Freeport School District is one of 55 Pennsylvania school districts recognized for its students' outstanding achievement on state reading and mathematics tests.

Standard & Poor's, an evaluation service, named Freeport as an academic "outperformer," showing a significantly higher percentage of students who are proficient in math and reading than other comparable school districts.

To be identified as an outperformer by Standard & Poor's, a school district must show higher test scores over a two-year period, the 2003-04 and 2004-05 school years, than other districts with similar levels of economically disadvantage students.

Academic achievement levels are compared with the percentage of economically disadvantaged students because educators and researchers have found a strong correlation between the two, according to Standard & Poors.

Stan Chapp, the substitute superintendent for the Freeport district, views the recognition as a validation of the district's efforts.

"We are very pleased to receive this recognition as it validates the instructional practices, curriculum and initiatives taken throughout our school district over the course of several years," Chapp wrote in an e-mail statement.

He credited the cooperation among the staff, school board and parents as contributing to the district's academic achievements.

"I believe that there is truly a culture of everyone working together here that allows us to look at everything we do, and move forward in a systematic way to make improvements and provide a quality education for our students," he stated.

The school board also is pleased with the recognition.

Meredith Christy, school board president, said in a statement the board has worked hard over the years to provide district staff with the tools needed to succeed, such as state-of-the-art technology, supporting educational initiatives and obtaining numerous grants.

"It is very satisfying to see the board's hard work pay off," he said.