U.S. honoring 2 Utah Blue Ribbon Schools
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The U.S. Department of Education is honoring two Utah elementaries as Blue Ribbon Schools for closing achievement gaps and high scores on tests used for No Child Left Behind, the department announced Friday. Granger and Castle Dale elementaries are among 250 nationwide honored. This is the first wave of awards; the second will come when more data is available next month, the department reported. “All of these schools have students from all subgroups who’ve made impressive test gains or who scored in the top tier on state tests,” U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said in a prepared statement. “They are outstanding examples of how all students can achieve to higher standards.” |
Statewide, 20-point to 30-point achievement gaps exist between some ethnic and socio-economic groups. Granger receives Title I money from the federal government, set aside for high-poverty areas. Two-thirds of its 660 students are low-income, and half are learning English as a second language, Williamson said. The school has 40 students in its preschool, which helps the school see early on where children need help in preparing for kindergarten. It has English as a second language teachers in every grade level, 20 aides (all considered “highly qualified” by the federal government), regularly tests student abilities, and splits them into small groups for individualized instruction.
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