Sandy Creek High School's symbolic shooting star continues to rise.

Last week, the Tyrone school was named one of 26 "Georgia Schools

of Excellence" by the state Department of Education. Sandy Creek

students posted the greatest improvement of any high school in the state

on the Georgia High School Graduation Test from 2001 to 2003.

Additionally, Sandy Creek was the only high school named among 13 schools

recognized statewide for exhibiting "Continuous Student Achievement."

Another 13 schools, one for each of the state's Congressional districts,

were noted for consistently scoring in the Top 10 on statewide tests.

Evans High near Augusta and Columbus High were on that list, the only

other high schools in Georgia cited this year.

Georgia's "Schools of Excellence" program has shifted

its focus toward rewarding schools that demonstrate progress through improved

test scores, as well as those that are consistent improving student achievement,

said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox in ceremonies last week

in Atlanta.

"These schools are working hard and getting the job done,"

said Cox, who taught at Sandy Creek when the school opened in 1991. "They've

got the right formula for improving achievement for all students. This

is a trend we hope will happen in all of Georgia's schools."

Since 2001, the "Pass Plus" rate for Sandy Creek 11th graders

taking the GHSGT for the first time has risen by 10 percentage points

on the English-Language Arts portion of the test, and 5 percent in math.

Last year, 99 percent of Sandy Creek students passed English/Language

Arts or the math sections the first time out, and no African-American

students have failed in two years - even though Sandy Creek's

black enrollment has grown from 28 to 34 percent during the same period.