On behalf of Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton Elementary School, Travis Anderson (left), N-O-W instructional coach, and Dana Lindley-Ostrem (right), N-O-W third-grade teacher, accepts from State Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor (center) the Title 1 School of Recognition Award on May 22 at the state capitol in Madison. N-O-W Elementary School received the award for achieving high test scores on the State of Wisconsin Forward Exam. (Contributed photo)

Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton Elementary School recently was among the 114 Wisconsin Title I School of Recognition recipients.

The honor recognizes schools that are successful in educating students from families who are economically disadvantaged. N-O-W received a “Beating-the-Odds” award.

State Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor said, “Studentsliving in poverty often find themselves standing outside the dreams we hold for our youth. To bring students back into the dream requires skill, knowledge, and commitment. Thank you, educators, support staff, families, partners — everyone who helped schools earn these awards. You are building a better future for your students and our state.” 

The award-winning schools are among those receiving federal Title I funding to provide services to high numbers or high percentages of economically disadvantaged children.

Wisconsin Title I School of Recognition Criteria 

Schools receive federal Title I aid when they have significant numbers of students from low-income families. The schools that earn recognition also must meet the state’s test-participation, attendance, and dropout goals as well as the following additional award criteria. Data used to determine the awards is from the 2017-18 school year. 

“Beating-the-Odds” schools are in the top 25 percent of high-poverty schools in the state and have above-average student achievement in reading and mathematics when compared with schools from similarly sized districts, schools, grade configurations, and poverty levels.