The Effingham County Board of Education on Wednesday recognized four Title I schools for their designation by the Georgia Department of Education as 2013 “highest-performing” or “high-progress” Title I schools in Georgia.

Blandford and Rincon elementary schools earned “highest-performing” status, Effingham County Middle was named a “high-progress” school, and Marlow Elementary received both designations. Superintendent Randy Shearouse presented certificates from the state to representatives from the four schools.

A “highest-performing” school is among the five percent of Title I schools in the state that has the highest absolute performance over three years for the “all students” group on the statewide assessments. A highest-performing school must have made Adequate Yearly Progress in 2011.

A “high-progress” school is among the 10 percent of Title I schools in the state that is making the most progress in improving the performance of the “all students” group over three years on the statewide assessments.