RIDE names 22 Commended Schools

THE R.I. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION named 22 schools as "Commended Schools" on Wednesday, recognizing them for high levels of achievement. / COURTESY R.I. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
THE R.I. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION named 22 schools as "Commended Schools" on Wednesday, recognizing them for high levels of achievement. / COURTESY R.I. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Department of Education named 22 schools “Commended Schools,” the highest rank, in this year’s school classification, according to a release by the department on Wednesday.

Two of the 22 schools, Tiverton’s Fort Barton School and the Bristol Warren School District’s Rockwell School, achieved Commended School status for the fifth consecutive year.

In addition, Barrington is home to four Commended Schools (Barrington High School, Barrington Middle School, Hampden Meadows School and Nayatt School) and there are two each in the Chariho Regional School District (Hope Valley and Richmond elementary schools) and the towns of Jamestown (Lawn and Melrose) and South Kingstown (Peace Dale and Wakefield elementary schools).

Congratulating the honored schools for closing learning gaps, Barbara S. Cottam, chair of the Board of Education, said properly preparing students for college and future careers “remains one of the top priorities for the Raimondo administration.”

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Daniel P. McConaghy, chair of the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education, noted that the 2016 total reflects five additional commended schools than the previous year.

“This is a sign of continued improvement among our highest-performing schools as well as overall improvements statewide on state assessments,” he said.

RIDE scores schools on the following criteria, ranking them by a composite index score: student proficiency levels on Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers exams, the closing of learning gaps between the lowest-achieving students and performance standards of the PARCC exams, a student’s measured annual improvement on exams and the Class of 2015 graduation rate.

Rhode Island schools are then ranked into three categories, from lowest to highest:

  • Priority Schools, the lowest index scores in the state;
  • Focus Schools, the lowest index scores (aside from Priority Schools) for proficiency or gap closing
  • Commended Schools, the highest index scores in the state and no achievement gaps; recognized for either high achievement or for closing gaps

Here is a list of the other Commended Schools:

  • Blackstone Valley Prep Middle School
  • Community School in Cumberland
  • Archie R. Cole Middle School in East Greenwich
  • Brown Avenue School in Johnston (second year as a Commended School)
  • Kingston Hill Academy in Saunderstown
  • Wickford Middle School in North Kingstown
  • North Smithfield High School
  • Francis J. Varieur School in Pawtucket
  • Clayville Elementary School in Scituate
  • The Compass School in Kingston section of South Kingstown(second year as a Commended School)

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