News Release
For Immediate Release: November 18, 2016
Contact: Charles Pyle, Director of Communications, 804-371-2420
Two Virginia Elementary Schools Earn National Title I School Award
RICHMOND, Va. – The National Association of State Title I Directors has designated Bensley Elementary in Chesterfield County and Occoquan Elementary in Prince William County as National Title I Distinguished Schools for 2016-2017.
Bensley Elementary was selected for maintaining exceptional student performance for two or more consecutive years. Occoquan Elementary was selected for excellence in serving special student populations, such as English learners and students with disabilities. Both schools are Fully Accredited under Virginia’s accountability program, and have been for three consecutive years.
“Bensley Elementary and Occoquan Elementary are known for their exceptional instructional programming, the opportunities they provide for student success, and the partnerships they have forged with families and the communities they serve,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Steven R. Staples said.
Representatives from both schools will be recognized during the National Association of State Title I Directors’ annual conference, February 22-25, 2017, in Long Beach, California.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 – known as ESEA – provides Title I funds to all of Virginia’s school divisions for supplemental educational support to eligible schools. The focus of this program is to raise the achievement level of students functioning below their peers so they will not be at risk of academic failure.
The most recent reauthorization of ESEA – the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 – requires states to establish long-term goals and interim measures of progress for increasing student achievement on statewide assessments in reading and mathematics. Printer-Friendly Version (PDF)
###