3 Gloucester schools recognized by state

Achilles, Bethel and Botetourt elementary schools in Gloucester were among the 57 Title I schools recently recognized by the Virginia Board of Education for raising the academic achievement of economically disadvantaged students.

The recognition is based on student performance on state standards of learning (SOL) assessments during the 2012-2013 and 2011-2012 school years.

The DOE recognized two schools as Title I Highly Distinguished schools and 55 as Title I Distinguished schools. The Highly Distinguished schools exceeded all state and federal accountability benchmarks for two consecutive years and had pass rates on English and mathematics SOL tests at or above the 85 percentile.

The Distinguished schools, including the three Gloucester elementary schools, met all state and federal accountability requirements for two consecutive years and achieved reading and mathematics SOL pass rates at the 60th percentile or higher.

“Teachers in these Title I schools challenge their students every day to meet the same expectations we have for students in more affluent communities,” said state public instruction superintendent Patricia Wright.

“They believe in their students and reject the idea that family incomes predetermine educational outcomes.”

Title I of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act provides funding to school divisions and schools for programs to raise the achievement of students identified as being at risk of academic failure.

The federal education law, whose most recent reauthorization is known as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, requires schools and school divisions to meet annual objectives for increasing students achievement on state assessments in reading/language arts and mathematics.