December 5, 2008

Chukker Creek Elementary School in Aiken County is one of five schools nominated by the South Carolina Department of Education to compete in the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

The U.S. Department of Education honors public and private K-12 schools through the program. Schools must be academically superior or demonstrate they have made dramatic gains in student achievement. Schools chosen as National Blue Ribbon recipients are used as models for other schools to emulate.

Nominated schools must have at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds and they must show dramatic improvement in test scores to high levels in English Language Arts and mathematics. They must also be in the top 10 percent of schools in the state, no matter what their demographics are.

Chukker Creek, achieved in the top 10 percent, with at least 40 percent disadvantaged students.

According to the SC Dept. of Education, all five South Carolina schools not only met the basic criteria, but also scored higher against those criteria than other South Carolina schools. In addition, they had to have made AYP for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 school years, and also will have to make AYP for the 2008-09 school year to be eligible for recognition as National Blue Ribbon schools.

The 2009 winners will be announced in Washington next fall, and the recognition ceremony will be held in Washington next November