Board Business Briefs: School Board Reviews CCRPI Success

The Cherokee County School Board at its regular meeting on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, reviewed student performance successes including the recently released College and Career Ready Performance Index scores, which showed CCSD’s highest scores ever and impressive gains.

The meeting began with a work session at 5:30 p.m. followed by the regular business meeting at 7 p.m.  Both were livestreamed via YouTube, and the videos are archived on the CCSD website in the Board of Education area online here.

COLLEGE & CAREER READY PERFORMANCE INDEX

During the work session, Chief Academics and Accountability Officer Dr. Josh Heath shared a detailed report, which is online here, reviewing the district’s success as measured by the state accountability system.

The College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) scores combine student achievement using 2024-25 Georgia Milestones Assessment System test scores, student course enrollment, and Class of 2025 high school graduation rates into four category scores.  While results from these individual measures are released throughout the year, the CCRPI process uses additional formulas to tie different data sources into a comprehensive score.

Most notable in this year’s results are the gains in Progress, the CCRPI measure that indicates the rate of learning growth in CCSD compared to academically similar students across the state.  A nearly nine-point growth in high school on the Progress component puts CCSD high schools at 94.0, nearly 12 points above the state and highest in the region.  Similar strength was achieved in elementary schools (+4 points) and middle schools (+4.7 points) indicating teachers in CCSD are providing an opportunity for kids to grow more than anywhere in the state.

“I am extremely pleased with these scores, especially Progress areas for elementary, middle, and high, where we saw really great gains,” School Board member Erin Ragsdale said.

Ms. Ragsdale then asked about supports for teachers in areas where there are opportunities for more growth.  Dr. Heath reviewed the board’s investment in new instructional resources for K-12 English language and math and the professional development initiatives to support teachers’ use of those resources.  He noted the introduction of customized training sessions at schools, weekly online sessions, and the Cherokee Instructional Leaders Cohort, a newly established leadership development program for nearly 300 district teachers designed to invest in and strengthen teacher leadership.

School Board Vice Chair Patsy Jordan asked if the publishers of the new resources were involved in the professional development, and Dr. Heath detailed their role in both in-person and online training sessions.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The School Board during its regular meeting adopted its 2026 Legislative Partnership Priorities report, which is online here.  The report outlines the School Board’s stand on issues likely to come up during the state legislature’s next session.  It is shared with Cherokee County’s state legislative delegation and is posted on CCSD’s website for the entire community to review. 

The priority areas are: prioritizing educational funding and strengthening the teacher pipeline; enhancing academics and accountability; educational workforce opportunities; and fortifying local control.

New to the priorities is a request for the legislative delegation to: “Support local legislation that would stabilize the tax digest growth for homeowners in Cherokee County by establishing a cap to annual residential property value growth derived from the historical/30-year tax digest data that has been essential to delivering a quality education to students in Cherokee.”

Chief of Staff Mike McGowan, during the work session, also shared an update on local legislation, House Bill 845.

The district has been awaiting, from the Cherokee County state legislative delegation, the list of companies or individuals eligible to perform the financial audit requirements of the legislation, as well as a timeline for that work.  The district recently received from the delegation the name of one individual, with no other information, such as the cost to the district or a timetable.

School Board members Kelly Poole and Ms. Ragsdale both voiced concern that only one individual was offered by the delegation instead of the anticipated list, with Ms. Poole also raising questions about conflicts with policy and statutory requirements for procurement, suggesting the possible need for a School Board attorney review.

“Still a lot of questions,” School Board member Dr. Susan Padgett-Harrison said.  “I hope we can work with the delegation to come up with some positive information that will help us do our work to make sure we’re in compliance with the law.”

School Board Chair Janet Read Welch and Board member Chance Beam both asked for the Superintendent’s clarification as to next steps to work toward continued compliance.

Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis said she heard consensus among board members for staff to engage with the delegation to seek clarity, work with the School Board attorney to clarify procurement requirements, and contact the auditor offered by the delegation to understand the scope of work and anticipated cost. 

Chair Read Welch noted she is ready to contact the delegation if needed.  “We certainly want to comply,” she said.

ANNUAL BUDGET PREPARATION

Last year, the School Board advanced its budget adoption timeline to better align this process with preparations for the next school year, such as hiring new teachers and publishing salary scales for recruitment and retention.

The new aligned calendar is continuing this year with School Board members hearing a report at their work session Thursday on the upcoming schedule of budget preparation activities, which is online here.

School Board members will begin the process this month by preparing their budget priorities, with a revenue and expense forecast report scheduled for the December board meeting.  The board will review budget development status reports at the January and February meetings and review the Superintendent’s recommended tentative budget and millage rate at the March meeting.  Public millage rate hearings will be held at 11:30 a.m. April 2 and 16 and 6:30 p.m. April 16 prior to the School Board voting at its April 23 meeting on the budget and millage rate.

DISTRICTWIDE ATHLETIC APPAREL

The School Board reviewed the results of a request for proposals for athletic apparel providers and approved awarding them to both companies that responded.

Earlier this year, School Board member Chance Beam proposed the board consider a single districtwide provider for school athletic uniforms and apparel, with the use of the provider optional for schools and teams.  The board reached consensus that the Superintendent should conduct a request for proposals.

Two companies, BSN Sports and Under Armour, completed the request for proposals process, which included a showcase of materials from Oct. 29-31.  Mr. Beam made the motion that the School Board contract with both to provide more options to schools and teams, emphasizing that no school or team must change its provider unless it so chooses.

Mr. Beam said his motivation is to save student athletes and their families money: “It’s about doing what is best for our schools … it’s a sincere effort to give our parents and coaches a cheaper option meanwhile reducing the cost for our families.”

His motion was approved 5-2, with Board members Dr. Padgett-Harrison and Ms. Poole opposed. 

School Board Chair Janet Read Welch and Vice Chair Patsy Jordan, in voting for the motion, said they supported giving schools and teams more choice.

“It’s a win-win for our schools,” Vice Chair Jordan said.  “They can take it or leave it.”

NEW LEADERS

From left, Kelly Flatt, Lori Smith, and Emily Chaffer.

As part of its approval of the monthly human resources employment recommendations, the School Board on Thursday appointed an acting principal and two new assistant principals.

Kelly Flatt, a 21-year educator who currently serves as an assistant principal at Etowah High School, was appointed to serve as acting principal at Tippens Education Center. Kerri Schmidt, an assistant principal at Knox ES STEM Academy, will move to the assistant principal role at Etowah HS.

Lori Smith, a 21-year educator who currently serves as the instructional lead strategist at Knox ES STEM Academy, was appointed to fill its assistant principal opening. 

Emily Chaffer, an eight-year educator and Etowah HS alumna who currently teaches fourth grade at Bascomb ES, was appointed to serve as an assistant principal at Woodstock ES, filling a vacant position.

The School Board also:

• Approved the final reading of an update to School Board Policy BBE: School Attorney, which clarifies the service agreement for legal services, with an amendment by School Board member Rick Steiner to note those legal services must be “agreed upon”;
• Heard remarks from Dr. Padgett-Harrison recognizing School Leadership & Operations for its work with the Canton Lions Club to expand early childhood vision screenings; recognizing the Career Pathway programs for aviation offered at the district’s Cherokee College & Career Academy (C3); and recognizing Cherokee High School Principal Andy Hall and his team for hosting a season of activities this fall focused on welcoming alumni to the current campus for tours and other special events as part of the transition to a new campus next school year.
• Student Delegate Nate Amakelew of Woodstock High School shared the Student Delegate remarks.  Each Delegate takes a turn at the dais, on a rotating basis, and shares remarks on behalf of the group, adding an opportunity for student insight at every board meeting. Nate reflected on what he and his fellow Delegates learned from their Delegate work session, which this month featured the Human Resources team. The HR team reported on the many job opportunities CCSD offers as the county’s largest employer and held a mini job fair for the Delegates.  Nate said the Delegates learned about the many district employees working behind the scenes in varied roles to support teachers and students.  “When we hear the word ‘school’ the first thing we think of is often teachers, but all the different jobs … build up the foundation of what our teachers do,” he said, noting support staff teams including School Nutrition professionals and paraprofessionals;
• Heard the monthly financial report for October, which is online here;
• Heard the monthly capital outlay report, which is online here.  All projects, including construction of the new replacement Cherokee HS campus and improvements to River Ridge, Sequoyah, and Woodstock High School campuses, are on schedule and within budget.  The Creekview High School classroom addition and auxiliary gym construction project is complete, as is the project to improve the Teasley Middle School car rider and bus driveways;
• Recognized Carmel Elementary School as a National ESEA Distinguished School and Georgia Title I Distinguished School.  Learn more here;
• Recognized Macedonia Elementary School as a Georgia School Bell Award winner.  Learn more here;
• Recognized Creekview High School's National FFA Competition winners.  Learn more here;
• Recognized CCSD's State School Superintendent's Student Advisory Council Appointees.  Learn more here;
• Recognized CCSD's 2025 Governor’s Workforce Summit Honorees from Etowah High School.  Learn more here;
• Recognized CCSD students who achieved Eagle Scout this fall.  Learn more here; and
• Recognized CCSD's Georgia High School Association State & Region Champions: Creekview High School Fastpitch Softball -- State 5A Champions and Creekview HS Boys Cross-Country Region 6-5A and State 5A Champions.  Learn more here.