The Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) and Kentucky Department of Education recognized eight school districts as Districts of Distinction at the board’s meeting yesterday.

The districts earned the recognition under the third year of the Unbridled Learning: College and Career Readiness for All accountability system. To qualify as a District of Distinction, a district has to have an overall accountability score at the 95th percentile or higher (based on achievement, gap, growth, college- and career- readiness and graduation rate), meet its current year Annual Measurable Objective, have at least a 95 percent participation rate, and not have a Focus or Priority School in the district. The achievement data is based on K-PREP testing in spring 2014.

The Districts of Distinction for the 2013-14 school year are:

• Anchorage Independent
• Boyle County
• Calloway County
• Corbin Independent
• Floyd County
• Fort Thomas Independent
• Murray Independent
• Walton-Verona Independent

In addition, Floyd County was recognized as a High Progress District, which means it is in the top 10 percent of improvement compared to other districts in the state.

KBE Board Chair Roger Marcum and Education Commissioner Terry Holliday presented each district superintendent and local board of education representative with a recognition banner and letter of commendation. Representatives from Calloway Co. were unable to attend the meeting, and will receive their banner and letter via mail. Each district also received a District of Distinction logo which it can display on its website, letterhead or use in other ways to promote its achievement.