The Georgia Department of Education recently released the list of Reward Schools as part of the state’s waiver from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The category is reserved for schools with the highest performance or the biggest academic gains by students in the last three years.

“These schools are shining examples of what we can achieve in public education in Georgia,” said state School Superintendent Dr. John Barge. “I want to take what’s working at our Reward Schools and replicate that in every school in the state. These are the schools making education work for all Georgians.”

Several elementary schools in the Troup County School System were named to the Reward Schools list. Callaway, Hogansville and Mountville elementary, and Ethel Kight Magnet schools were recognized as “high progress schools.” Rosemont Elementary School was the only school to gain recognition in both categories as a “high performing school” and “high progress school.”

“I would like to congratulate everyone at our Reward School campuses,” said Troup County Schools Superintendent Dr. Cole Pugh. “This recognition is a tribute to the teachers who work effectively every day with students who are engaged in the learning process. Academic achievement is also a result of administrative leadership, parent and community support, and a supportive Board of Education.”

• A “highest-performing school” is a Title I school among the 5 percent of Title I schools in the state that has the highest absolute performance over three years for the “all students” group on the statewide assessments. A Highest-Performing School must have made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for the “all students” group and all of its subgroups in 2011. A school may not be classified as a “highest-performing school” if there are significant achievement gaps across subgroups that are not closing in the school.

• A “high-progress school” is a Title I school among the 10 percent of Title I schools in the state that is making the most progress in improving the performance of the “all students” group over three years on the statewide assessments. A school may not be classified as a “high-progress school” if there are significant achievement gaps across subgroups that are not closing in the school.