The National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA) is pleased to announce that Dresden Elementary School from Dresden, Tennessee has been named a National ESEA Distinguished School by the state education agency in Tennessee. Dresden Elementary School is one of up to 100 schools throughout the country that is being nationally recognized for exceptional student achievement in 2023.
Dresden Elementary is a Pre-K through 4th-grade school, with approximately 500 students. Its principal is Melanie Needham. Joy Cooper serves as the school's assistant principal.
A project of NAESPA, the National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program publicly recognizes qualifying federally funded schools for the outstanding academic achievements of their students. It highlights the efforts of schools across the country making significant improvements for their students. The program has been in place since 1996, showcasing the success of hundreds of schools in one of three categories:
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) provides additional resources for vulnerable students and federal grants to state educational agencies to improve the quality of public elementary and secondary education.
The Association is a membership organization made up of State ESEA Program Administrators, and their staff from each of the states and territories, charged with managing their state federal education program. They ensure compliance with federal regulations, but more importantly, work to see that all children — especially those living in economically disadvantaged conditions — have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education.
NAESPA implements the National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program to highlight selected schools that have successfully used their ESEA federal funds to improve the education of all students–including