Title I Distinguished Schools and Districts Awarded

 State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge officially named 868 Georgia Title I Distinguished Schools and four Title I Distinguished Districts at today's State Board of Education meeting.

"These schools have shown that high expectations, hard work and collaboration do improve student achievement," Superintendent Barge said. "I'm so pleased to recognize the educators, students and parents in these schools and school districts."

Title I schools have a significant population of students who are economically disadvantaged. These schools receive federal money to assist with the education of their students. There are two National Title I Distinguished Schools among the total 868 Georgia Title I Distinguished Schools. Title I Distinguished Schools have made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) at least three years in a row.

"These 868 schools could make excuses, but they don't," Superintendent Barge said. "The teachers and students are focused and the consistent results prove it."

Title I Distinguished Schools that have made AYP for three consecutive years are awarded a certificate, while those who have made AYP four or more years receive a monetary award, paid for out of federal funds.

TITLE I DISTINGUISHED DISTRICTS
There are also four Title I Distinguished Districts, which is given to school systems in four different size categories -- Large District, Medium District, Small District and Very Small District. The awarded districts have closed the achievement gap the most between economically disadvantaged students and students who are not economically disadvantaged in each category. The results of the reading, English language arts and mathematics portions of the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) and the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT) are used to determine achievement.

The 2010-2011 Title I Distinguished Districts are:
- Large District: Clarke County
- Medium: Peach County
- Small District: Dublin City
- Very Small District: Glascock County

The winning districts each received $50,000 from federal funds.

NATIONAL TITLE I DISTINGUISHED SCHOOLS
The National Title I Distinguished Schools program recognizes two schools that receive Title I funding. One school is recognized for closing the achievement gap between economically disadvantaged students and students that are not economically disadvantaged. The other school is recognized for exceeding the benchmarks required to make AYP. The CRCT and GHSGT results in reading, English language arts and mathematics are used to determine the winning schools.

The two National Title I Distinguished Schools are:
- Closing the Gap: Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary - Clayton County
- Meets and Exceeds Performance: Fourth District Elementary - Appling County

Each school received $15,000 in addition to their FY11 Title I Distinguished Schools allocation.


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Congressional Action Gives High School Students of Color, Low-Income Students Greater Opportunity to Succeed, says Campaign for High School Equity

/PRNewswire/ -- By directing fiscal year 2010 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations toward high school programs and the students who are least likely to graduate prepared for college and work, the Committees on Appropriations are moving in the right direction, according to the Campaign for High School Equity (CHSE), a coalition of civil rights organizations focused on high school education reform.

Along with steady funding for School Improvement, CHSE acknowledges the $1.5 billion increase in appropriations for Title I and the $15 million increase for TRIO and GEAR UP, will improve opportunities for students of color, Native and low-income students, and English language learner (ELL) students to obtain the educational skills they need to compete in a global economy. The organization also applauds a $35 million increase for after-school tutoring and enrichment programs, which CHSE recently noted are vital to closing the achievement and graduation gaps in our nation's high schools. For the communities of color represented by CHSE's members, funding for a new high school graduation initiative that directly addresses the dropout crisis is a promising element of the bill.

"This appropriations bill puts muscle behind the Administration's call to reverse the status quo for the nation's students, especially by ensuring that high schools and the neediest students begin to receive a greater share of federal resources," said Michael Wotorson, CHSE's executive director. "I am particularly encouraged to see $50 million directed at high schools that are most likely to produce dropouts, among which students of color and Native students are disproportionately represented. Investing in these students is tantamount to investing in the future economic health of America."

Without discounting the importance of monetary investment, CHSE notes that money alone is not enough to obliterate the achievement and graduation gaps that have long existed for America's students of color. The group continues to champion policy change and to urge the reauthorization of an improved and strengthened Elementary and Secondary Education Act during 2010.

"Only when we commit to comprehensive reform -- comprising policy change and funding that support its implementation -- while holding high schools accountable for improved student achievement will we truly address the inequities in our nation's high schools," said Wotorson.

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