Board honors high-performing schools and highlights NSF Robert Noyce teacher scholarship program expansion

At its Oct. 6 meeting the Clayton County Board of Education recognized multiple campuses for state and national honors and highlighted an NSF-funded teacher scholarship that supports STEM teacher recruitment.

The board recognized Morrow Bridal Dual Language Magnet School for national magnet certification at the demonstration level and congratulated two campuses named Title I reward schools by the Georgia Department of Education for being among the top 5% of Title I schools statewide. Two additional campuses — Elite Scholars Academy and the Martha Ellen Stillwell School of the Arts — were recognized as Title I distinguished schools for overall performance. A board presenter noted long-term strong performance at Elite Scholars and commended staff.

Superintendent Dr. Anthony Smith described a Clark Atlanta University partnership that received a $2,680,000 Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program grant from the National Science Foundation in 2022. The grant funds teacher preparation, coaching and mentoring, and provides fellows with a full scholarship toward a master's in arts and teaching and a Georgia teaching certificate. The program has served 16 fellows in three cohorts; the NSF has approved adding a fourth cohort for the class of 2026, and the district and partners are recruiting applicants.

Board members praised staff, university partners, and community collaborators for supporting teacher pipelines and strong student outcomes. The board did not discuss additional funding details for the program at the meeting.