March 10, 2010

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First Early College class in the state of Georgia graduates from Georgia State 
   
GraduationComing from a family in which no one has graduated from high school, Derrick Standifer could have easily become another victim of poverty.
 
But instead, he graduated last May with his high school diploma from Carver High School and 39 college credits from Georgia State University.
 
Standifer and 78 other students were able to rise above their challenging environments and achieve academic success thanks to the Early College Program at the New Schools of Carver, a partnership between Georgia State's College of Education and Atlanta Public Schools.
 
They were dubbed the "Legacy Class" because they were the first Early College seniors in the state of Georgia to graduate.
 
Even more impressive, all of the seniors were accepted into a two-year or four-year institution, and nearly half received scholarships to help with tuition.
 
Like Standifer, the majority of the Early College graduates became the first members of their families to head to college.
 
"Early College turned me into a hard working student," said Standifer, who was the class salutatorian. "It was really challenging - you either take on GSU or you quit. There was a lot of competition, but we made it. And I feel like I can do anything now."
 
Carver Early College High School was the first of its kind when it opened in 2005 and is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It was established to help improve graduation rates at Carver High School, which at 36 percent in 2004 were among the lowest in the nation. In the program, students take courses at Carver High School and on the Georgia State campus.
 
The Early College model is designed to increase the number of underrepresented students in post-secondary education by giving them a jump start on their college education. The Early College High School graduating class was 99 percent minority and 72 percent of students were on free or reduced lunch.
 
Even while taking college-level courses at GSU, Early College students outperformed their peers in traditional Atlanta high schools. For example, in 2008, the Early College junior class ranked first in the Atlanta Public School System on all sections of the state-mandated High School Graduation Test.
 
"We are excited about the success of these students," said Gwendolyn Benson, associate dean of Georgia State's College of Education and GSU liaison for the Early College program.
 
Students in the Early College program take courses found on most college freshmen schedules such as English 1102, college algebra and economics. But they learn more than what they read in books or hear in lectures.
 
They're taught study and time management skills that help them juggle classes, school activities, part-time jobs and other responsibilities. The Early College program also broadens students' experiences with international trips to places like Costa Rica and Japan.
 
For more information on the Early College High School Program, contact Gwendolyn Benson, associate dean for school and community partnerships in the College of Education, at gbenson@gsu.edu.
Upcoming Events in the College of Education
  
Research Wednesdays Speakers SeriesRobert Pianta
 
March 17, 2010
12 noon
 
College of Education, Room 1030
30 Pryor Street
Atlanta, GA 30303
 
Presenter: Dr. Robert Pianta
Topic: Improving Impacts of Classrooms: Professional Development and Classroom Observation
 
Dr. Robert Pianta is the dean of the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia, as well as the Novartis US Foundation Professor of Education and a professor in the university's Department of Psychology. He serves as director of the National Center for Research in Early Childhood Education and the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning. Dr. Pianta's work focuses on policy and practice that enhance children's outcomes, school readiness and later achievement. His recent work focuses on the assessment of teacher quality, teacher-child interaction and child improvement, using standardized observational assessment and video feedback. He has also recently begun to extend his work into design and delivery of professional development using web-based formats and interactive video.

Dr. Pianta has published more than 350 scholarly papers and is lead author on several influential books related to early childhood and elementary education. Dr. Pianta received a B.S. and M.A. in special education from the University of Connecticut, and a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Minnesota, and began his career as a special education teacher.
 
Research Wednesdays is held every Wednesday of the month. An RSVP is required to attend this event. To confirm your attendance, please contact Rosemarie Capps in the COE's Educational Research Bureau at (404) 413-8090 or erbracx@langate.gsu.edu.
 
For more information the college's Research Wednesdays Series, visit http://education.gsu.edu/erb.
Issue: 13
 
Why I give to the
 College of Education
 at Georgia State University
  
 
Glenn Arnold
(Ed. S. '77) 
Alumnus and Donor
 
   "I give to the college of education because my attendance at GSU was received with great support which enabled me to pursue and receive a higher degree in educational administration. I was also very pleased with the relationships I established in the classroom, which was significant to me and made GSU one of my favorite institutions that I attended."

   
Interested in giving to the College of Education? Please contact Stephanie Douglas, Director of Development, at
(404) 413-8132 or sdouglas3@gsu.edu.
 
To make your contribution online, please click here
 
 
 
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