Strategic Waiver School System

Douglas County School System Strategic Waivers School System Information

The state mandated that each school system choose one of the following three accountability options no later than June 30, 2015. In return for more flexibility, school systems have to accept more accountability.  The options are:

  • Status Quo School System – This option indicates that the system chooses to continue to abide by all current state education laws, state education rules, guidelines and policies.  Thus, the system would not be eligible for waivers for innovations around these rules, guidelines and policies. 
  • Strategic Waivers School System (SWSS) (Formerly Known As Investing in Educational Excellence School System (IE2)) – This option allows a system to request waivers from specific state education laws, state education rules, guidelines and policies in return for increased accountability.
  • Charter System – This option allows a system to receive a blanket waiver from state education laws, state education rules, guidelines and policies in return for increased accountability.  Additionally, a charter system contract requires a school system to institute school level governance councils at all schools.

The Douglas County Board of Education studied these three options and made the determination that a SWSS performance contract would best align with the strategic improvement plan for the school system.  By becoming a SWSS, Douglas County is able to continue current innovative practices as well as consider new or additional innovations for the purpose of improving student achievement. 

Choosing to become a SWSS brings specific accountability requirements from the State Board of Education and the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement.  This increased accountability will be measured by Georgia’s new College and Career Readiness Performance Index (CCRPI).  Each school in the district will use the 2015-16 CCRPI scores as a baseline for setting performance targets over the life of the five year SWSS performance contract. 

The application was approved by the local Board of Education on March 21, 2016 and by the State Board of Education on March 30, 2016.  The Douglas County School System began the 2016-2017 school year as a Strategic Waivers School System. 

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