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The Georgia Department of Education recently recognized the top-performing and most-improved Title I schools in the state, many of which are in metro Atlanta.
About 150 schools statewide made the lists.
Title I schools have a high percentage of low-income students and receive additional federal funds for academic and other support.
There are more than 1,500 Title I schools in Georgia. The state named 5% of those schools “distinguished.” That means their students scored well on state assessments and “made significant progress in improving student achievement and/or significant progress in closing the achievement gap” — both among all students and those who are considered the most academically at risk.
The Camden County School District in southeast Georgia has 11 distinguished schools, the most in the state. In total, 78 schools were deemed distinguished, including:
- Atlanta: Burgess-Peterson Elementary School
- Clayton County: Martha Ellen Stilwell School for the Performing Arts
- DeKalb County: Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers, DeKalb Early College Academy, Livsey Elementary School, Laurel Ridge Elementary School, Robert Shaw Theme School, Chesnut Elementary School
- Fulton County: Ridgeview Charter Middle School, Hembree Springs Elementary School, Amana Academy School
- Gwinnett County: Harris Elementary School, Partee Elementary School, Paul Duke STEM High School and Pharr Elementary School
Additionally, 5% were named Title I Reward Schools for having the most improvement in content mastery scores on state assessments in recent years. The DeKalb County School District has 16 schools on this list, the most in the state.
- Atlanta: KIPP Strive Primary Charter School, Benteen Elementary School
- Clayton: Arnold Elementary School
- Cobb County: Clarkdale Elementary School, Hendricks Elementary School, Acworth Intermediate School
- DeKalb: DeKalb Agriculture Technology and Environment School, Laurel Ridge Elementary School, Kelley Lake Elementary School, Edward L. Bouie Sr. Elementary School, Wynbrooke Elementary School, Avondale Elementary School, Woodward Elementary School, Hawthorne Elementary School, Dunaire Elementary School, Allgood Elementary School, PATH Academy Charter School, Hambrick Elementary School, Robert Shaw Theme School, DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts, Idlewood Elementary School, Livsey Elementary School
- Fulton: Ridgeview Charter Middle School, Hembree Springs Elementary School, Amana Academy School
- Gwinnett: Central Gwinnett High School, Duluth High School, Paul Duke STEM High, and Rosebud Elementary School
In a news release announcing its recognized schools, Gwinnett County credited the work of educators and maintaining high standards. Al Taylor, the district’s chief of schools, said, “It is evident that these schools are focused on academic achievement, looking beyond barriers and challenges that come with serving high numbers of economically disadvantaged students.”
| School district | Amount of Title I schools | Distinguished Title I schools | Reward Title I schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Public Schools | 70 | 1 | 2 |
| Clayton County Public Schools | 67 | 1 | 1 |
| Cobb County School District | 39 | 0 | 3 |
| DeKalb County School District | 112 | 6 | 16 |
| Fulton County Schools | 59 | 3 | 3 |
| Gwinnett County Public Schools | 70 | 4 | 4 |
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