Livingston Parish school one of two in La. to get national honor

Southside Elementary School in Livingston Parish and Mermentau Elementary School in Acadia Parish are to be honored by the National Title I Directors Association and Distinguished Schools Program for exceptional student performance, says the Louisiana Department of Education. Both schools are being recognized for making Adequate Yearly Progress in reading and math for two or more years. Adequate Yearly Progress is the minimum level of performance schools and districts must achieve each year to be proficient in reading and math by 2014, as determined under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2000. The National Title I Directors and Distinguished Schools Program annually recognizes two schools from each state that meet the award criteria outlined in NCLB. In addition to being recognized for making AYP, Southside Elementary will also be honored for its progress in closing the achievement gap between white and minority students, as well as between economically disadvantaged students and non-disadvantaged students. More than 75% of Louisiana’s 1,400 public schools are identified as Title I schools: a classification of schools with 40% or more of the student population qualifying to receive free or reduced-price meals. Eight additional Louisiana schools were nominated by the Louisiana Department of Education for making AYP for two or more consecutive years in reading and math, including Baton Rouge Foreign Language Academic Immersion Magnet School and the Baton Rouge Center for Visual and Performing Arts. Southside Elementary School and Mermentau Elementary School will be honored in January during an event in Seattle.