Rising Starr was one of 23 schools throughout the state that met the criteria for the award from the Georgia Department of Education. The school received the honor in the “student achievement” category. This distinction means that Rising Starr is the top ranking school in the 3rd Congressional District and is in the top 10 percent of schools in Georgia. The school is now eligible for consideration as a No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon nominee.

“We are very proud and excited about this award. It is a great achievement for our students, parents and staff,” says school principal Len Patton.

With the addition of Rising Starr, Fayette now has 16 schools that bear the Schools of Excellence distinction. Previous Schools of Excellence include Tyrone Elementary, Kedron Elementary, Huddleston Elementary, J.C. Booth Middle, Fayette Middle, Fayetteville Elementary, Braelinn Elementary, Flat Rock Middle, Sandy Creek High, Robert J. Burch Elementary, Whitewater Middle, Fayette County High, McIntosh High and Starr’s Mill High. Both J.C. Booth and Fayette Middle schools have received the honor twice.

Rising Starr will be honored as a 2007 Georgia School of Excellence at a banquet in February.

This is the 28th year that the Georgia Department of Education has awarded the Georgia Schools of Excellence and the fifth year that the winners have been chosen using criteria closely aligned with No Child Left Behind. There are two categories of Schools of Excellence: student achievement and overall improvement.