BATON ROUGE - According to education officials, two Louisiana schools have been recognized for "outstanding" academic performance.

The schools are L.W. Ruppel Academy for Advanced Studies in Jefferson Parish and Eastside Elementary in Livingston Parish. The Louisiana Department of Education said the schools have been named National ESEA Distinguished Schools.

The national program annually recognizes two schools in every state that have at least a 35 percent poverty rate and that either demonstrate high academic achievement for two or more consecutive years or significantly close the achievement gap between specific student groups and their peers, officials say.

"This is great news for these two schools and for Louisiana as a whole," said State Superintendent John White. "It is also indicative of how hard these schools are working to ensure academic achievement and growth among all students, including those who struggle most."

Both schools are invited to attend the National ESEA Distinguished Schools Conference in Kansas City, Mo. from January 30 to February 2.