COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Education

November 22, 2013

TO:  Division Superintendents

FROM:  Patricia I. Wright, Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT:  2013-2014 National Title I Distinguished Schools Recognition Program

Virginia has received information regarding the application process for the 2013-2014 National Title I Distinguished Schools Recognition Program.  This project, sponsored by the National Association of State Title I Directors (NASTID), recognizes qualifying Title I schools from each state for their outstanding achievements in education.  Only two schools per state are selected each year as Distinguished Schools.

In order for a school to qualify for the Distinguished School award it must have:

1. A poverty rate of at least 35 percent for each of the two most current consecutive school years;
2. Demonstrated high academic achievement for two or more of the most current consecutive school years;
3. Met or exceeded federal Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs) for two or more of the most current consecutive school years;
4. Obtained full state accreditation for the same two or more consecutive years; and
5. Achieved a mean score at the 60th percentile for both reading and mathematics.

A school may be nominated to represent one of the following categories:

• Category 1: A school that has exceeded AMOs for the current and previous years (accountability years 2012-2013 and 2013-2014); or

• Category 2: A school that has significantly closed the achievement gap for the student subgroups as evident by performance toward AMOs in the current and previous years (accountability years 2012-2013 and 2013-2014).

School divisions are invited to nominate one Title I school to represent either of the two categories indicated above.  A peer review process will be used to select the two Virginia schools for national recognition.  A 2013-2014 National Title I Distinguished Schools Recognition Program intent to submit form, instructions for developing the application, and school participation form are attached.  

School divisions wishing to nominate a school should submit an intent-to-apply form (Attachment A) by e-mail to NationalTitleIDistinguishedSchools@doe.virginia.gov by Friday, December 6, 2013.  The application must be submitted electronically to the referenced e-mail address by 5 p.m. on Friday, December 13, 2013 (Attachment B).  On the e-mail subject line, please indicate the school division’s name and the category (example:  Richmond City, Category 1). Each application must be accompanied by the School Participation Form (Attachment C).
Recipients of these awards will be announced by letter in early January.  These two schools will be honored during the 2014 National Title I Conference, February 2-4, 2014, in San Diego, California. 

For questions regarding the national recognition program, please contact Gabie Frazier, Title I specialist, at (804) 225-2907 or Gabie.Frazier@doe.virginia.gov.

PIW/gf/gtb

Attachment:

1. National Title I Distinguished Schools Recognition Program – 2013-2014 School Participation Intent Form (PDF)
2. National Title I Distinguished Schools Recognition Program – 2013-2014 Instruction for Developing the Application (PDF)
3. National Title I Distinguished Schools Recognition Program – 2013-2014 School Participation Form (PDF)