January 31, 2014- Albany, GA- Discussions about how to improve student success are underway among Southwest Georgia's top education leaders. The first in a series of monthly meetings between presidents at Albany State University, Albany Technical College and Darton State College; also, the superintendent of the Dougherty County School System, began Wednesday, Jan. 22 at Albany Technical College. The meeting kicked off a collaborative partnership between institution leaders.
ASU and Darton State College Interim Presidents Drs. Art Dunning and Paul Jones joined DCSS's Interim Superintendent Dr. David C. Mosely and ATC's President Dr. Anthony O. Parker for talks about how to increase academic achievement in K-12 schools, leverage resources and provide mentoring for underserved students to dramatically impact graduation rates in the region. The goals coincide with Governor Nathan Deal's "Complete College Georgia" plan to add an additional 250,000 postsecondary graduates to the state's rolls by 2020 to provide for a more educated workforce. The University System of Georgia (USG) and the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) are working to address this critical need.
Dunning, Jones, Parker, and Mosely believe the new collaboration will identify and solve the challenges faced by underperforming students.
"We cannot separate ourselves from issues such as the dropout rate in K-12 schools. The educational institutions in the region are a joint entity and collaborative partners who can leverage resources to help students get on the path to a successful future," said Dr. Art Dunning, Interim President of Albany State University.
"This is an effort we have needed here in Albany and Southwest Georgia for a very long time," said Dr. Anthony O. Parker, President of Albany Technical College. "I'm confident that through the collaboration and our institutions working together, we can more than achieve our goals for the region."
"This is a pivotal time in the history of Southwest Georgia," said Dr. Paul Jones, Interim President of Darton State College. "In order for us to find solutions to the problems facing our community, we must change the way we approach these issues. Our ability to work together only increases our ability to serve the community."
Albany Technical College has already started a new partnership with the Dougherty County School System with the formation of the new College and Career Performance Learning Center, which launched in the fall of 2013. With almost 15 students beginning at Albany Tech this month, this partnership will allow students who may be behind in graduating from high school to remain in high school and gain some college credit through dual and joint enrollment opportunities at Albany Tech.
"The Dougherty County School System benefits from relationships already established with the community's colleges and universities," said Dr. David C. Mosely, Interim Superintendent for the Dougherty County School System. "We hope these meetings will work to provide more cooperative educational opportunities for our students and ways to help them stay in school through graduation and to achieve at higher levels in their chosen college and career path."
