Photo by Duay O'Neil Cocke County Schools Curriculum Supervisor Kathy Holt, left, and Cocke County Schools Title I Director Eddie Surber, right, look over scores achieved by students at Grassy Fork and Centerview Elementary Schools which earned them rankings in the top 10 percent of Tennessee's Title I schools.

NEWPORT---The students know it, their parents know it, their teachers know it, and now all of Tennessee's school systems know it.

Centerview and Grassy Fork Elementary Schools are tops.

For the second consecutive year, students at those two Cocke County schools scored so well in reading/language arts and math tests that they earned their respective schools places in Tennessee's top 10 percent of Title I schools.

As such, the schools will receive Title I Academic Achievement Awards.

A total of 27 Title I schools in Tennessee performed in the top 10 percent, according to the Tennessee Department of Education. The Cocke County schools are two of only four East Tennessee schools to achieve this status, the others being C. Hal Henard Elementary School in Greeneville and Central Heights Elementary in Sullivan County.

"Actually the top ten percent of all Tennessee schools are identified first," said Eddie Surber, Cocke County Schools Title I Director, "and then the top 10 percent of the Title I schools are taken from that list."

To achieve this status, not only did the students at Grassy Fork and Centerview have to score extremely well on the state-mandated TCAP tests, they also had to meet the adequate yearly progress (AYP) goals of No Child Left Behind for two consecutive years.

"It is wonderful to honor the hard work evident in this accomplishment," Acting Education Commissioner Tim Webb said. "Recognizing our schools' successes is as vital to accountability as implementing reform when needed. Local educators and students should take pride in the example they have set for the rest of the state."

Local education leaders are ecstatic about Grassy Fork and Centerview's accomplishments.

Cocke County Schools Curriculum Supervisor Kathy Holt said, "It is really significant that the strong leadership, faculty, staff, and community involvement at both schools have brought this achievement about. Such cooperation is vital for our children to succeed."

According to Surber, a school receives Title I designation if as many as forty percent of the school's students qualify for either free or reduced lunches. For 2006/2007, the school year for which the schools received their honors, 100 percent of Grassy Fork's students qualified, while 77.88 percent of Centerview's students qualified.

Surber also pointed out that for students to achieve the "Top 10" status, attendance at the schools must be 93 percent or higher.

Cocke County received $1,388,376 in Title I funds for the 2007/2008 school year, according to Surber. "The amount of Title I funds Cocke County received dropped slightly for three consecutive years," said Surber, "but rose again this past year."

These funds are strictly monitored. Some go to pay 17 teachers, 16 teaching assistants, and two Central Office staff members. "These additional teachers and aides help to reduce teacher/pupil ration in the schools," said Holt.

Another portion of the money pays for teaching materials. "Because both Centerview and Grassy Fork qualified as Title I schools, the materials purchased with Title I funds may be used by every teacher and student," said Surber.

For the past six years, Title I money has paid for the Yearly Progress Program, an Internet-based technology program which tests the students' skill levels in three areas and identifies their weaknesses.

"With this program," Holt explained, 'the students are tested weekly. Because the students' weaknesses are identified, teachers can work with them on a more individual basis. The program is aligned with the TCAP tests and is available in all of our schools."

A second program, Destination Reading, has been in place for three years, according to Surber. "This program is through the University of Oregon, which also developed the Reading First program. It identifies children who are struggling with reading in grades K-3 and helps them catch up."

A third program, new this year, is My Reading Coach, which helps children in grades 4-6 improve their reading skills. "Kids can get on computers in each classroom and work on programs which help them strengthen their reading skills," Surber said.

"Being tested weekly helps children overcome test anxiety," added Holt, "and also increases their self-esteem when they can see their own progress."

In addition to these programs, Title I also funds tutoring programs both during and after school, as well as summer tutoring classes.

"Last year about 50 Centerview and 20 Grassy Fork students participated in the tutoring programs. "We have about 20 students receiving tutoring at Centerview this summer and about 10 at Grassy Fork," Surber said.

Equally important are programs designed to increase parental involvement in their children's learning.

"The Title I law says that one percent of the money has to be given to the schools," Surber explained. "Some of this money is used for such things as computer classes for parents. These teach the parents how to help their children. Other money purchases videos and other programs which help the parents become better able to help their children achieve success."

Just how well did Centerview and Grassy Fork students score on their tests?

"At Centerview, 96 percent of their students scored either proficient or advanced in all three categories-reading, language arts, and math, while at Grassy Fork, 99 percent of the school's enrollment scored proficient or advanced in math and 97 percent scored proficient or advanced in reading and language arts," Holt said. "This is phenomenal."

Grassy Fork's high levels of performance recently earned them recognition at an international conference.

The school has received grant money from the Niswonger Foundation in recent years. "Buzz Thomas, Executive Director of the Niswonger Foundation, recently spoke at the International Baccalaureate Conference in the Bahamas," said Holt, "and used Grassy Fork as an example of the foundation's success."