Newton County School System (NCSS) received a 3.5-Star Financial Efficiency Rating from the Georgia Department of Education (GADOE). According to the GADOE, the ratings are based on data from the 2013-14, 2014-2015, and 2014-15 academic years.

The Financial Efficiency Star Rating measures an individual school district’s per-pupil spending in relation to the academic achievements of its students. Each school district receives a rating ranging from one-half to five stars, with five-star districts being described as having strong academic outcomes and lower levels of expenditures, proportionate to the district’s size, in comparison with other districts.

NCSS earned a 3.5-Star rating based on its three-year average of per-pupil expenditures and College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) scores.

According to Georgia law, the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA), in coordination with the GADOE, must create a financial efficiency rating. Specifically, it requires the development of “indicators of the quality of learning by students, financial efficiency, and school climate for individual schools and for school systems”.

The law states that financial efficiency “may include an analysis of how federal and state funds spent by local school systems impact student achievement and school improvement, and components used to determine financial efficiency may include actual achievement, resource efficiency, and student participation in standardized testing”.

“The Newton County School System’s budget process is student-focused to ensure taxpayers receive the maximum benefit for their investment,” said NCSS Superintendent Samantha Fuhrey. “Our staff, both at the school and system level, should be commended for their continued exemplary preparation of a fiscally responsible budget that meets the needs of our students. Our Board of Education also plays a major role in the financial efficiency of our school system as they monitor our budget throughout the year to make certain that we are always in good financial standing.”