Educational Services
Title I Resources
The following schools are classified as Title I Schools: Hand-in-Hand Primary, Garrison-Pilcher Elementary, Cross Creek Elementary, Thomas County Middle, The Renaissance Center for Academic and Career Development, and Bishop Hall Charter School. Each of the previously listed schools qualify as Title I schools based on the number of students meeting federal poverty guidelines. Title I schools are required to use research-based teaching strategies and programs to improve student achievement. Staff must be professionally qualified and must be involved in ongoing staff development. School staff studies data gathered from student assessments, parent surveys, and staff surveys to guide the school’s Improvement Plan.
Title I Family Engagement Plans are distributed electronically to every parent at the beginning of the school year. The plan will also be attached to the school’s web page. A parent advisory panel meets twice a year to discuss school accomplishments and areas for improvement. Each Title I school has a parent resource room that houses information pertaining to child health, discipline, development, and other topics relevant to the ages of the students at that school. Additionally, a variety of parent books are available for check-out in the media center. If you need information that we do not have, please ask the media specialist. In most situations, we are able to secure resources for you to check-out.
To learn more about Title I and other Federal Programs, visit our system Federal Programs page.
ESOL
English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) is a state-funded instructional program for eligible English Learners (ELs) in grades K-12. The ESOL program is a standards-based curriculum emphasizing academic and social language development. ESOL coursework is based upon the WIDA Consortium English Language Development (ELD) standards. Classroom teachers integrate these ELD standards with the Georgia Performance Standards to enable ELs to both communicate in English and demonstrate their academic, social, and cultural proficiency.
To learn more, visit our system ESOL Education page.
Migrant Education
The Migrant Education Program (MEP) is a federally funded program designed to support comprehensive educational programs for migrant children to help reduce the educational disruption and other problems that result from repeated moves.
To learn more about Migrant Education, visit our system Migrant Education page.
Exceptional Students
The Thomas County Program for Exceptional Children offers services for children who have been identified as having a disability. A child with a disability is a child evaluated and determined to be eligible for special education services for intellectual disabilities, other health impairment, a specific learning disability, or deaf/blindness.
Special education is specially designed instruction provided at no cost to parents that meets the unique needs of each student that is identified with a disability. Special education includes instruction in the classroom, in the home, hospitals, institutions and other settings, physical education, travel training, and vocational education.
Related services are services such as transportation and developmental, corrective, and other supportive services that are required to assist a child with a disability to fully benefit from special education.
Decisions regarding eligibility, least restrictive environment, and services are made by a committee of individuals that work directly with the child and the child’s parents or guardian. Parents can contact the Thomas County Program for Exceptional Students by calling 229-225-4380 or visit our system page for more information.