Delaware schools nationally recognized as ESEA Distinguished Schools
Rehoboth Elementary School and Lake Forest South Elementary School have been named as 2024 National ESEA Distinguished Schools for the extraordinary success of their students.
The National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA), formerly the National Title I Association, has been selecting examples of superior, federally funded school programs for national recognition through the National ESEA Distinguished Schools program (formerly the National Title I Distinguished Schools program) since 1996.
Lake Forest South Elementary School, in the Lake Forest School District, is being recognized as a National ESEA Distinguished School for Closing the Achievement Gap between student groups and for the academic progress that the students made during the 2023-2024 school year on standardized achievement tests. Kevin Truitt is the school's principal.
Rehoboth Elementary School, in the Cape Henlopen School District, is being recognized as a National ESEA Distinguished School for Excellence in Serving Special Populations and for the growth and progress towards English language proficiency that the multilanguage learners made during the 2023-2024 school year. Doris Person is the school's principal.
The 2024 National ESEA Distinguished Schools will be honored Feb. 18-21, 2025, at the 2024 National ESEA Conference in Austin, Texas. More information about all National ESEA Distinguished Schools is available at ESEAnetwork.org/awards .
In Delaware, 15 additional schools were nationally recognized as ESEA Distinguished Schools for their students' growth and progress in three categories.
Awards are given for Exceptional Student Performance and Growth on the state's English language arts and mathematics assessment for grades 3-8, Academic Growth and Closing the Achievement GAP between student groups on the 3-8 assessment as well as the SAT taken in 11th grade, or Excellence in Serving Special Populations where multiple language learners showed exceptional growth toward meeting proficiency on the state's English proficiency test.
Twelve schools that are named 2024 Recognition Schools will receive an $8,000 award, a certificate, and a banner to hang in their building. Three schools are also being recognized as Schools of Continued Excellence and will also receive a certificate and a banner. Schools of Continued Excellence are schools that have qualified as a Recognition School for the second consecutive year so are ineligible for the Recognition award this year.
