Five Forsyth County schools continue to receive a top Title I distinction from the state.

Cumming, Chestatee and Midway elementary schools, as well as Otwell and Little Mill middle schools, received the Title I Distinguished School award for making adequate yearly progress, or AYP, for at least three years.

The measurement, part of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, is assessed through standardized testing.

Forsyth’s Title I elementary and middle schools have each received such recognition for at least four consecutive years.

And this year, Cumming Elementary School earned a special distinction for having made the mark for a full decade.

Schools who reach adequate yearly progress for 10 or more years earn a monetary award. Cumming Elementary will receive $1,530 for its efforts.

If Midway Elementary does so next year, it will also have achieved the distinction for 10 years.

“Our students, parents and staff have been committed to excellence at Midway as we have worked diligently towards this academic award,” said Principal Todd Smith.

“Making AYP consistently for nine years is a compliment to the work of our dedicated teachers and the commitment from our students and families.”

Title I is a federally funded program that provides services to schools based on economic needs. Forsyth has six Title I schools.

“The Title I schools in our system are very committed to providing an engaging and high quality instructional program for all students at their school,” said Brenda Schulz, the system’s director of academic support.

“Because they are so dedicated to the students and their parents, it is no surprise that they are among the most successful and effective schools in our state. We are very excited to see these schools recognized for their hard work.”

Little Mill Middle has been a Title I Distinguished School for two years, while Chestatee Elementary has had the honor for three years. It’s the sixth year for Otwell Middle.

Of the local system’s Title I schools, only Forsyth Central High did not receive the academic achievement award.

It was the second year in a row the school fell short of the AYP mark due to graduation test results in English/language arts among its Hispanic population.

At 19 percent of the student body, the Hispanic population at Central is the highest of the system’s five traditional high schools.