The Georgia Department of Education has officially unveiled its list of schools earmarked for Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI), a designation that includes five schools from the Hall County and Gainesville City School Systems. This initiative is part of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which mandates that states identify schools requiring extra assistance. In Georgia, these classifications are known as Comprehensive Support & Improvement (CSI) and TSI.
According to Georgia’s revised ESSA plan, which received approval from the U.S. Department of Education in 2023, schools designated as CSI are evaluated every three years. Notably, schools that improve their graduation rate to over 67% may be removed from this list. The identification process for CSI and Additional Targeted Support and Improvement schools took place in January 2024 using data from 2023, which means that only TSI schools are being recognized in 2025.
This year, a total of 87 schools across the state have been categorized as needing Targeted Support & Improvement. TSI schools are identified based on the consistent underperformance of one or more student subgroups.
Among the schools listed in the Gainesville City School System is Fair Street International Academy, while the Hall County schools include Lanier College and Career Academy, along with Martin, Myers, and Sugar Hill elementary schools.
State School Superintendent Richard Woods emphasized the intent behind Targeted Support & Improvement, stating, "The aim is to ensure that schools receive the appropriate resources and support rather than to label them negatively." He further expressed optimism about how focused assistance from the School & District Improvement team has led to significant progress in various schools over the years. "We are excited to collaborate with these institutions to foster their ongoing development for the benefit of students throughout Georgia," he added.
Additionally, Winder Elementary School in Barrow County, Rabun County Elementary School, Central Gwinnett High School, the Gwinnett InterVention Education East and West Campuses, and Meadowcreek High School have also been recognized as TSI schools.
Furthermore, Chicopee Elementary School in Hall County and the International Transition Center in Gwinnett County have made it onto the department’s CSI Progress list. Discovery High School and Lawrenceville Elementary School, both located in Gwinnett County, have successfully met the criteria to exit the TSI classification.
