1. Make introductory remarks.
Mention quickly who the GA Partnership is and what we do.
Mention partnership with Georgia Chamber of Commerce and local chamber on this program.
We started the Economics of Education 3 years ago with the GA Chamber of Commerce and raised awareness in communities across the state on the impact of quality education on economic development. What has changed in that 3 years – globalization and greater emphasis on workforce development, as well as economic viability for our communities.
Georgia Southern helped by providing research and data on community impact of high school non-completion.
As we move through the presentation, we will talk about major milestones that lead to academic achievement…
School readiness
Literacy by 3rd grade
Numeracy by 8th grade
Slides can be secured from the Partnership website:

2. Georgia Municipal Association
June 22, 2013 1
Examine the Data for Education in Georgia 2
Economic Impact of Georgia Non-Graduates 3
Strengthening the Birth to Work Pipeline 4
What Can We Do?
Make introductory remarks.
Mention quickly who the GA Partnership is and what we do.
Mention partnership with Georgia Chamber of Commerce and local chamber on this program.
We started the Economics of Education 3 years ago with the GA Chamber of Commerce and raised awareness in communities across the state on the impact of quality education on economic development. What has changed in that 3 years – globalization and greater emphasis on workforce development, as well as economic viability for our communities.
Georgia Southern helped by providing research and data on community impact of high school non-completion.
As we move through the presentation, we will talk about major milestones that lead to academic achievement…
School readiness
Literacy by 3rd grade
Numeracy by 8th grade
Slides can be secured from the Partnership website:

3. Examine the Data for Education in Georgia
We’ll start with a look at current data.

4. Academic Achievement Milestones
School Readiness
Literacy by 3rd Grade
Numeracy by 8th Grade
High School Graduation
We’ve referenced several times the milestones that lead to work-ready and college-ready students.
As communities are looking at the Governor’s Work-ready Initiative, they most begin looking at the data and how their community measures up at each level. One of the key points to become a Certified Work Ready Community is to improve high school graduation rates.
Research says we can’t wait until the end of the pipeline, we must address each of these milestones along the way.
The AEAH (Alliance of Education Agency Heads) is looking at the entire education pipeline and how each agency can be much more efficient with its resources.
NOTE: See page 24 of publication.
Workforce and/or College Ready

5. Percent of Children Age 3-5 Enrolled in Early Education, 2010
Georgia
48%
20th State
47%
United
States
46%
This chart shows a different year and a different data base from the previous slide but helps give a comparison of Georgia to other states.
States just do not have the same way of calculating high school graduation rates yet. But, of the states that are represented by their governors in the National Governors Association, 20 (including Georgia) have agreed to a common calculation method. The calculations will begin with last year’s freshman class; when that group graduates, we will have a much better number to compare states.
Source: The Annie E. Casey Foundation, KIDS COUNT Data Center. 5

6. NAEP 2011 4th Grade Reading At or Above Basic
Georgia &
US Average
66%
20th State
70%
Let’s look at NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) scores. NAEP is the best test to compare our students against students in other states and to compare school systems in our own state. It is not done in every grade, is a sample and given every other year.
We mentioned the milestones that need to be reached with one of them being literacy by 3rd grade. We don’t do NAEP at 3rd grade but do test children in the 4th grade.
There are four levels presented in the NAEP scores: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced. For our purposes today, we will only look at the scores for the students scoring Proficient and Advanced, which is where we want our students to be.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics

7. NAEP 2011 8th Grade Math At or Above Basic
20th State
77%
United States
72%
Georgia
68%
Now, lets look at another milestone: numeracy by 8th grade. The good news is we are improving with xx% of our 8th graders scoring at or above proficient. But we can think of this as half full or half empty.
Look at the top 5 scoring percentages and you will see Ohio. A recent article mentioned that Ohio is sounding the alarm and are concerned about being able to sustain strong economic development and be competitive internationally. Ohio sees a sense of urgency to improved graduation rates and NAEP scores.
So, even though we may be improving and doing better than some of our neighboring states, how are we going to surpass Ohio and some of the other states who are doing better. We are going to have to work harder to leap forward.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics

8. High School Graduation Rates: State-by-State Rankings
20th State
79%
United
States
74.9%
Georgia
65.4%
Source: NCES (2010). Public School Graduates and Dropouts: School Year

9. Georgia High School Graduation Rates
Year
High School Graduation Rate
Number of High School Non-Grads
2009
58.6%*
62,172
2010
64.0%*
51,503
2011
67.5%
44,661
2012
69.7%
37,839
Total
196,176
This chart shows the high school graduation rate. It is the new calculation method and shows the number of kids who started the 9th grade and finished the 12th grad on time.
If you look at the numbers of non-graduates, we have over 40,000 young adults who are not ready for work or college, and probably are not prepared to be the best parent they could be.
What is the graduation rate for your school district? Have they been showing improvement over the last several years? If so, give them some positive feedback! If not, ask what you can do to help improve that pipeline.
* Approximations from Georgia Department of Education
Source: The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, State Report Cards.

10. Economic Impact of Georgia Non-Graduates
We’ll start with a look at current data.

11. Education Pays EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT & EMPLOYMENT Unemployment Rate*
May 2013
Median Wkly Earnings** (& approx. annual)
15%
10% 5% 0%
200
600
1000
3.8
Bachelor’s Degree & Higher
$1, ($60,580)
6.5
Some college/ Associate Degree
$749 ($38,948)
7.4
HS Graduates, No College
$651 ($33,852)
11.1
Less than a High School Diploma
$457 ($23,764)
This comparison of the impact of education on income and unemployment rates, shows less education means higher unemployment rates and lower average earnings.
When you look at the income for a person with less than a high school diploma compared with income for a person who completes high school and even some college, it adds up to over ½ million dollars over a life time.
What does this mean for a person in terms of ability to own a car or a home?
For your community, what does it mean in terms of a person incurring debt; then if out of work and can’t pay their debt? They often start a downward, spiraling experience that hurts them, their family and sometimes even their community.
Also, for those without a high school diploma, employment is not only at a lower rate and lower salary, but also tends to be more cyclical.
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Table A-4. Employment status of the civilian population 25 years and over by educational attainment.
**U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Table 5. Quartiles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers.

12. Unemployment Rates by County: April 2013
This map of Georgia shows the unemployment rates by county. The darker the color the higher the unemployment.
You can see that many of the counties with higher unemployment rates are in the southern part of our state where there are also many counties challenged with what the University of Georgia categorizes as “persistent poverty” – meaning a high number of families who have persistently experienced poverty conditions for over three decades.
Source: Georgia Department of Labor; State average = 7.9% (not seasonally adjusted)

13. State Service Delivery Regions
So, as we begin to look at the impact on regions of the state, look at this map to see where your region is as we will be referring to this.
You can also look on page 27 of the Economics of Education publication for a larger version.
If you could think about raising your region’s high school completion rate, what would it mean for your community?

14. Economic Impact of High School
Non-Completion
Region 1
$2.2 billion
Region 2
$1.2 billion
Region 3
$4.2 billion
Region 4
$1.1 billion
Region 5
Region 6
$1.0 billion
Region 7
Region 8
$0.9 billion
Region 9
Region 10
$2.0 billion
Region 11
Region 12
TOTAL
$18 billion*
How much could YOUR region benefit from this additional income currently being foregone?
Let’s look at the region you are in and see what impact high school non-completion has on your community in terms of dollars and cents.
The GA Southern study was updated in April, 2007 to use current dollars to estimate the income foregone in your community by not having your high school completion rate at least at the national average.
And this is an annual figure which rolls up to have a significant impact on you economy.
Supposing you don’t agree with GA Southern’s measures and you think they overshot their metrics, just half the amount and it is still a significant impact on local economic development efforts.
Source: Isley, P. & Hill, J. “Updated Economic Impact of High School Non-Completion in Georgia: 2005 Estimate,” Georgia Southern University. April *According to GSU study, totals may not add due to rounding.

15. High School Non-Completion
Compounded Impacts of
High School Non-Completion
INDIVIDUALS
THE COMMUNITY
Lower Lifetime Earnings
Reduced buying power & tax revenues; less economic growth
Decreased health status; Higher mortality rates; More criminal activity
Higher health care & criminal justice costs
Higher teen pregnancy rates; Single motherhood
Higher public services costs
Less voting; Less volunteering
Low rate of community involvement
Roll those dollars up and what happens to the individual and to the community.
Lower Lifetime Earnings – can mean a difference of ½ million dollars or more for the individual
Reduced Buying Power – businesses are concerned about this. Think of what it could also man in reduced tax revenues. School systems use the SPLOST to renovate and build schools
Decreased Health Status…-- Raises many health issues
Higher Health Care…-80% of folks in prison don’t have a HS diploma; contributes to increased cost
Higher Teen Pregnancy Rates…- How many 15 – 19 year olds in your community have their 1st baby or even their 2nd baby? Realizing that a mother is a child’s first teacher, they are not always the best teacher, especially when a young teenage mother. Again, you will see some of those numbers in the KidsCount data we will share
Higher Public Service Costs –
Less Voting and Volunteering –
Less Community Involvement – This impacts the infrastructure of a community
Source: Levin, H., et al., (2007). The Costs and Benefits of an Excellent Education for All of America’s Children.

16. Strengthening the Birth to Work Pipeline
We’ll start with a look at current data.

17. Strengthening the Birth to Work Pipeline
KEY ISSUE #1
Early Life Experiences
KEY ISSUE #2
Academic Achievement K-12
KEY ISSUE #3
Transitions to Work or College
We are now going to look at 3 big buckets that could fix the pipeline, plug the leaks.
Early Life Experiences – help healthy mothers have healthy babies. How do we provide good, enriching experiences?
Academic Achievement K-12 – We educate all the kids who get off the bus. Some come more prepared than others.
Teaching Quality – Can override all other areas.

18. Economic Benefits of Early Education:
Perry Preschool Study
Investments in the early years are the most cost effective ways to improve students ultimate success in school and Georgia has made just such an investment with its Bright from the Start pre-K program.
And the academic gains appear to continue beyond a student’s early grades.
In one of the nation's older, more closely documented programs, Perry Preschool, researchers have followed neighborhood children into adulthood and now are able to compare what happened to participants and non-participants from a working-class, low-income area. The results are striking:
The middle-aged adults who had the benefits of the preschool are today 4 times more likely than those without the program to earn a good monthly income.
They are almost 3 times more likely to own their own home and twice as likely to have never been on welfare as an adult.
At one of the Partnership’s recent meetings, a researcher from Northwestern University, reported that studies continue to support these findings and also found that a 12% increase in work attendance was seen in those folks that had quality early learning experiences.
Source: Schweinhart, L.J., et al. (2005). Lifetime effects: The High/Scope Perry Preschool study through age 40.

19. Strengthening the Birth to Work Pipeline
KEY ISSUE #1
Early Life Experiences
KEY ISSUE #2
Academic Achievement K-12
KEY ISSUE #3
Transitions to Work or College
We are now going to look at 3 big buckets that could fix the pipeline, plug the leaks.
Early Life Experiences – help healthy mothers have healthy babies. How do we provide good, enriching experiences?
Academic Achievement K-12 – We educate all the kids who get off the bus. Some come more prepared than others.
Teaching Quality – Can override all other areas.

20. Essential Building Blocks of High Performing States
Higher Standards
Rigorous Curriculum
Clear Accountability System
Statewide Student Information System
Leadership Training
Why are we not performing as well as states with similar demographics? We did not have all of the essential building blocks in place as long as states like NC, TX, VA. We just started this about 6 years ago; other states have been working at putting all the pieces in place longer.
Higher Standards and Rigorous Curriculum – Supt. Cox has been putting these in place; some standards are even international level. We are just now rolling out that strong curriculum. In a recent Education Week Quality Counts report, Georgia was given an A- on curriculum, assessments and standards, ranking us 14th in the nation.
Clear Accountability System –
Statewide Student Information System – Need this in place so we can track cohorts of kids. With a unique student identifier number, we cam follow students' academic progress as they move from grade to grade; we can identify consistently high-performing schools so that educators and the public can learn from best practices; can evaluate the effect of teacher preparations and training programs on student achievement.
Leadership Training – 2nd to teacher quality is leadership quality. Many of our principals and superintendents never learned basic piece of business-driven leadership training before. Through GLISI (Leadership Institute) this is a way to focus on student achievement as their bottom line. Some of that training includes…
Data analysis
Performance management issues
Root cause analysis
Looking at metrics

21. Strengthening the Birth to Work Pipeline
KEY ISSUE #1
Early Life Experiences
KEY ISSUE #2
Academic Achievement K-12
KEY ISSUE #3
Transitions to Work or College
We are now going to look at 3 big buckets that could fix the pipeline, plug the leaks.
Early Life Experiences – help healthy mothers have healthy babies. How do we provide good, enriching experiences?
Academic Achievement K-12 – We educate all the kids who get off the bus. Some come more prepared than others.
Teaching Quality – Can override all other areas.

22. Complete College Georgia
10/31/2011
Complete College Georgia
100 Students Entering a Georgia Public College or University
2 Year Public College- Full Time
4 Year Public College- Full Time
Enrolled
37%
44%
Returned as sophomores
54%
82%
Graduated in 2 years
11%
25%
Graduated in 4 years
Graduated in 3 Years 8%
32%
Graduated in 6 Years 5% 7%
Graduated in 8 years
Total Graduates*
24%
64%
Total Graduates + + + +
Source: Complete College America (CCA) webpage
CCA does not include certificates of less than one year.
Georgia is one of 29 states participating in CCA
* Graduation percents based on number of enrolled students
Source: Complete College America (CCA)

23. Demand for postsecondary education has increased, and will continue to increase during and after the recovery.
Source: Anthony Carnevale’s analysis of March CPS data, various years; Center on Education and the Workforce forecast of educational demand to 2018, presented in The Recession: Accelerating the New Economy, September 2011. 23

24. What Can We Do?
We’ll start with a look at current data.

25. Profile of Child, Family and Community Wellbeing – Troup County*
Indicator
Year
Troup Rate
Georgia Rate
Low birth weight
2011
10.4%
9.4%
Teen pregnancies, ages (per 1,000)
2010
54.1
28.1
Substantiated incidents of Child Abuse and/or neglect (per 1,000)
2012
9.3
8.0
Incidences of STDs, ages (per 1,000)
44.2
31.6
Children absent more than 15 days from school
10.0%
8.8%
Teens not in school and not working, ages 16-19
15.0%
10.8%
High school graduates eligible for HOPE scholarship
45.5%
40.2%
Children living with single parent
39.4%
32.7%
Children living in poverty
32.1%
26.6%
* Data provided by Georgia Kids Count, Georgia Family Connection Partnership,

26. Aligning Educational Strategies
Random Acts of Improvement
GOALS
Aligned Acts of Improvement
If your efforts are not aligned, whether in business or schools, it’s going to be harder to stay focused and reach your goal. How many of your schools have random acts that compete against each other?
If we are all aimed in the same direction with focus on the same goal, it can be reached. In business, that goal is profits; in education, that goal is student achievement.
GOALS

27. How Will You Insulate the Birth to Work Pipeline?
ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY SERVICES
Transportation Health Housing Financial
How Will You Insulate the Birth to Work Pipeline?
K – 12 System
LEARNING & SOCIAL SUPPORTS
Childcare Providers
Afterschool Programs
Academic Supports
Job Training
Civic Opportunities
Early Childhood
Post Secondary
Work & Career
We’ve referenced several times the milestones that lead to work-ready and college-ready students.
As communities are looking at the Governor’s Work-ready Initiative, they most begin looking at the data and how their community measures up at each level. One of the key points to become a Certified Work Ready Community is to improve high school graduation rates.
Research says we can’t wait until the end of the pipeline, we must address each of these milestones along the way.
The AEAH (Alliance of Education Agency Heads) is looking at the entire education pipeline and how each agency can be much more efficient with its resources.
NOTE: See page 24 of publication.
Source: The Forum for Youth Investment

28. Help Insulate the Pipeline
Early Childhood
Read to children everyday
Quality Rated: Encourage participation of your early learning centers
K – 12 System
Read and mentor students
Leverage partnerships with business and post-secondary
Build a cadre of effective leaders
We’ve referenced several times the milestones that lead to work-ready and college-ready students.
As communities are looking at the Governor’s Work-ready Initiative, they most begin looking at the data and how their community measures up at each level. One of the key points to become a Certified Work Ready Community is to improve high school graduation rates.
Research says we can’t wait until the end of the pipeline, we must address each of these milestones along the way.
The AEAH (Alliance of Education Agency Heads) is looking at the entire education pipeline and how each agency can be much more efficient with its resources.
NOTE: See page 24 of publication.
Support joint enrollment programs
Provide internships/ apprenticeships
Highlight need for certifications, 2-year degrees, and 4-year degrees
Post Secondary 28

29. Georgia Partnership for Excellence In Education
270 Peachtree Street, NW
Suite 2200
Atlanta, GA 30303 .