SREB Honors Schools for High or Improving Student Achievement

"These 42 schools have shown the great progress that can be made when schools deeply implement the High Schools That Work, Making Middle Grades Work and Technology Centers That Work designs for strengthening curriculum and instruction," said Gene Bottoms, SREB senior vice president and founder of the programs. "They have created the culture of change that SREB advocates and supports."

The 42 schools received one of six national SREB awards, based on performance on SREB’s 2010 High Schools That Work (HSTW) and Middle Grades Assessments and state data. (Schools are listed at the end of this release.)

Eight schools were designated as Making Middle Grades Work (MMGW) Pacesetter Schools, an honor given to schools that exemplify the progress schools can make when leaders truly embrace change and support improvement efforts. These are model schools that deeply implement the MMGW design, teach students a rigorous curriculum and have high achievement.

The MMGW Gold Award for Improved Achievement was given to two schools for improving mean scores on the reading, mathematics and science portions of SREB’s Middle Grades Assessment by at least 10 points from 2008 to 2010.

Four schools received the MMGW Silver Award for Algebra Completion for their great strides in preparing students for rigorous high school mathematics courses. At least 75 percent of eighth-graders in these schools were enrolled in Algebra I or higher.

SREB also recognized several schools for outstanding commitment to improving student achievement, graduation rates, and student college- and career-readiness. These schools were nominated by HSTW, MMGW and Technology Centers That Work (TCTW) state coordinators from throughout the SREB networks or by an SREB director for a noteworthy accomplishment — such as a significant increase in achievement, in graduation rates, or in the percentage of students meeting grade-level or college-readiness standards:

Thirteen high schools received the Outstanding HSTW School Award. SREB’s single largest program, HSTW is a national, comprehensive school improvement design based on the premise that most students can master rigorous academic and career/technical studies if school leaders and teachers create a school environment that motivates all students to make the effort to succeed. More than 1,100 high schools in 30 states and the District of Columbia participate in the HSTW school improvement initiative.

Eight middle grades schools received the Outstanding MMGW School Award. The MMGW program works with states, districts and schools to ensure more students leave the middle grades prepared for rigorous high school study. Like HSTW, this school improvement model is based on the conviction that students can master academic studies at or above grade-level standards if schools create an environment that motivates them to make the necessary effort. More than 450 middle grades schools in 21 states participate in the MMGW initiative.

Seven technology centers received the Outstanding TCTW School Award. Founded in 2007, TCTW is based on the HSTW model, with modifications to address the specific needs of shared-time centers. More than 150 technology centers in 17 states participate in the TCTW school improvement initiative.

For more information on SREB’s school improvement efforts and the HSTW Staff Development Conference, contact SREB Communications.

MMGW Pacesetter Schools

• Floyd Middle Magnet School, Alabama
• Peter F. Alba Middle School, Alabama
• Cardington-Lincoln Junior High School, Ohio
• Clermont Northeastern Middle School, Ohio
• Granville Middle School, Ohio
• Hicksville Middle School, Ohio
• Little Miami Junior High School, Ohio
• Patrick Henry Middle School, Ohio

MMGW Gold Award for Improved Achievement

• Morrow Middle School, Georgia
• Pointe South Middle School, Georgia

MMGW Silver Award for Algebra Completion

• Carver Middle School, Alabama
• Beverlye Magnet School, Alabama
• Rex Mill Middle School, Georgia
• Rigby Junior High School, Idaho

Outanding HSTW School

• Lakeside High School, Arkansas
• Sussex Technical High School, Delaware
• LaSalle-Peru High School, Illinois
• Central R-III High School, Missouri
• Burke High School, Nebraska
• Piedra Vista High School, New Mexico
• Continental High School, Ohio
• Tecumseh High School, Oklahoma
• St. James High School, South Carolina
• Fred J. Page High School, Tennessee
• Crockett High School, Texas
• Dan River High School, Virginia
• Scott High School, West Virginia

• Bay Minette Middle School, Alabama
• Bakersfield Middle School, Missouri
• Alice Buffett Magnet Middle School, Nebraska
• Bethel-Tate Middle School, Ohio
• Powdersville Middle School, South Carolina
• Southside Elementary School, Tennessee
• Mount Pleasant Junior High School, Texas
• Cumberland Middle School, Virginia

Outstanding TCTW School

• National Park Technology Center, Arkansas
• Caddo Career and Technology Center, Louisiana
• South Central Career Center, Missouri
• Cumberland County Technical Education Center, New Jersey
• Southern Oklahoma Technology Center, Oklahoma
• Reading Muhlenberg Career and Technology Center, Pennsylvania
• Anderson District I & II Career and Technology Center, South Carolina

SREB, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, advises state education leaders on ways to improve education. SREB was created in 1948 by Southern governors and legislatures to help leaders in education and government work cooperatively to advance education and improve the social and economic life of the region. SREB has 16 member states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Each is represented by its governor and four gubernatorial appointees. For more information, visit www.sreb.org.