State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Announces Selection
of Two California Title I Schools for National Honor
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced that two California public schools have been named 2010 National Title I Distinguished Schools by the National Title I Association.
The California schools are Manzanita School of Expeditionary learning, Equity, and Diversity (SEED) in the Oakland Unified School District, Alameda County; and Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles County.
"These schools have inspired student success with effective leadership and innovative teaching and learning strategies," O’Connell said. "Manzanita SEED is a remarkable place that focuses on language, culture, and family-school integration. Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy maintains a tradition of rigorous instruction and high achievement, producing students who are socially well-prepared and college bound."
Since 1996, the National Title I Distinguished School Program has honored schools across the country for their innovation in helping Title I populations achieve high-educational standards. Selected from each state, these schools represent examples of superior Title I programs in one of two categories: (1) for having the greatest percentage of students at or above the proficient level for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in English-language arts and mathematics, and, (2) for making the most progress in closing the achievement gap among numerically significant subgroups. These subgroups consist of students who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, minorities, disabled, or have limited-English proficiency.
Manzanita SEED was nominated as the California Title I Distinguished School with the most success in closing the achievement gap between its student groups. Manzanita SEED provides a healthy, nourishing environment for every child to grow and develop strong roots in the major languages and cultures of their community. SEED prepares students to branch out into the world as bilingual and biliterate leaders and life-long learners. At SEED, children gain an understanding and respect of themselves, their community, and the world.
The Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy was nominated as the California
Title I Distinguished School with the greatest percentage of students at or above the proficient level. Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy is located in Wilmington on the Harbor College Campus. Education at this school is based around the idea that students take college level classes while still attending high school. They also take Advanced Placement classes which are recognized by all Universities. The premier goal of Harbor Prep is that students graduate with an Associate in Arts degree.
Both schools were identified based on their 2008-09 and 2009-10 academic achievement data. California has about 6,000 Title I schools. The two schools will be recognized January 21–24, 2010, in Tampa, Florida, at the National Association of State Title I Directors annual conference.
Title I is the largest federal-aid program in K-12 education with more than $14 billion awarded annually through formula and discretionary grants. Title I funds are used to improve the education of all students in high-poverty Title I schools. Since 1965, the Title I program has served more than 150 million children in need of extra academic support in reading, writing, and math.
The Title I program, a part of the federal NCLB law, is designed to give academically at-risk children equity and access to a high-quality education in order to reach proficiency on state content standards as measured by state academic assessments.
The Title I Distinguished School Program is sponsored by the National Association of State Title I Directors, and is designed to recognize outstanding Title I schools that are considered to be national models of excellence.
For more information on the 2011 Academic Achievement Award Program, please visit: Academic Achievement Awards - School/Teacher Recognition.
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