Ginger Olsen, Nye County School District's testing and accountability coordinator presented the board with excellent news about Nye County's final rankings according to the federal No Child Left Behind standards.

Five of the county's schools, including Round Mountain Elementary and Hafen Elementary schools, have been designated "high achieving."

In addition, Olsen informed the board that she was requesting the State Department consider designating Manse and Hafen Elementary schools as "high achieving exemplary schools."

That designation goes to schools that were designated as needing improvement within the previous three years but have not only improved but received the "high achieving" ranking.

With the exception of Pahrump Valley High School, which was designated as needing improvement due to a failure to make adequate yearly progress in the English and mathematics proficiencies, and Rosemary Clarke Middle School, which is in its third year as being designated as needing improvement, all schools in the county were designated adequate or high achieving.

In a system in which one single student's absence on a test day can change the ranking of an entire school, Superintendent Rob Roberts made it a point to emphasize just how well the district has done.

"This is a tremendous academic achievement," Roberts said. "There has been a tremendous focus within the district by the board and the schools, and students and the teachers towards achieving these kinds of results."

In addition, Roberts informed the board that a special incentive fund of $80,000 would be distributed to licensed teachers at the high achieving schools.