Atlanta’s public schools eye phased return to the classroom
By: Felipe Rivas
2 min read September 2020 — With Atlanta’s transition into Phase II of the City’s Five Phase Reopening Plan earlier this month, the Atlanta Public Schools system now looks to follow suit with its return to face-to-face instruction. Superintendent Lisa Herring reportedly will present a proposal for Phase II of the schools reopening plan on Monday, Oct. 5 at the Atlanta Board of Education’s monthly meeting, according to the school district. At the university level, despite coronavirus related-challenges, some universities saw record-breaking enrollment figures while ranking No.1 in a variety of categories, according to the U.S News & World Report.
Atlanta Public Schools’ proposed plan calls for the district to allow certain students to return to face-to-face classes on Monday, Oct. 26, which marks the start of the school year’s second nine weeks. Students identified for the phased classroom returns are all students with special needs and those in Pre-K through grade 2. Last week, the school district hosted a town hall to allow parents to ask about the district’s reopening plan. Among parent’s concerns were the students’ ability to retain the curriculum material in a remote setting and shattered expectations of going back to the classroom by the start of the 2020-2021 academic year.
While the region’s higher education sector faces similar challenges, as it relates to social distancing and balancing remote learning with student wellness, universities in the region are experiencing record enrollment numbers. The Georgia Institute of Technology saw record enrollment across the board for the summer and fall semesters with record-breaking numbers in first-year, transfer and dual enrollment students. Georgia State University set new records for the largest enrollment and freshman class size in the school’s history. The university saw 54,000 students enrolled in the fall 2020 semester, compared to last year’s record of about 53,000. Similarly, Kennesaw State University reached record enrollment figures with 41,000 students. Comparatively, the university reported around 37,000 enrolled in the 2019 fall semester.
To go along with the healthy enrollment figures in the midst of a pandemic, several Georgia colleges and universities topped the U.S. News & World Report 2021 edition of Best Colleges in a number of categories. The Georgia Institute of Technology ranked first in the nation in civil engineering, cybersecurity, and industrial and systems engineering, solidifying Atlanta as a leader in STEM education. Agnes Scott College, a private women’s liberal arts college, ranked first in first-year experience and most innovative liberal arts college in the country. Similarly, University of Georgia’s undergraduate insurance/risk management program ranked as the nation’s best. Spelman College, another private women’s liberal arts college, ranked as the nation’s top Historically Black College & University. Berry College topped the list for best value in the regional southern universities category.
To learn more, visit:
https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities
