Savannah Chamber

65 Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce 2021 Economic Trends 21 Infrastructure: Education The seven-county CSA* employed approximately 3,995 faculty, administrators, and staff in public and private educational services in the first quarter of 2020. Public High Schools in the CSA produced 5,018 graduates. Of the metro area's population above age 25, approximately 89% are high school graduates or have higher education. Approximately 29% of the population above the age of 25 has a bachelor's degree or higher level of educational attainment. (*See page 10 for definition of CSA.) Pre-K-12 Public Education The District's SY-20/21 enrollment is 36,461 students, a slight decrease from SY 19/290, which was 37,414 students. There are 55 schools across the public-school system including 23 elementary schools, 8 K-8 schools, 8 middle schools, and 11 high schools, 5 charter schools and 8 other educational centers. The School District continues to improve educational offerings through facility improvements under the Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales tax. Current projects include a replacement school for Jenkins High School, a new District stadium at the School of Liberal Studies at Savannah High and a multi-campus design for a new Groves Multi-School Campus. That project will provide replacement facilities for Groves High School, Gould Elementary School and Mercer Middle School. A new K-8 school in western Chatham County (New Hampstead) has begun, as well. Two schools have achieved the acclaimed National Blue Ribbon School status for academics: Garrison School for the Arts and Jacob G. Smith Elementary. Two schools, Gadsden Elementary and Godley Station K8, have been named National Green Ribbon Schools for environmental sustainability efforts. The District's STEM Academy at Bartlett has been named the top STEM Middle School Program in the nation. Virginia L. Heard Elementary Academy is the only State of Georgia STEM certified elementary school in the District. SCCPSS has also steadily improved the graduation rate to outperform the state average for the past 5 years. The current graduation rate stands at 89.7% (SY 19-20). For more information, please visit sccpss.com. Higher Education: Colleges, Universities and Technical Schools About 65,000 students are enrolled in the 18 institutions of higher learning in and around the Savannah area. While several of these schools consistently produce graduates who contribute to the region, others are recent newcomers attracted to the demands for advanced learning created by Savannah's vibrant and growing economy. Georgia Southern University (GSU): Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/R2 institution founded in 1906, offers almost 150 degree programs serving more than 26,000 students through nine colleges on three campuses in Savannah, Statesboro, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia, the University provides a diverse student population with expert faculty, world-class scholarship and hands-on learning opportunities. Georgia Southern creates lifelong learners who serve as responsible scholars, leaders and stewards in their communities. www.georgiasouthern.edu Coastal Georgia Center: Operated by Savannah State University, the Coastal Georgia Center offers a convenient location in historic downtown Savannah with a professional environment for students enrolled in graduate- level courses in business, public administration and social work. The center is an outreach component of the University System of Georgia, promoting economic development and provides accommodation for meetings, seminars and regional conferences. www.savannahstate.edu/cgc/ Georgia Tech Savannah: The Savannah location of Georgia Tech connects with the local and regional coastal communities through professional education, certificates, short courses, seminars, customized programs and other educational activities to the adult workforce, as well as K-12 and industry outreach. Through the offices of Georgia Tech Professional Education, the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC), the Enterprise Innovation Institute, the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP), the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC), the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) and various faculty along with their research programs, Georgia Tech works with local, regional and national/ international businesses and citizens for impact in the region. savannah.gatech.edu SCAD: The University for Creative Careers: The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited university conferring bachelor's and master's degrees at distinctive locations and online to prepare talented students for professional careers. SCAD offers degrees in more than 40 majors, as well as minors in more than 75 disciplines across its locations in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and online through SCAD eLearning. With more than 45,000 alumni worldwide, SCAD demonstrates an exceptional education and unparalleled career preparation. The diverse student

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