Griffin--- Employees of the Griffin-Spalding County School System learned today that their school district had earned the Georgia Title I Distinguished School District Award for systems with 10,000 + students.

Along with being the only school system of its size to win will come $50,000 from federal funds. Superintendent Dr. Curtis Jones said, "Great job, everyone! This award is for doing the best job across the state of closing the achievement gap between subgroups of students (white, black, students with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged) in school systems our size and larger.

"It shows the commitment of all stakeholders - students, parents, staff, board of education, and community members - to be a leader in the state in student achievement. It shows how hard we have worked. As board of education member, Zach Holmes said in June at a SACS Standards committee meeting, 'We are better than we think we are.'"

The results of the reading, English language arts, and math Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) and the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) are used to determine achievement.

The other winners in smaller size school districts were: Medium: Carrollton City; Small: Ben Hill County; and very small: Chickamauga City.

Griffin-Spalding joins the ranks of past winners in the largest system category: Hall County, Henry County, and Clarke County.

State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge said, "These schools are showing that high expectations, coupled with effective educators in the building, produce outstanding student achievement. I'm very pleased to recognize the educators, students and parents in these schools and school districts."

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