A Georgia school leader will represent her profession at the national level during the next year, after winning recognition from the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

The group selected Jessica Ainsworth, an assistant principal at Lithia Springs High School in Douglas County, as National Assistant Principal of the Year.

The low-achieving school saw scores rise for some student groups. For instance, a little over a quarter of students with disabilities were proficient in reading but under Ainsworth’s leadership the rate rose to 83 percent, according to the national association. The graduation rate, college acceptances and job placements also rose.

“Ainsworth involved all stakeholders in the emphasis on classroom instruction, intervention programs, assessment and performance data analysis, attendance, behavior and supervision, and parent engagement,” the group said in a statement.