BATON ROUGE, La.-- L.W. Ruppel Academy for Advanced Studies in Jefferson Parish and Eastside Elementary School in Livingston Parish have been named "National ESEA Distinguished Schools" for outstanding academic performance.
The National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program, formerly the National Title I Distinguished Schools Program, annually recognizes two schools in every state that have at least 35 percent poverty rate and that either demonstrate high academic achievement for two or more consecutive years or significantly close the achievement gap between specific student groups and their peers.
"This is great news for these two schools and for Louisiana as a whole," said State Superintendent John White. "It is also indicative of how hard these schools are working to ensure academic achievement and growth among all students, including those who struggle most."
L.W. Ruppel Academy for Advanced Studies was recognized in the category of "Exceptional Student Performance Schools." The school has earned an "A" letter grade for two consecutive years.
Eastside Elementary School was recognized in the category of "Closing the Achievement Gap." The school has earned an "A" letter grade in the most recent two years, and from 2016-2017 to 2017-2018, it narrowed the achievement gap on state assessments in school performance scores between economically disadvantaged students and their peers by 2 percentage points, and between students with disabilities and their peers by 17 percentage points.
Both schools are invited to attend the National ESEA Distinguished Schools Conference in Kansas City, Mo., Jan. 30- Feb. 2, where they will be honored among distinguished schools nationwide.
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