Columbus State and Dimon Magnet Academy Celebrate Successful First Year of PDLS Partnership

“The numbers do more than quantify our partnership. They reflect more than a year’s worth of impact—they reflect what is possible when a community chooses to invest in its children,” said Dr. Pam Wetherington, director of education and community initiatives in Columbus State’s College of Education & Health Professions.

The Professional Development Lab School (PDLS) initiative, a collaborative effort between Columbus State University, the Muscogee County School District, and Columbus Technical College, is marking its first full year of operation with data showing significant gains in student progress and academic success. According to a report from news.columbusstate.edu, the program—which launched in July 2025—has successfully bridged the gap between K-5 education at Dimon Magnet Academy and higher education resources, creating a measurable impact on both student achievement and community engagement.

Academic growth at Dimon Magnet Academy

When the PDLS program began during the 2025-26 academic year, Dimon Magnet Academy faced specific academic hurdles. The school, which is Georgia’s only state-certified STEM school in Muscogee County, serves approximately 370 K-5 students. At the time of the program’s inception, fewer than half of those students were achieving grade-level scores on the 2024–25 Georgia Milestones Assessment. Additionally, about 21% of the student body receives special education services, and all students qualify for free or reduced-price meals.

#ImpressMe #Sports #Avengers #Photoshoot with Geovante Flemister who attends Dimon #Magnet #Academy and #plays for the Eastway #Cherokees in #ColumbusGa#youthsports #youthfootball pic.twitter.com/EUgb2MyzAP

— https://x.com/enTIEtainer/status/2004595968810123374

The partnership has since yielded improved reading and math performance across every grade level. Principal Emily Wilson, a three-time Columbus State graduate, noted that the presence of university students has provided Dimon students with consistent, caring role models. These college students, often viewed as “rock stars” by the younger children, meet with them weekly to support both academic and social-emotional development.

The impact of the partnership extends to the university level as well. More than 100 Columbus State students from various degree programs, including nursing, business, counseling, and robotics engineering, participated in the initiative. These students used their classroom knowledge for tutoring, mentoring, and workforce development. Notably, 97% of these participants reported feeling better prepared for their future careers due to the hands-on experience.

“When students start to see a clear path forward through education, careers, and purpose, we are building pathways from the classroom and into the workforce. When they and their families begin to believe in what is possible for their future, everything changes—that is the true impact of this partnership.”

Principal Wilson emphasized that these weekly conversations between university mentors and K-5 students have led to more frequent discussions regarding college, careers, and future goals.

Connecting families to career pathways

The PDLS model focuses on more than just classroom instruction; it aims to stabilize the broader community surrounding the school. Because Dimon Magnet Academy serves a diverse residential community, the initiative sought to involve families through year-round health and wellness engagement. Data from the first year shows that approximately 50 family members participated in eight monthly Family Literacy Nights, with over 80% of those families reporting that they utilized the provided literacy resources at home.

Columbus Technical College has played a specific role in transforming these engagement efforts into professional opportunities. Through the partnership, seven mothers of Dimon students have enrolled in an early childhood education credentialing pathway offered by the college. This allows parents to gain professional certifications that open direct doors to careers in early childhood education.

Martha Ann Todd, President of Columbus Technical College, highlighted the importance of this vocational bridge. “It was absolutely the right thing to do for Dimon’s students, its families and the broader community—and seeing these parents successfully defining a career pathway through professional certification is a testament to that,” Todd said.

The collaborative structure of the PDLS is supported by several key components:

Academic Inquiry: Joint engagement between school leaders, university faculty, and students.
Experiential Learning: Practical application of university majors in a real-world K-5 setting.
Community Engagement: Connecting Dimon families with Columbus State and Columbus Technical College resources.
Strategic Pillars: A focus on increasing K-5 student achievement and expanding hands-on learning.

Expanding the scope for Year 2

As the partnership enters its second year, the focus is shifting toward increasing the capacity for after-school tutoring and mentoring. Dr. Margie Yates, dean of the College of Education & Health Professions, noted that the original vision was to create an authentic partnership within a real community rather than a controlled environment on a university campus. This vision involves integrating various disciplines, including healthcare and workforce sectors, to support the holistic needs of students.

Plans for the upcoming year include introducing new family-centered activities during the week and on weekends, specifically targeting STEM, the arts, and health and wellness. The program has already begun leveraging external support, having obtained two competitive grants in Year 1 to deliver evidence-based literacy and family engagement programs. These funds, alongside private donations, are intended to strengthen the ability to evaluate and expand the program’s results.

The partnership recently marked the start of the new academic cycle with a back-to-school event in July 2026, which included educational experiences from Columbus State’s Coca-Cola Space Science Center. Moving forward, Columbus Technical College will continue to facilitate Family Literacy and Math Nights to ensure that the link between home learning and school achievement remains intact.

“The PDLS was never intended to replace the outstanding work already happening at Dimon, but to build upon it,” Wetherington said.