State education officials routinely assess performance of public schools in the state, and Wednesday, the Georgia Department of Education released some of its most recent findings in the 2015 School Climate Star Ratings.
According to DOE officials, school climate refers to the quality and character of school life, or the "culture" of a school.
School climate is assessed in a number of ways - parent, student and teacher surveys, attendance levels of both students and staff and student discipline, among other factors.
School Climate Law says " sustainable, positive school climate supports people feeling socially, emotionally and physically safe." Conversely, schools with a poor climate are those with environments stifled by bullying and other negative factors that damage academic performance.
The DOE said in a news release each school in Georgia received a 1-5 star ratings, with five stars representing an excellent school climate, and one star representing a school climate most in need of improvement. School Climate Star Ratings are an informational tool for schools, administrators, and parents; they do not affect the school’s College & Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) score.
While the majority of the schools in Hall County and Gainesville received a 4-star ranking (above average on the index), none received a 5-star ranking. School systems in the counties bordering Hall County each had a least one school to attain the 5-star ranking. Find the school climate rating of your school here.
