Two Mississippi schools have been selected as being among 65 institutions nationwide to be named 2023 National Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Distinguished Schools for the success of their students.
According to the Mississippi Department of Education, New Site High School in the Prentiss County School District and Vancleave Lower Elementary School in the Jackson County School District were given the national honor this week.
The National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA) has been selecting examples of federally funded schools for national recognition through the National ESEA Distinguished Schools program since 1996.
The program has annually acknowledged the success of hundreds of schools in one of three categories:
- Exceptional student performance and academic growth
- Closing the achievement gap between student groups
- Excellence in serving special populations of students (e.g. homeless, migrant, English learners, etc.)
New Site High School received the recognition for exceptional student performance for two consecutive years, while Vancleave Lower Elementary School received the recognition for closing the achievement gap between student groups.
NAESPA implemented the National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program to highlight selected schools that have effectively used their ESEA federal funds to improve education outcomes for students.
