Accreditation Commission grants the term of accreditation for local school systems. AdvancED is the world’s largest educational network encompassing 27,000 public and private schools throughout the United States and 69 countries worldwide, all Department of Defense schools, 15 million students, and more than 3 million teachers.