MOULTRIE, Ga. — Colquitt County School System announced Thursday that the county board of education has once again been named an Exemplary School Board by the Georgia School Boards Association.

The recognition program is designed to showcase best practices in school governance and leadership. GSBA recognizes good school board governance to foster educational community cultures in order to advance student learning and achievement, according to a press release from the local school system.

Colquitt County Board of Education met and/or exceeded the criteria set forth by GSBA to earn the honor of a 2019 Exemplary Board. This year 55 of the state’s 180 public school boards earned the Exemplary Board status.

The Colquitt County board first received the annual recognition in 2015.

Colquitt County Board of Education Chairman Mary Beth Watson commented, “The Exemplary Board recognition program challenges local school boards to review their strengths and weaknesses and to have their practices examined by the citizens they serve. This process helps to ensure that our team maintains its focus on supporting staff to improve student outcomes while adhering to the highest ethical standards.”

The GSBA Governance Team Recognition Program was developed by Georgia superintendents and board members based on the state board of education’s standards for effective governance to recognize exemplary leadership, the press release said.

In 1998, the Georgia School Boards Association was one of the first school board associations in the nation to develop a program of standards for local boards of education.