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January 2008

Everything you need to know about local public schools

Our definitive guide to the metro area's county and city systems
By MARY JO DILONARDO

Keeping up with all fourteen metro-area school systems takes a lot of studying, so aren't you glad we've done the homework for you? Whether you're new to town, considering relocation, or just curious how your local school stacks up, you'll find our annual roundup an indispensable tool for your family's educational planning. Find out whether suburban institutions still outscore intown schools—or which systems offer foreign language in elementary school. The answers may surprise you.

EDITOR’S NOTES

• Test scores and enrollment figures were provided by the school systems or the Georgia Department of Education and were the most recent available at press time.
  
• The national average for the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) is 50. For more information, visit education.uiowa.edu/itp/itbs.
  
• The national average on the SAT is 1511; the Georgia average is 1472.
  
• School attendance zones do not parallel ZIP codes. Therefore, the average housing price cited for a school’s ZIP code could be misleading. For example, Wheeler High School is located in 30068, but many residences in that ZIP code are zoned for Walton High School. Our source for average home prices was realtor.com. Prices were current as of September 25, 2007.
  
• The CRCT (Criterion-Referenced Competency Test) is a statewide test administered to all students in grades one through eight, designed to measure how well students have mastered the skills outlined in Georgia’s Quality Core Curriculum. The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) are based on national instructional standards.
  
• “Adequate yearly progress,” or AYP, is the standard defined by the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Failure to meet this standard triggers requirements such as extra tutoring or, eventually, school transfers.
  
• Demographic data was gathered from schools, system administrators, and the Georgia Department of Education.
  
• The guide covers the ten-county metropolitan area defined by the Atlanta Regional Commission.

Cherokee

Clayton

Cobb

Marietta City Schools

DeKalb

Decatur City Schools

Douglas

Fayette

Fulton

Atlanta Public Schools

Gwinnett

Buford City Schools

Henry

Rockdale