The Seminole County Board of Education announced the resignation of Felicia Purdy at a called board meeting on January 11, 2024, as she now advances to oversee curriculum and instruction statewide. Mrs. Purdy was appointed Director of Curriculum and Instruction by the Georgia State Board of Education on January 11, 2024.
She has been in the Seminole County School System since March 2020 as Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning. During her tenure, she developed and led initiatives that resulted in positive literacy outcomes, with a heavy focus on building the knowledge and capacity of teachers and leaders through quality professional learning focused on structured literacy, evidence-based practices, and the implementation of high-quality instructional materials.
Mrs. Purdy authored and secured over $750,000 in grant funding for the Seminole County School System to support positive outcomes around literacy, computer science, technology, and the gifted and talented program.
During the March 2022 Cognia Accreditation Review, the Seminole County School System earned an IEQ score of 307.58, proudly exceeding the national IEQ average, which is currently between 278.34 and 283.33. An IEQ score of over 300 indicates that the institution is beginning to reach the Impact level and is engaged in practices sustained over time and becoming ingrained in the institution's culture. In 2017, the Seminole County School System earned an IEQ score of 248.29. An IEQ score below 250 indicates that the institution has several areas within the Initiate level and should focus on its improvement efforts.
According to Superintendent Mark Earnest, Seminole County students and teachers have shown incredible growth under Mrs. Purdy’s guidance. Systemwide accountability through assessments to measure student learning, curricular alignment to state standards, and training teachers on effective teaching strategies resulted in tremendous achievement gains. We have developed a framework and acquired the tools to achieve academic excellence for all students under her supervision. We celebrate with her in her new position leading instruction and curriculum at the Georgia Department of Education.
Evidence of great strides in Seminole County includes the number of 3rd-grade students now reading on or above grade level compared to the pre-pandemic scores in 2019.
3rd Grade Black Subgroup - Reading On or Above Grade Level
2019 - 18%
2023 - 49.56%
3rd Grade White Subgroup - Reading On or Above Grade Level
2019 - 57%
2023 - 75.74%
Mrs. Purdy was instrumental in developing a K-12 Multi-Tiered System of Support to identify at-risk students who need acceleration and intervention services. Under her supervision, Gifted Program enrollment increased from 1.10% to 6.2%, including an increase in identifying minority subgroups. The percentage of teachers with gifted certification rose from 12.5% to 38.2%, ultimately leading to increased QBE gifted program earnings by $170,000.
She chartered teacher recruitment initiatives and mentoring programs, including a new Teacher Residency Program in Seminole County, offering a fully funded teaching position to traditional and non-traditional. She also supported the increase of district QBE earnings by approximately $1.3 million dollars through course scheduling, allocation of personnel, altering service delivery models, and extending certification opportunities to teachers.
Mrs. Purdy engineered and led the implementation of a coordinated district plan of support that resulted in the elementary school meeting exit criteria and being removed from the TSI identification list.
April P. Aldridge, Deputy Superintendent of the GaDOE Office of Teaching and Learning, released the following statement after Mrs. Purdy’s appointment: Mrs. Purdy is a results-oriented leader with a proven track record of elevating academic standards and the overall educational experience for students and educators. She is a strategic thinker and planner adept at fostering collaboration among team members, and she has deep knowledge and experience in curriculum development, instructional design, and professional learning.