Five Coffee County schools have been named among the lowest performing 25 percent of schools in the state, according to a list released by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement this week. Under Senate Bill 233, the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act, families of students who attend these schools could receive up to $6,500 in public funds for education expenses, which could include tuition at private schools or home school expenses.
The five local schools are Coffee High School, Coffee Middle School, Eastside Elementary School, George Washington Carver Freshman Campus, and West Green Elementary School.
To be eligible for the funds, students would have to be zoned in one of the five underperforming schools’ districts. There are also needs-based requirements as well. Families who would receive priority are those who earn less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level – around $125,000 per year for a family of four. Any remaining funds would be made available to families who earn more. There is also a residency requirement – parents must be residents of Georgia for more than one year unless they are active military. Also, students are not eligible if they have received the Georgia Special Needs or Georgia Student Scholarship Organization scholarships.
On Wednesday, Dr. Morris Leis, Superintendent of the Coffee County School System, stated that the system is committed to increasing student achievement and will take necessary steps to ensure that its students receive the best education possible. His statement in its entirety is below:
“The Coffee County School System has a long history of academic success. Our school system has always focused on continuous improvement. We are currently analyzing the Promise Scholarship List that was recently released and the data used to identify these schools. We will take appropriate steps to increase student achievement. Our district will continue to focus on providing a high-quality education that meets the needs of our students and supporting our dedicated staff who work tirelessly every day to make a difference. We believe in the power of public education to transform lives and will maintain our unwavering commitment to student success, community partnership, educational excellence and our mission of destination graduation for college, career and life.”
The Georgia Promise Scholarship portal is expected to open early next year with funds becoming available on July 1, 2025.