Last year the Governor's Office of Student Achievement invited the Georgia Department of Education to join us in a historic tour of all 16 Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) districts in Georgia.

We were honored to listen to the direct input and feedback from the school district leadership around the state. Working closely with GaDOE, we created a report that reflects the primary concerns expressed by these leaders, including the time dedicated to high-stakes testing, the need for continued support and resources to support students’ mental health needs, the complexities of the teacher certification process, excessive paperwork as a roadblock to teacher retention, the importance of fully supporting public schools, the need for a consistent direction in K-12 educational policy, and more. Attendees also expressed their appreciation for the funding provided to double mental health services in high schools, the $3,000 teacher pay raise, the full funding of QBE, and the shift to a more comprehensive approach to school safety concerns.

Download this pdf file. Reflections on the 2019 RESA Listening Tour  - document

Reflections on the 2019 Teacher Listening Tour - video

Our appreciation to Superintendent Richard Woods, and GaDOE Chief of Staff Matt Jones for joining us in this very important endeavor. Our hope is that this feedback will assist in crafting meaningful legislation and initiatives that will continue to improve education in Georgia, set our students on a path to success, and lift burdens from our local systems and classroom teachers.