Two public schools in the district received high honors from the Georgia Department of Education, setting them in a top tier of schools with the highest performance or biggest academic gains by students in the last three years.
Mansfield Elementary School and Rocky Plains Elementary School were named Reward Schools by GADOE as part of the state’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) flexibility waiver.
“The students, staff, teachers and leaders of Mansfield and Rocky Plains are to be commended for their hard work, focus and commitment to continuous improvement,” said Samantha Fuhrey, superintendent for the Newton County School System (NCSS).
Reward Schools are classified into two categories: Highest-Performing School and High-Progress School. A Highest-Performing School is a Title I school among the top 5 percent in the state with the highest absolute performance over three years for the “all students” group on statewide assessments. A school may not be classified as a Highest-Performing School if it has been identified as a Priority, Focus or Alert School.
“Mansfield Elementary School’s students have been recognized for their outstanding performance,” Fuhrey said. “Their results are among the top 5 percent of the highest performing Title I schools. This achievement is no small feat.”
Title I schools among the top 10 percent in the state making the most progress in improving performance in the “all students” group over three years on statewide assessments are named a High-Progress School. A school may also not be classified as a High-Progress School if it has been identified as a Priority, Focus or Alert School.
“Rocky Plains’ students have been recognized for their progress. Their scores place them among the top 10 percent of Title I schools in Georgia to have demonstrated improved results for students. This recognition is a testament to the targeted and detailed work of the Rocky Plains team,” Fuhrey said.
Data used for Reward School identification was pulled from the years 2010, 2011 and 2012, according to Matt Cardoza, GADOE director of communications.
