Savannah Chamber

41 Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Economic Trends 21 Infrastructure: Education The five-county CMSA employed approximately 3,366 faculty, administrators, and staff in public and private educational services in the first quarter of 2015. Public High Schools in the CMSA produced 3,322 graduates. Of the metro area's population above age 25, approximately 88% are high school graduates or have higher education. Approximately 28% of the population above the age of 25 has a bachelor's degree or higher level of educational attainment. Savannah's educational institutions offer a range of programs to suit every learning need, from the family looking for one of the state's free high-quality pre-kindergarten programs to the college graduate looking to pursue an advanced degree. Pre-K-12 Public Education With new schools being built and greater academic options being offered, the district's enrollment is now at 38,032 students – an increase of 797 students from the previous year; that is equivalent to an entire new school. There are 55 schools across the public school system that includes 26 elementary schools (includes two charter schools), 9 K-8 schools (includes one charter), 9 middle schools (include one charter), and 11 high schools. Three new facilities – Isle of Hope K-8 School, Hesse K-8 School, and Rice Creek School are ready for the 2015-2016 school year. Four schools were named Title I Reward Schools for High Progress and four additional schools were named Advanced Placement Honor Schools by the Georgia Department of Education. For more information, please visit sccpss.com Higher Education: Colleges, Universities and Technical Schools Over 60,000 students are enrolled in the 18 institutions of higher learning in and around the Savannah area. While several of these schools have long histories of producing graduates who have contributed to the region, others are recent newcomers, attracted to the demands for advanced learning created by Savannah's vibrant and growing economy. Armstrong State University (ASU): Founded in 1935 as Armstrong Junior College, Armstrong in 2015 enrolled approximately 7,103 students in more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree-granting programs. In addition to bachelor and masters degrees, this SACS-accredited institution offers a doctoral degree, eleven associate degrees, pre-professional programs, and online degree programs. In 2014-2015 the university awarded 1,445 academic degrees, a 7.5% increase from the previous academic year. Departmental and faculty grants afford tremendous opportunities for student scholarships, research, and part-time employment. armstrong.edu Coastal Georgia Center: Operated by Georgia Southern University, in partnership with Armstrong State University and Savannah State University, the Coastal Georgia Center offers a convenient location with a professional environment in downtown Savannah for students to earn graduate degrees in business, education, public administration, and social work. The center is also an outreach component of the University System of Georgia to promote economic development and serve as a venue with modern technology and services for meetings, seminars, and regional conferences. academics.georgiasouthern.edu/cgc Georgia Tech Savannah: Initiated in 1998, the satellite campus of the Atlanta-based Georgia Institute of Technology in Savannah was created as an upper division campus to unite education, industry, and technology in Georgia's Southeast region. The campus is home to regional offices of the Georgia Tech Economic Development Institute and the Advanced Technology Development Center, Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute. The Savannah campus has transitioned into an international destination for professional education, and will include professional master's degrees, certificates and specialized training programs targeting industry and the military. 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 to prepare talented students for professional careers. SCAD offers degrees in more than 40 majors and minors in more than 60 disciplines. With 32,000 alumni worldwide, SCAD demonstrates an exceptional education and unparalleled career preparation. At locations in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia; in Hong Kong; in Lacoste, France; and online, the diverse student body consists of more than 12,000 students, from across the United States and over 100 countries. SCAD's innovative curriculum is enhanced by advanced, professional-level technology, equipment and learning resources. Curricular collaborations with companies and organizations including Google and the National Council

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