Forty-Seven Central Texas Schools Receive State Recognition

WACO, Texas - Region 12 schools deserve a round of applause! The Texas Education Agency (TEA) recently granted the 2010-2011 Title I Distinguished School Performance and Distinguished School Progress honors to 1,094 Texas campuses including forty-seven located in Region 12.

Region 12 districts earning the Distinguished Performance honor include: Axtell ISD, Belton ISD, Chilton ISD, Copperas Cove ISD, Corsicana ISD, Dawson ISD, Gholson ISD, Goldthwaite ISD, Hamilton ISD, Hico ISD, Holland ISD, Hubbard ISD, Itasca ISD, Killeen ISD, La Vega ISD, Meridian ISD, Midway ISD, Rapoport Academy Public School, Waco ISD and West ISD.

Those earning the Distinguished Progress honor include Academy ISD, Clifton ISD, Harmony Science Academy, Killeen ISD, Oglesby ISD, Troy ISD and West ISD. For a complete list of campuses honored, see page two.

Title I is the largest federally funded elementary and secondary education program and federal law requires states to identify those Title I schools that are meeting or exceeding the state’s standards. Distinguished Performance schools are recognized as consistently providing educational excellence, while Distinguished Progress schools are recognized for having made significant strides in reaching educational excellence.

“It is a quite an achievement to maintain the very high standards that are required to receive this honor for outstanding academic performance. In order to achieve the Title I Distinguished Performance recognition, campuses must have a residing student population of 40 percent or more low income, have met Adequate Yearly Progress in 2009 and 2010, received the State’s rating of Recognized or Exemplary for the past two years, and received the highest rating of Exemplary in 2010. Title I Distinguished Progress recognition follows the same guidelines with the exception of moving from an Unacceptable or Academically Acceptable state rating in 2008 to Exemplary or Recognized in 2009 and Exemplary in 2010. With progress standards increasing at both the federal and state level each year, these districts and campuses serve as role models for all Texas schools and are to be commended for this accomplishment,” Barbara Agee, Assistant Director for School Support and Grant Services, stated.

Agee said the schools have been invited to share their strategies of success with other educators by completing a “School Profile” and nominating representatives to serve on a Title I School Support Team in the role of advisor, where upon request, they will share information with other schools on ways to improve their Title I services.

ESC Region 12 will present each of the schools with a framed certificate of achievement on behalf of the Texas Education Agency. Presentations may be made at districts’ upcoming school board meetings or through other district recognition opportunities.

A complete list of the Title I Distinguished Schools in Texas is available at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=7909&menu_id=798.

For more information, contact Barbara Agee at 254.297.1238 or bagee@esc12.net.

2010-2011 Title I Distinguished School Performance

• Axtell ISD- Axtell Elementary
• Belton ISD- Leon Heights Elementary, Sparta Elementary, Tarver Elementary
  
• Chilton ISD- Chilton School
• Copperas Cove ISD- C.R. Clements/Hollie Parsons Elementary, Martin Walker Elementary
• Corsicana ISD- Bowie Elementary and Drane Intermediate
• Dawson ISD- Dawson Elementary
• Gholson ISD- Gholson School
• Goldthwaite ISD- Goldthwaite Middle School
• Hamilton ISD- Ann Whitney Elementary, Hamilton Junior High
• Hico ISD- Hico Junior High
• Holland ISD- Holland Elementary, Holland Middle School
• Hubbard ISD- Hubbard Elementary
• Itasca ISD- Itasca Elementary, Itasca High School
• Killeen ISD- Cedar Valley Elementary, Clarke Elementary, Clifton Park Elementary, Montague Village Elementary, Nolanville Elementary, Oveta Culp Hobby Elementary, Reeces Creek Elementary, Venable Village Elementary
• La Vega ISD- La Vega Elementary
• Meridian ISD- Meridian Elementary
• Midway ISD- Hewitt Elementary
• Rapoport Academy Public School- Audre and Bernard Rapoport Academy, Quinn Campus Public Middle School
• Waco ISD- Hillcrest Professional Development School, Kendrick Elementary, Mountainview Elementary, Parkdale Elementary, Viking Hills Elementary
• West ISD- West Elementary, West Intermediate

2010-2011 Title I Distinguished Progress Honor

• Academy ISD- Academy High School
• Clifton ISD- Clifton High School
• Killeen ISD- East Ward Elementary, Saegert Elementary
• Oglesby ISD- Oglesby School
• Troy ISD- Troy Elementary
• West ISD- West Middle School