Fulton County Schools Zone 4 Superintendent Alexandra Bates told the school board that more than 63 percent of students enrolled in Sandy Springs public schools are economically disadvantaged, but have made significant strides academically.

Bates made her presentation during the Fulton County Schools Board of Education’s work session on Dec. 9.

Bates said Zone 4 has shown clear, consistent improvement over the last three years. The number of beginning learners has decreased and the number of proficient and distinguished learners has increased. Almost half of the students in Sandy Springs meet or exceed standards, with the graduation rate a 95.6 percent in the two traditional high schools, Riverwood and North Springs.

The 8,774 students enrolled in Pre-K to 12 are served by 1,145 employees.

Related stories:
• North Springs and Riverwood boast high graduation rates in Georgia
• North Springs High launches Accelerated Career Diploma program
• Fulton County Schools shows student achievement increases

Bates’ report said that the Sandy Springs student population at these schools includes almost as many Hispanic students (2,718) as it does Black students (2,845). White students make up approximately 24 percent of the enrollment, or 2,160. Asian students are a smaller portion of the population, with 513 enrolled.

Almost 17 percent of the students are English learners, according to the Zone 4 report. Individuals with disabilities make up a little more than 12 percent of the student population. Approximately 18 percent of the students are classified as gifted.

Enrollment by grade level shows the stark reality of declining enrollment. According to the Zone 4 report, enrollment in grades nine through 12 totals 3,135. Only 2,335 students are enrolled in Sandy Springs schools in grades five through eight.

Bates said Zone 4 includes six elementary, three middle, and three high schools, plus six pre-K sites. Specialized learning is offered through one virtual school, one STEM campus, and one STEAM campus. Five schools provide the International Baccalaureate program, which Bates said offers rigorous opportunities for students.

“I want to highlight Woodland Elementary, which is one of the only two STEM schools in the district. Woodland has gone through a rigorous process to earn STEM certification and recently completed recertification,” Bates said. “It serves as a lab school hosting educators from across Georgia who visit to observe best practices and see students engaged in hands-on learning.”

Bates said Woodland’s commitment to hands-on, project-based learning in science, technology, engineering and math, STEM, and the design-thinking process is a way of life at the school. An example is the fifth grade’s work on its first semester question, which is how to lower the impact of power outages on lower-income families in the community. The solutions they create will be presented to community leaders.

“I’m proud to share that every elementary and middle school in zone four has surpassed this norm in English language arts. This is significant because strong growth scores are critical as we work to close achievement gaps for our students,” Bates said.

Other highlights include a 10.6 percent increase in reading indicators for Dunwoody Springs Elementary third graders. Ison Springs third graders had a 13.4 percent increase in reading, its fourth graders showed a 15.4 percent increase, and its fifth graders recorded a 13 percent increase.

Bates said these and other accomplishments couldn’t be done without community partnerships, including the Sandy Springs Education Force.

The post Economically disadvantaged Sandy Springs students show improved academic scores appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

The lawsuit, filed in a federal district court in Atlanta, demanded that Fulton County turn over “all used and void ballots, stubs of all ballots, signature envelopes, and corresponding envelope digital files,” from the 2020 election. It also accuses Fulton County Clerk Ché Alexander of violating federal laws for refusing to relinquish the records.

In a statement, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said the records were needed to protect U.S. citizens from “vote dilution.”

Trump has long claimed — without evidence — that the 2020 election was stolen in Georgia and other swing states, blaming his loss on unfounded accusations of rampant voting fraud, even though two recounts affirmed former President Joe Biden’s victory in Georgia. In an interview with POLITICO published earlier this week, Trump claimed that in the next few months, evidence would emerge to prove that 2020 was “a rigged election.”

Dhillon first requested Fulton County’s 2020 election records in October, following a subpoena over the same records issued by the State Election Board in 2024. In a letter to the Fulton County Board of Election, she argued that the records were needed to “ascertain Georgia’s compliance” with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and the 2002 Help America Vote Act.

However, Alexander denied Dhillon’s request, according to the lawsuit, stating that the records were under seal and could not be released without a court order. Alexander did not immediately reply to a request for comment Friday.

Max Flugrath, communications director at the voting rights organization Fair Fight, said the Justice Department is “recycling conspiracy theories that’ve been disproven in court, in audits, and by independent experts.”

“They’re abusing federal power to manufacture a reason to restrict ballot access in 2026 and beyond,” he added.

The Justice Department also filed lawsuits against Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Nevada on Friday to compel the states to turn over their voter registration lists.

The Justice Department has requested voter data from 40 states and filed lawsuits against 18 states that refused to provide the records, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, which is tracking the requests. Officials told Stateline that the records will be shared with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in an effort to locate noncitizens on the voting rolls.

The post Trump’s Justice Department sues Fulton County to force release of 2020 ballot documents appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

Local activist and musician Samuel Tunick was arrested by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and FBI as part of what advocates call a wave of repression against political dissent across the U.S.

On Dec. 2, Tunick was arrested after being pulled over in Atlanta and asked to step out of the car to observe an issue with a taillight on his car. According to advocates for Tunick, he was then suddenly handcuffed and surrounded by the FBI and DHS.

Tunick was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at an airport while returning from an international trip in January and federal agents attempted to coerce him into providing full access to his phone. Information has not been shared publicly or with Rough Draft as to the specific airport in which Tunick was detained; updates will come as they are available.

During his first court appearance on Dec. 4 after one night in jail, Tunick was informed that he had been indicted by a grand jury on Nov. 13, following his detainment in January. The charge was for one count of destruction of evidence for allegedly destroying evidence on his phone, though the prosecution allegedly did not clarify what evidence they were looking for. The warrant for Tunick’s arrest was also issued on Nov. 13.

Tunick was a protestor with the Stop Cop City movement against the construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, a $118 million 85-acre police training facility in the South River Forest. Kamau Franklin, the director of Community Movement Builders, called the arrest “totally baseless” and evidence of the Trump administration’s scapegoating of legitimate protestors.

“The Trump administration is using political prosecution to distract from the growing unpopularity in the polls, defections within the GOP, and a persistent high cost of living,” he said.

“The ongoing harassment of local activists reflects the state’s struggle to convict Stop Cop City protestors,” local activist Evan Grace said in a statement. “Tunick’s situation reveals the apparent desperation and technical inadequacy of the FBI, perceived by many as a tool of the far-right agenda. This prosecution poses a significant threat not just to Tunick, but to the broader rights of individuals to use digital security tools essential for safeguarding democratic freedoms.”

In September 2023, 61 Stop Cop City activists were charged with coordination of violence, intimidation, and property destruction. These Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) charges were dismissed in September of this year by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kevin Farmer, who said they could not proceed because the proper authorization steps were not followed. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr’s office called the protestors in a statement “domestic terrorists and violent criminals.”  

The case has been referred to by experts as the largest racketeering prosecution ever brought against protestors in U.S. history. Atlanta’s police training center opened earlier this year after years of protests, delays, and the death of a protestor by police.

As a condition of his bond, Tunick will be subjected to random visits from a parole officer and regular drug tests. A GiveSendGo account has been set up to help Tunick pay legal bills.

Related stories:
• Community calls for police accountability after fatal shooting of Linton Blackwell
• Trans woman still waiting for answers in DeKalb County library police incident

Editor’s note: Language surrounding Tunick’s indictment has been edited to clarify that he was indicted on Nov. 13, not Dec. 4.

The post Activists call FBI arrest of Samuel Tunick evidence of protestor repression appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

Atlanta Public Schools confirmed that a fight broke out in the school’s cafeteria.

Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes obtained video of the fight, showing two teen boys getting physical with each other.

In the video, you see one of the teens holding a pair of scissors in their hand. Moments later, you see the other teen with a bloodied face.

“One student sustained an injury involving a pair of scissors. School staff responded to secure the area, ensure the safety of all students, and provide care to the injured student, who is currently being treated at a local hospital,” APS said in a statement. “This was an isolated incident involving only the two students. No other students were involved, and there is no ongoing threat to students or staff.”

Follow WSBTV.com for updates.

The post Student stabbed with pair of scissors, sent to hospital after fight at North Atlanta High School appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

At issue are tax credits that lowered the cost of ACA plans that are set to expire Dec. 31. The credits were enacted as part of a Covid relief package in 2021. Unless Congress takes action to extend the credits, premiums for Georgians will, on average, more than double, a recent Georgia Health Initiative analysis found.

The enrollment deadline is Monday, Dec. 15, for coverage to begin Jan. 1.

The GHI analysis predicts that the higher costs would prompt about 340,000 of the 1.5 million Georgians who are enrolled in the ACA to go without insurance next year. The analysis is based on data showing how many people enrolled after the premium tax credits took effect.

Congress is set to recess for the holidays next week. On Thursday, a Democratic proposal to extend the subsidies and a Republican proposal to provide enrollees with additional funds for health care costs instead both failed on 51-48 votes in the U.S. Senate.

The exact amount of the rate increases will vary based on several factors, but on average, premiums in Georgia will more than double, from an average of $69 per month this year to $148 per month in 2026, according to the GHI report.

Many will likely “buy down” to lower-coverage plans that may have lower premiums, but higher out-of-pocket costs, the analysis said.

How will higher costs impact health care in Georgia?

People who make more than 400% of the poverty level (about $62,600 for a single person, or $128,600 for a family of four) will see the biggest increases if Congress doesn’t act, said Louise Norris, health policy analyst for Healthinsurance.org.

“All of a sudden they’re faced with full-price premiums, which are really high, depending on how old you are, and where you live,” Norris said. People making less than 400% of the federal poverty level will also see increases, she said.

Many people will opt to go without insurance, which will increase health care costs across the board, Norris said.

Employer-sponsored plans and Medicare plans have also set higher premiums for next year.

“When you increase the uninsured rate, you do drive up costs for everyone who still has insurance,” Norris said.

Anna Adams, senior vice president of government relations at the Georgia Hospital Association, said, “Hospitals will continue to provide high-quality care to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay, but the loss of coverage for many of those patients will have a substantial impact on hospitals’ ability to stretch already scarce resources.”

Many patients without insurance will turn to emergency room care, Norris said, for which they won’t be able to pay. That will cause hospitals to raise rates, which will drive up premiums for everyone.

Who is eligible for Affordable Care Act insurance and where to find plans in Ga.

U.S. citizens, nationals, or lawfully present immigrants who are not incarcerated can enroll in the plans. About 1.5 million Georgians, or around 13% of the population, currently use the plans.

Most of those enrolled do not have access to insurance through their employers.

To compare plans and enroll, visit GeorgiaAccess.gov. In the past, Georgians purchased their insurance through a federal website called the Marketplace. The state established its own portal last year.

What happens if Congress doesn’t extend the tax credits by the Monday deadline?

The rates listed on GeorgiaAccess are the rates that will take effect if Congress does not act, Norris said. She advises selecting a plan by Monday’s deadline.

“You can base your decision on those numbers. Pick a plan, but then don’t just tune out completely. Make sure you still keep an ear to whether or not anything is changing,” she said.

Congress could still renew the subsidies or agree to another plan to lower costs even after the deadline, retroactively.

What happens if you miss the Monday deadline to enroll?

Those who have health insurance through Georgia Access will be re-enrolled in the same plan or the most similar plan available for next year.

Aetna will not be offering ACA insurance in 2026, so those customers will be shifted to another company, said Bryce Rawson, a spokesperson for the Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire.

Those who don’t already have health insurance and miss the Monday deadline can enroll until Jan. 15. But coverage wouldn’t start until Feb. 1.

What options are available for those who cannot afford health insurance?

Here are some resources available in Georgia for uninsured people.

• Many charity and low-cost clinics across the state operate on a sliding scale for low-income and uninsured people. Here are some directories to help find one near you.
• For DeKalb and Fulton residents, Grady Health offers financial assistance, often called a “Grady card,” for inpatient and outpatient care. For residents of other counties, Grady provides financial assistance for emergency services.
• Contact your health system or doctor and explain the situation. Hospitals are often able to write off debt, provide lower bills, or set up a payment plan. Just ask.
• Make sure you are being charged the lower “self-pay” rate rather than the insurance rate.
• Local public health departments offer an array of low-cost services, including vaccinations, many routine screenings like mammograms, and sexually transmitted infection prevention and treatment services.
• Eligibility for Medicaid varies. Typically, people who are eligible for the ACA are not eligible for Medicaid. Those who are eligible include:
• Children from low-income families
• Adults 19-64 with incomes up to 100% of the federal poverty level ($15,650) who work, volunteer, study, caregive or complete another qualifying activity for 80 hours per month.
• People with certain medical conditions or who are aged, blind, or disabled.
• Pregnant and post-partum women with low incomes.
• Parents of children under age 19 who earn very low incomes

Healthbeat is a nonprofit newsroom covering public health published by Civic News Company and KFF Health News. Sign up for their newsletters here.

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