The Maryland State Board of Education has announced that 110 local schools have received awards in the School Performance Recognition program. Seventy-six elementary and 21 middle schools have received cash awards for a total grant award of $290,340.62. Thirteen high schools have been awarded certificates.

The awards are based on achievement on the Maryland School Assessment (MSA) that was administered in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10 in 2003. (Administration of the MSA has expanded to additional grades in 2004.) The testing program meets the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Elementary and middle schools received awards based on results of the 2003 MSA and for improvement among subgroups of students from the 2002 Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP) test to the 2003 MSA. High schools were eligible to receive a certificate for achievement on the MSA.

Among the award winners, Carderock Springs Elementary School was earlier designated a Maryland Blue Ribbon School of Excellence because of the school's placement among the top 10 percent of all Maryland elementary schools as measured by the MSA. Carderock Springs was awarded $4,000 in the School Recognition program, along with five Title I schools that showed exceptional improvement. Other elementary and middle schools each received $2,926.82.