Thirteen Bartow County and Cartersville elementary and middle schools were among the 824 schools statewide to be given the “Title I Distinguished” honor Thursday from the Georgia Department of Education. The complete list of honored schools is attached to this article.

Title I schools have significant populations of students who are classified as economically disadvantaged. The schools receive federal money to assist with the education of their students.

Title I schools earn the “Distinguished” label by achieving Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) at least three years in a row. Local schools that met the criteria were Cartersville Primary and Cartersville Middle, in addition to a number of county elementary schools—Cloverleaf, Mission Road, Emerson, Allatoona, Adairsville, Pine Log, Taylorsville, White, Clear Creek and Kingston—and South Central Middle School.

Adequate Yearly Progress is a measure that shows how schools are meeting goals prescribed by the federal No Child Left Behind Act. In addition to academic achievement and test participation benchmarks, schools under NCLB must also meet or surpass goals in a third area known as a “second indicator.” All students at a school, as well as any qualifying subgroup of students, must meet goals in all three categories in order for the school to make AYP.

Those schools making AYP at least three consecutive years are awarded a certificate, while those making AYP 10 or more years receive a monetary award, paid for out of federal funds. Both Cartersville Primary and Emerson Elementary met the latter requirement, with their students making AYP 10 consecutive years, putting each school in the Distinguished category for eight straight years. Each of the schools will receive $1,530 for the achievements.

CPS Principal Walter Gordon told The Daily Tribune News his school would use the money to continue professional development.

Making AYP has become tougher in recent years due to the ramping up of academic goals. Schools across the state are being required to increase their academic results as goals move closer to a required 100-percent proficiency for all students by 2014.