HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — Five Henry County elementary schools are no longer on improvement plans from the federal government.
The school district announced Monday that Walnut Creek Elementary School was no longer a Comprehensive Support and Improvement Progress School.
Separately, Bethlehem, Hampton, Stockbridge and Wesley Lakes elementary schools are no longer designated as Targeted Support and Improvement schools, as of December.
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The change of federal support status was confirmed in a December 2025 progress report from the Georgia Department of Education.
“For our schools to exit and make progress to exit federal identification, with no other school identified for support, reflects the investments all across Henry County Schools to achieve results for every child,” Superintendent Dr. John Pace III said in a statement. “I applaud the districtwide efforts and the diligence of our principals, teachers, students, and families. These achievements underscore our commitment to continuous improvement and the power of nurturing a collaborative and high-performance culture.”
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Schools are identified as CSI schools in conjunction with Every Student Succeeds Act requirements from the U.S. Department of Education every three years.
Each year, GaDOE highlights schools that improve their performance as CSI schools.
In Henry County, Walnut Creek Elementary School was one of 43 schools in Georgia identified as progressing enough to leave the federal program.
To make it out of the federal designation, schools must show a 5% increase in College and Career Ready Performance Index Content Mastery scores, in this case between 2024 to 2025, in addition to scoring 80 or higher on one of the Progress, Closing Gaps or Readiness components.
“This recognition reflects the dedication and perseverance of our teachers, staff, students, and families as we work together to strengthen our school community,” Principal Tamika Knighton said. “At Walnut Creek Elementary, we have been intentional about building strong relationships, setting high expectations, and creating a culture where every child feels supported and challenged. We are proud of this milestone and remain focused on continuing the work that ensures excellence every day, the Walnut Creek way.”
District officials said Walnut Creek was one of only nine elementary schools in Georgia to achieve a Closing Gaps score of 100, beyond the state requirement of 75.
For the schools given a TSI designation in Henry County, Bethlehem, Hampton, Stockbridge and Wesley Lakes elementary schools, the four were among 55 in Georgia that improved enough to exit the federal status.
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