White Lake Elementary honored
White Lake Elementary School has been selected to
represent South Dakota as a Title I Distinguished School for
2005. Fifty-two schools nationwide were chosen to receive the
award. This is the first year that South Dakota participated
in the program. Staff from White Lake Elementary will attend
the National Title I Conference in Dallas this January to receive the
award.
Title I Distinguished Schools are academically outstanding
schools that have risen above obstacles of poverty with the
help of the Title I program. They are selected for outstanding
results in one of two categories: 1) Exceptional student
performance for two or more consecutive years or, 2) Closing
the achievement gap between student groups.
“Title I Distinguished Schools,” according to Kathryn Manning,
president of the National Association of State Title I
Directors, “despite great challenges, hold their students to
high standards and take seriously their charge to improve
children’s learning. The selected schools are an example to
other Title I schools of approaches, programs and creative
education techniques that work.”
White Lake Elementary was chosen from the pool of South
Dakota’s Distinguished Schools for 2005. The state’s 2004-05
Report Card shows that 100 percent of the school’s 3rd-5th
grade students scored proficient or advanced in math on the
Dakota STEP. Ninety-eight percent of those students scored
proficient or advanced in reading. In order to be eligible for
this award through the national Title I organization, schools
must have a poverty rate of 40 percent or higher and provide
Title I services. White Lake meets these criteria as well as
exhibiting high student achievement.
Title I is the largest federal-aid program in K-12 education.
Since 1996, the National Association of State Title I
Directors has selected examples of superior Title I school
programs for recognition.
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