Many people in our country are not satisfied with public education today.  Do we have a lot of work to do to improve it?  Yes we do, especially in Georgia!  We have a new state superintendent who has made good first steps to  improve public school outcomes for our state.  Greene County is no different from other school districts with similar demographics in the state or in the nation. Factual and accurate information on what we are doing to improve student outcomes is essential to understanding the challenges and celebrating the successes.
Given  the latest - information provided on "good authority," I thought it best to provide you with accurate information.  This may also be more than you ever wanted to know, but I would rather you have the full story.
First of all an e-reader is a Kindle.  We have purchased one, (1) Kindle Reader with federal special education funds, for one student with special needs, as required by the student's IEP.  This device cost us approximately $200.  Please note that Kindle is a brand name.
The Greene County School System has won a competitive grant from Race to the Top funds (RTT) in the amount of $4.2 million to be spent over the next three years.  These funds are being used for staff training and the purchase of technology devices for students and staff for support of high school program reforms in Greene County.
While these funds are federal and all taxpayers contribute to making them available, our district staff wrote the grant that brought those funds into this school district in this state. The appropriate name of the grant is School Improvement Grant (SIG).  If the funds were not received here, then they would have been received by another school district in another state.  We feel very good about the fact that we were rewarded for submitting a proposal for a strategy to improve educational outcomes for high school students in Greene County.  This is another revenue stream for us - no ELOST, no Local taxpayer funds!  However, as with most grants, the funds must be used, as specified in the grant. These dollars cannot be converted and used in operations not specified in or condoned by the grant design.
How we are spending the School Improvement Grant funds:
*         In addition to purchasing iPads (an Apple product) for all teachers and students at our high school with the SIG funds; we hired three technology specialists to assist with implementation of the devices; we have also contracted for assistance from the University of Georgia to assist in implementation; we have hired a Reading Specialist; and contracted with the Southern Regional Educational Board to provide staff development in literacy and mathematics.
*         This SIG money is also being used to train teachers in how to utilize test score information to improve student achievement; it is being used to order software for student remediation programs.
*         Additionally, we are using the funds to operate the Ombudsman program, an alternative High School Choice open to all Greene County residents.
*         Funds have been targeted for -use in training staff for the International Baccalaureate program; this will facilitate the IB program growth from middle school to high school.
*         Over the next two years, these same grant funds will be used for funding a parent academy and a parent outreach program to bring resources and classes into our neighborhoods.
*         There are also staff incentives for increasing the graduation rates and student performance rates.
I hope this information helps.  If you go to the following URL: https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/ViewMeetingOrder.aspx?S=4078&MID=20598 you will find a power point for your information.  You will also find a complete budget profile attached to the Board of Education Meeting held on August 11, 2011 eBoard.  Attached to this eBoard agenda is a summary of the program and Power Point.
Please feel free to contact me or Ms. Nancy Willis, who serves as the district contact for all information related to district Federal Funds and ELOST funds.  She can be reached at:  706-453-7688.  I would also like to state that Ms. Willis has recently spent time with community members who have requested any and all financial information.