Three of Fayette County’s schools are among the tops in student test performance in Georgia, according to the Ga. Department of Education. Eleven others also were high on the charts in student performance.

McIntosh High School Friday was named a platinum award winner, one of only seven high schools in the state to receive the highest award.

Kedron and Peeples elementary schools were both platinum winners, two of only 15 elementary schools statewide to receive the recognition.

To be named a platinum winner, the schools had to achieve annual yearly progress (AYP) goals for three consecutive years, have 35 percent or more of the students exceed standards and have 98 percent or more students meet and exceed standards. More award criteria follow this story.

The four levels of awards in descending order are platinum, gold, silver and bronze.

Sandy Creek, Whitewater and Starr’s Mill high schools all were named bronze award winners.

Alone among county middle schools, Rising Starr Middle School received a silver award.

Other Fayette elementary schools receiving recognition were as follows:

Gold — Braelinn and Tyrone.

Silver — Crabapple Lane and Spring Hill.

Bronze — Huddleston, Sara Harp Minter, and Cleveland.

All 14 Fayette schools were cited in the student achievement category. No Fayette schools were named in the category of greatest gains.

Award-winning schools are “laser-focused”

More than 250 schools are receiving state awards for student achievement and academic improvement, Gov. Sonny Perdue and state Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox announced Friday.

Schools from all across the state were given the awards based on 2006-2007 performance on state curriculum assessments, the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) or Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT).

The award winners are determined by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Education, based on the Single Statewide Accountability System.

“These award-winning schools are laser-focused on giving students the instruction and support they need to be successful,” said state Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. “They are not only creating a brighter future for our children, they are creating a brighter future for our state by nuturing our next generation of citizens.”

Jennifer Rippner, executive director of GOSA, said: “Gov. Perdue and I believe it is very important to use our data to recognize the schools that are showing the greatest results. These are the schools that are reaching the highest levels and showing the greatest improvements.”

There are four levels of awards — Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze — that are distributed in two categories.

Student achievement: Schools that have a very high percentage of students meeting standards on the CRCT or GHSGT as well as a significant percentage exceeding standards. Other benchmarks must be met as well.

Greatest gains: Schools that showed the greatest improvement in CRCT or GHSGT scores and had a significant percentage of students who exceeded standards on the tests. Other benchmarks must be met as well.

Award-winning schools will receive banners and a commendation from Governor Sonny Perdue. Awards for highest achievement were given to 153 schools and 110 schools received greatest gain awards. There were seven schools that received awards for both highest achievement and greatest gains (none from Fayette).

Superintendent Cox and Ms. Rippner will visit these schools on Monday, Oct. 29 to present them with their banners.

More information

• About the awards and the Single Statewide Accountability System: http://www.gaosa.org/ssas.aspx

Single Statewide Accountability System (SSAS) Awards Under the No Child Left Behind legislation, and as mandated by state law, Georgia is required to develop a Single Statewide Accountability System (SSAS) which includes awards and consequences.

Awards are presented to schools that show excellence in student achievement and/or progress in student achievement. To date, awards have included recognition banners for all schools.

In addition, several schools earning awards through both great achievement gains and highest achievement performance have received a personal visit from the State Superintendent of Schools and the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement.

Award-winning schools must meet the following criteria, which are based on the results of the most recent two years of Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) (grades 1-8 in reading, English/language arts, math, social studies, and science) and/or the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT) (grade 11 first time test takers — English/language arts, math, science, and social studies).

Criteria are based on Full Academic Year (FAY) students. Both the CRCT and the GHSGT classify achievement in terms of the percent of students who a) do not meet standards, b) meet standards, and c) exceed standards.