La Porte ISD has earned 30 Gold Performance Acknowledgements from the Texas Education Agency for student performance on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test.

The Gold Performance Acknowledgment (GPA) system acknowledges districts and campuses for high performance on indicators other than those used to determine accountability ratings. These acknowledgements are only awarded to campuses in districts rated Academically Acceptable or higher.

According to Linda Wadleigh, LPISD deputy superintendent for curriculum and instruction, the district as a whole earned a Gold Performance Acknowledgement for Commended Performance in social studies. In addition, the district increased the number of acknowledgements earned in the areas of math and science, the hardest growth areas, from 2008 to 2009, she explained.

LPISD campuses received the following Gold Performance Acknowledgements:

• La Porte High School-Texas Success Initiative in English Language Arts (ELA)

• La Porte Junior High School-Commended Performance, Social Studies

• Lomax Junior High School-Commended Performance, Social Studies

• Baker Sixth Grade Campus-Commended Performance in Reading/ELA and Math; Comparable Improvement in Reading/ELA and Math

• College Park Elementary-Commended Performance in Math and Science; Comparable Improvement in Reading and Math

• Heritage Elementary-Commended Performance in Science; Comparable Improvement in Reading/ELA

• La Porte Elementary-Commended Performance in Math and Science, Comparable Improvement in Math

• Lomax Elementary-Commended Performance in Reading/ELA, Math, Writing, and Science; Comparable Improvement in Reading and Math

• Jennie Reid Elementary-Commended Performance in Reading/ELA, Writing, and Science

• Leo Rizzuto Elementary-Commended Performance in Reading/ELA, Math, Writing and Science

"We are extremely proud of our campuses for their hard work and commitment to increasing student performance.  To achieve academic gains in a year challenged by Hurricane Ike illustrates the importance our school community places on high quality education for all students," Wadleigh said.  "Students and teachers alike worked very hard to keep their focus on learning, and these results demonstrate their outstanding efforts and tremendous dedication."