Bibb County School District

The Bibb County School District is a county government agency that operates public schools in Bibb County, Georgia. Students there have access to quality education. The district focuses on academic growth and graduation rates, as well as its budget. To learn more about Bibb County Public Schools, read on.

Bibb County School District’s Budget

The Bibb County School District is in the middle of a tough budget debate. The board must decide whether to cut teacher salaries, keep extracurricular activities, merge or close schools, or cut spending altogether. The budget details how much the school district spends on each student. A look at the district’s budget will help you understand what your tax dollars are spending on.

The district has a $100 million stimulus package to spend, but it is still short of the money it needs to operate. The district has already begun to solicit input from teachers and school administrators. To that end, it has opened a three-section survey.

Its Academic Growth

The Bibb County School District is a struggling one. With student enrollment dropping, the district’s former superintendent, Curtis Jones, said he saw no way around closing some schools. In June, he announced his retirement. He said the district will close several schools over the next few years.

In order to boost student achievement, Bibb County decided to focus on literacy. In particular, the district needed to improve its middle school ELA instruction. Compared to other schools, Bibb County’s 7th-grade students were barely progressing in the state’s ELA test. In an effort to improve this, the district formed a team of literacy experts. They reviewed data from the Georgia Milestones assessment and observed writing instruction throughout the district.

Bibb Schools face several challenges, including the shortage of teachers. As the new superintendent, Sims will take on these challenges and become a front-line recruiter. In addition to teacher recruitment, the district is facing declining enrollment. Nearly half of its elementary schools have lower than state-mandated enrollments. The low enrollments make it difficult for the district to fill key positions, such as media specialists. Additionally, 14 of the district’s 21 elementary schools have too few students, requiring the district to pay more to operate them.

Its Graduation Rate

Graduation rates in Bibb County are rising, and the school system should be proud. Georgia’s Department of Education released the statistics for graduation rates at high schools and county high schools, and they show that the Bibb County School District is no exception. In fact, six of the seven high schools in Bibb County had graduation rates of 80 percent or higher. The first graduating class at Southwest High School was the only one to achieve a 100% graduation rate.

In addition to the district’s high graduation rate, the district has made efforts to advance student achievement. In 2017, it received the Georgia College Board Linking Award for achieving high student participation rates in online learning. Additionally, more than 80 percent of its students are using Khan Academy to prepare for standardized tests. Bibb County was also awarded the Georgia Digital School District Survey Award for Large Student Population Districts in 2018.

Its Budget

The Bibb County School District has an annual budget of $323,368,000, or $13,009 per student. This means that, on average, the school district spends $6,437.0 million on instruction, $4343.5 million on support services, and $843,838 on other expenses. According to the Bibb County School District’s website, the budget is broken down into several categories.

Bibb County School Board members recently discussed the district’s budget for the upcoming school year. The Board voted to adopt the Superintendent’s recommended budget, which includes a $44.5 million increase in the fiscal year 2022 budget. The increased money comes from unspent Federal CARES Act 2 Relief Funds, a third of American Rescue Plan Funds, and a $5.4 million increase in General Funds. The budget also includes a three percent salary increase for eligible employees.

Its Teachers

The Bibb County School District celebrates the achievements of teachers by honoring one of them with a yearly teacher of the year award. The district also offers an alternate award for outstanding teachers. The district holds a ceremony to recognize the winner and alternate winner. Nominations are open to all teachers in the district. A committee of educators from different departments selects finalists. They may also include former Georgia Teachers of the Year finalists.

The Bibb County School District seeks new teachers, substitutes, and paraprofessionals. They also encourage career changers and retired teachers to return to the classroom and teach. They provide education to new teachers and educate them about the certification process.