1. Gabie Frazier Dr. Lynn Sodat Office of Program Administration and Accountability Virginia Department of Education National Title I Distinguished Schools Recognition Program 2014-2015

2. Overview Purpose of Program Nominated Categories Selection Criteria Application Process Intent to Apply Application Guidelines Participation Form Submission Timeline Recipient Notification

3. Purpose of the Program Background information from the National Title I Association (NASTID): Each year NASTID publicly recognizes qualifying Title I schools from each state for their outstanding achievements in education. Because only two schools per state are selected each year as National Title I Distinguished Schools, this award is an especially prestigious honor.

4. Nominated Categories Category 1: A school that has exceeded Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs) for the current and previous years (accountability years 2013-2014 and 2014-2015) or Category 2: A school that has significantly closed the achievement gap for student subgroups as evident by performance towards AMOs in the current and the previous years (accountability years 2013-2014 and 2014-2015) Only one school per category can be selected.

5. Selection Criteria Eligible schools must not have received this award for the past two years, and must meet the criteria below: 1. Poverty rate of at least 35% for each of the two most current consecutive school years; 2. Demonstrated high academic achievement for two or more of the most current consecutive school years; 3. Met or exceeded federal AMOs for two or more of the most current consecutive school years; 4. Obtained full state accreditation for the same two or more consecutive school years; and 5. Achieved a mean score at the 60 th percentile for both reading and mathematics.

6. Application Process Superintendent’s Memo #277-14Superintendent’s Memo #277-14, released October 10, 2014, provides instructions for developing the application. 1. Submit Intent to Apply Form (Attachment A) 2. Develop and submit Application (Attachment B) 3. Submit School Participation Form (Attachment C) with application. NOTE: Attachment C must be signed by the division superintendent or designee.

7. Application Requirements Maximum of 10 pages 1 inch margins Times New Roman style 12 point font Double spaced Heading for each application area

8. Submission Timeline Letter of Intent – Due Friday, October 24, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. Submit electronically to NationalTitleIDistinguishedSchools@doe.virginia.gov NationalTitleIDistinguishedSchools@doe.virginia.gov NO faxes will be accepted Completed Application and School Participation Form – Due Friday, November 14, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. Submit electronically to NationalTitleIDistinguishedSchools@doe.virginia.gov NationalTitleIDistinguishedSchools@doe.virginia.gov NO faxes will be accepted

9. Recipient Notification Late November – VDOE application review and recipient selection Early December – Recipients announced Letter to division superintendent VDOE Press Release Recipients will be contacted by NASTID to submit information for national recognition and to participate in the National Title I Conference, Leading With Wonder, February 5-8, 2015, in Salt Lake City, Utah Leading With Wonder