The State Department of Education recognized 38 high performing New Hampshire schools Tuesday. The schools were highlighted for improved test scores, and innovative practices.
New this year, the state is highlighting a group of “reward schools”, which have made the greatest gains in their test scores. The reward school category was created when the state received its waiver from the federal education law, No Child Left Behind. It is made up of the schools that have made the greatest gains in the median scores on the regional standardized test – the NECAP. The first round of reward schools include three on the seacoast, three in the North Country.
The state also used the day to highlight schools that have had no dropouts, like Woodsville High School.
“I need to set a little bit of a stage,” says Bob Jones, principal of the Woodsville High School, “In 2004-2005 we were recognized as one of the top-ten dropout schools in New Hampshire, so to turn this around is just enormous.” Woodsville had its first dropout free year in the school year ending in 2012.
Seven schools have been dropout free for two years, and eight more have for just one.
Also pictured are schools nominated to be Blue Ribbon Schools, a national program that recognizes high performing schools.
