Two Maryland elementary schools have been named National Title I Distinguished Schools for the 2009-2010 school year. Chadwick Elementary School in Baltimore County and Adelphi Elementary School in Prince George’s County were among the Title I schools from across the U.S. that will be honored by the U.S. Department of Education and the National Association of State Title I Directors in a special ceremony in Washington, DC, this coming January.
The Maryland State Board of Education added their congratulations during today’s Board meeting. Chadwick Principal Bonnie Hess and Adelphi Principal Jane Ennis shared information about their schools during the meeting.
“Maryland has many outstanding students, teachers, and administrators helping our schools to be nationally recognized, and these two schools have distinguished themselves from the pack,” said State Superintendent of Schools Nancy S. Grasmick. “We congratulate both Chadwick and Adelphi Elementary Schools for the way they serve students, their families, and their communities.”
Title I is the largest federal aid program in K-12 education. Schools use Title I funds to improve the education of all students in high poverty areas. MSDE administers Maryland’s Title I program and nominated the two schools after a thorough review of student achievement data based on the Maryland School Assessments.
Chadwick Elementary in Baltimore County scored the highest in Category 1—exceptional student performance for two or more consecutive years. The school serves a diverse population of 456 students, benefiting from an experienced staff and a history of family and community engagement.
Adelphi Elementary in Adelphi scored the highest in Category 2—closing the achievement gap between student groups. Adelphi serves a wide variety of populations, including English Language Learners (50 percent of the population).