GAcollege411 Partners
Bringing together such a comprehensive web site to help you
plan, apply, and pay for college takes a large effort from many
different organizations. The following Georgia organizations are
proud partners in this effort:
The Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) administers
student financial aid programs provided by the State of Georgia.
The Georgia General Assembly established the Commission in 1965 to
help Georgia citizens attain an education beyond high school. GSFC
administers a variety of scholarship and grant programs, including
the HOPE Program.
Postsecondary education is critical to the success of Georgia
residents and the state as a whole. Gov. Nathan Deal is committed
to increasing college access by making college more affordable for
Georgia students and improving our K-12 education system to ensure
students are prepared for postsecondary coursework when they get to
college. In addition, the Governor has focused his agenda on
improving college completion rates because far too many students
drop out before getting a degree. By 2018, more than 60 percent of
job openings in Georgia will require some form of postsecondary
education. To meet this demand, Governor Deal is focused on
increasing the number of students with access to higher education
and ensuring that these students graduate with postsecondary
degrees in a timely manner.
The University System of Georgia, a part of the community in
each of Georgia's 159 counties, provides services across the state.
The University System is composed of 35 higher education
institutions including 4 research universities, 2 regional
universities, 13 comprehensive universities, 14 state colleges, 2
two-year colleges and the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography. The
Georgia Public Library System, encompassing approximately 389
facilities in 61 library systems throughout Georgia, is also part
of the University System. The University System enrolls more than
311,000 students and employs approximately 41,000 faculty and staff
to provide teaching and related services to students and the
communities in which they are located.
The Technical College System of Georgia oversees the state's 25
technical colleges. The Technical College System of Georgia also
contributes to the economic, educational, and community development
of Georgia by providing adult literacy education, continuing
education, and customized business and industry workforce training
to the citizens of Georgia.
The Georgia Independent College Association (GICA) is an
association of Georgia's 25 private (independent) colleges and
universities. Through partnerships with the institutions,
businesses, and community leaders, GICA supports private higher
education in Georgia in the areas of public policy, fundraising for
student financial aid, and collaborative programs.
The State Board of Education establishes policies that the
Georgia Department of Education administers under the direction of
the State Superintendent of Schools. The department disburses state
education funds, provides technical assistance and support services
to local school systems, operates 3 state schools for visually and
hearing-impaired students, and provides intensive assistance to
local schools identified by the Office of Education
Accountability.
The Georgia School Counselors Association (GSCA) is a private,
non-profit association comprised of school counselors, school
counseling supervisors, administrators, counselor educators and
other individuals who impact the academic, career, and
personal/social development of all students. With a membership of
more than 1,000 members, GSCA has been instrumental in setting
professional standards for the school counseling profession in
Georgia and assisting counselors in delivering effective
services.
The Georgia Office of the State Treasurer is the cash and
investment manager for the State of Georgia, preserving both
capital and public trust by managing Georgia's cash resources
efficiently and conservatively. Among the State Treasury's
responsibilities is the administration of the Path2College 529 Plan
- Georgia's Section 529 college savings plan. Section 529 savings
plans are tax-advantaged programs of investment options allowing
parents, grandparents, or others to save for the future education
expenses of our children.
Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) creates, produces, and
distributes high quality programs and services that educate,
inform, and entertain its audiences and enrich the quality of their
lives. GPB operates a nine-station public television network and a
17-station public radio network. GPB's education service is
Georgia's electronically delivered classroom for all Georgia
learners and Georgia educators' source for top-quality multiple
media educational products and services.
The Professional Standards Commission has full responsibility
for the certification, preparation, and conduct of certified,
licensed, or permitted personnel employed in the public schools of
the State of Georgia. The Commission is also responsible for the
development and administration of teacher certification testing.
The Commission handles the investigation, advisement, monitoring,
and due process of cases associated with educator discipline. In
1999, the Georgia Teaching Force Center was placed in the Georgia
Professional Standards Commission for administration purposes. The
Teaching Force Center is one component of the Georgia P-16
Council's Title II Plan for having a Qualified Teacher in every
Classroom in Georgia by 2006.
Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS) is a unit of the Board of
Regents of the University System of Georgia. The GPLS improves the
quality of life for all Georgian's by providing information and by
encouraging reading, literacy and education through the continuing
support and improvement of Georgia's public libraries.