East Fayette Elementary School has received an $82,000 Pay for Performance (PfP) Program award which Principal Faith Hardnett said will be used to upgrade the school's technology program and provide teachers with additional funds for classroom use.

"Technology is very high on our list," Hardnett said. "Our goal is for every teacher to have a computer in her classroom," she added.

East Fayette Elementary is one of 72 Georgia schools, and the only school in Fayette County, to receive the award. PfP is a voluntary one and one-half year school improvement program designed to promote exemplary school planning, student achievement, and faculty collaboration.

"Obviously the state felt that we did an exemplary job," Hardnett said. "We focused on reading, math, client involvement, which includes the parents and the community, and staff development," she said. "Our math scores and all our scores are up significantly," Hardnett said, noting one of the end results of the program.

She estimated about 2,000 hours of staff development were devoted to working on the PfP program.

"Sometimes, the teachers did not leave until 5 p.m." Hardnett said she intends to submit a proposal for next year's PfP program. "There's no excuse for any school not to have what it needs," she said, noting the wealth of grants available to education.

State Superintendent of Schools Linda C. Schrenko said, "Pay for Performance is an excellent name because the program inspires local schools to set higher goals and then to work hard over the next year to attain those goals. I commend each school that took the initiative to apply. These schools are making a very public statement about their desire to attain excellence."