Atlanta Public Schools has announced important updates for the 2022-2023 school year, which begins Monday, August 1:

150 Years of APS
This school year marks the 150th anniversary of the founding of Atlanta Public Schools. This district has been a cornerstone of the history of Atlanta and has shaped and influenced many of its leaders. A number of events are planned throughout the school year to celebrate the special milestone, including a parade in April 2023.

Academic Recovery and Progress
APS will continue implementing its academic recovery plan, part of the district’s overall strategy to increase student growth and achievement.
At the beginning of last school year (2021-2022), APS began implementing a three-year academic recovery plan (through the 2023-2024 school year) to address lost learning opportunities due to the pandemic. It features:
School-Based Intervention Class/Block/Course
· August 2021 - May 2024
· Elementary School: 30 extra minutes in class
· Middle School: 45 extra minutes, four days each week (a block, ELA or Math class)
· High School: 90 extra minutes, four days each week (a class or course only for students identified for intervention)
Summer Academic Recover Academy (ARA)
· June 2021 - June 2023
· Full day sessions for elementary and middle school students
· Focus on literacy and math, with enrichment activities in the afternoon
· Credit recovery for high school students
· Enrollment in the district’s Summer ARA increased from 6,557 in 2021 to 7,146 this year
Comprehensive Assessment System
· On going
· K-12 universal screener for academics and behavioral health
· Student progress monitoring tools
· Formative assessments

APS 5
APS is focusing on five measurable methods to guide its academic strategy, based around the district’s five-year strategic plan, its APS 5: Data, Curriculum and Instruction, Whole-Child Intervention, Personalized Learning, and Signature Programing.
In 2021-2022, the district established structures and deployed resources to support the academic strategy equitably in all schools.
In 2022-2023, the district will focus on effective implementation of and support for the academic strategy and monitor the plan’s progress through the use of district and state data.

Attendance
The district is reinforcing the importance of attendance this year to address the nationwide, pandemic-era rise in absenteeism.
APS is mobilizing around a group of efforts in order to achieve two things:
Provide direct outreach to the students and families who are at-risk for (or already experiencing) chronic absenteeism.
Raise awareness among all APS stakeholders about what a telling indicator attendance is when it comes to predicting a student’s future odds of success.
APS will launch its “YOU MATTER” campaign at the district’s annual Back-to-School Bash (Saturday, July 30, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Georgia World Congress Center). It stresses how every student, teacher, parent, and community partner plays a critical role in reducing absenteeism.

Safety and Security
APS will continue to promote its Say Something Anonymous Reporting initiative, which has been a successful tool in preventing issues.
All schools will have updated emergency plans.
The district will continue installing security vestibules at 53 schools using SPLOST funds.
All schools will continue to conduct emergency drills for all hazards and the daily use of metal detectors at middle and high schools will be reinforced.
The district will launch a School Zone Speed Camera pilot project later this fall.
APS is hiring an additional 11 police officers, as well as a Gang Intelligence Officer, which will increase the district’s police force to 106 officers.
Officers will continue active-threat training with Atlanta Police and APS Police will continue the best-practice protocol of information sharing with other law enforcement agencies.

COVID Mitigation
APS will continue the COVID mitigation protocols that allowed it to be the only metro Atlanta district that did not pivot to virtual learning during last school year.
Masks are optional in buildings and on buses.
Surveillance testing is OPTIONAL/VOLUNTARY for students, twice a week.
Surveillance testing is MANDATORY once per week for employees.
The district will continue to monitor the community spread of the virus and its variants and will be fully prepared to make adjustments to protocols if the need arises.