College & Workforce Readiness

Trophy Schools

October 08, 2004 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Gov. Sonny Perdue of Georgia believes that in academics as in sports, competition leads to success. That is why he started the Governor’s Cup Program, which awards 30-pound trophies to five high schools across the state with the most improved SAT scores.

Gov. Sonny Perdue

“The purpose of this program is to increase statewide SAT scores,” said Shane Hix, a spokesman for the Republican governor.

The winners for the 2003-04 school year received their trophies, along with $2,000 checks, on Sept. 20. They are Portal Middle/High School, in Porta; Coosa High School, in Rome; East Hall High School, in Gainesville; Hephzibah High School, in Hephzibah; and Northview High School, in Duluth. They raised their scores by 100 points on average on the 1600-point college-entrance test.

“The governor is very concerned with the SATs and getting kids ready for college, and felt that this is a great way of getting them prepared,” Mr. Hix said. Another goal, he added, is to understand what makes for successful SAT preparation in order to implement those approaches in other schools.

Some news reports in Georgia are raising questions about the program, however. Critics are reported as saying that some schools in the 35,000-student Richmond County school system “game” the system by recording the SAT scores of only their best-prepared students. Those schools claim only the scores of students who have completed several preparation programs before taking the SAT, the media reports say.

“That accusation is false—in no way are we gaming the system,” said Mechelle Jordan, the director of public information for the Richmond County schools, the home of trophy-winning Hephzibah High.

The district has a policy going back to 1996 that requires students to agree to certain terms before taking the test, Ms. Jordan said. The policy includes encouraging students to take more Advanced Placement courses as well as higher-level math classes.

“We’re preparing more students to excel in college; that is our emphasis,” Ms. Jordan said.

She said the school system has no control over who takes the test.

Still, the district does suggest to students who do not get decent scores the first time they take the SAT to better prepare for the test and take it again.

“This is a win-win situation, not only for the state and the school system, but especially for the students,” Ms. Jordan said.

Related Tags:

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Inside PLCs: Proven Strategies from K-12 Leaders
Join an expert panel to explore strategies for building collaborative PLCs, overcoming common challenges, and using data effectively.
Content provided by Otus
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Making Science Stick: The Engaging Power of Hands-On Learning
How can you make science class the highlight of your students’ day while
achieving learning outcomes? Find out in this session.
Content provided by LEGO Education
Teaching Profession Key Insights to Elevate and Inspire Today’s Teachers
Join this free half day virtual event to energize your teaching and cultivate a positive learning experience for students.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

College & Workforce Readiness Q&A The Power of Career Pathways for Engaging High School Students
Lazaro Lopez is building career pathways to help students graduate with clear, relevant steps toward college and careers.
4 min read
Lazaro Lopez, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at High School District 214, stands for a portrait at Wheeling High School in Wheeling, Ill., on Dec. 3, 2024.
Lazaro Lopez, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at High School District 214, at Wheeling High School in Wheeling, Ill., on Dec. 3, 2024.
Jamie Kelter Davis for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Boys Think School Is a Waste of Time. Career Pathways Prove Them Wrong
Real-world, experiential learning appeals to how boys learn best, educators say.
7 min read
High school student Aaron Bartsch, 17, helps unload tools from a work van before working in a customer’s home as part of an internship with Barkley Heating and Air in Smyrna, Del., on October 15, 2024.
High schooler Aaron Bartsch, 17, helps unload tools from a work van before working in a customer’s home as part of an internship with Barkley Heating and Air in Smyrna, Del., on Oct. 15, 2024. His high school offers career pathways so students can get a taste of real-world, experiential learning.
Michelle Gustafson for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness The SEL Skills Google, Microsoft, and Other Top Companies Want Schools to Teach
Senior executives from U.S. companies put a high priority on so-called "soft skills."
8 min read
Diverse male and female characters are assembling cogwheels together at work. Concept of soft skills, work operations, and teamwork productivity. Business workflow as cogwheel mechanism.
Rudzhan Nagiev/iStock
College & Workforce Readiness What Parents Say They Want Their Kids to Get Out of High School
A new poll finds that parents strongly support more options for their kids that might reshape the high school experience.
4 min read
High school student using touchpad on a modern class.
E+