Frank Long Elementary School got an early Christmas present this year. The school improved 16.1 points over last year on the College and Career Readiness Performance Index for 2016.

Frank Long earned a 74.4 score this year, it was announced by the Georgia Department of Education earlier this month. Last year, the school recorded 58.3 points.

Melissa Roberts, director of technology innovations for the school district, called the gain "phenomenal" at the Board of Education meeting Tuesday when the scores were shared.

Debra Sukaratana, FLE principal, was confident the students’ scores would increase.

"I was confident that there would be gains, but I didn’t dream the gains would double digits. We were so elated," she said. "The F-rating (of 2015) was not indicative of Frank Long teachers and students. I knew we would do better."

Sukaratna attributed the successes to teachers, staff and students.

Frank Long has an after school program for remediation and had Saturday acceleration classes to push students who do typically well to do better, Sukaratana said, adding the school is getting ready for the Georgia Milestones Assessment System test in the spring to continue their gains.

Liberty County School System’s 2016 score is 75.7, three points higher than 2015’s score of 72.2, and higher than the state’s average of 73.6. It is lower than Liberty’s 2014 CCRPI score of 77.3.

Seven schools gained over 5 points and three schools declined.

Waldo Pafford Elementary declined by 3.2 points, Bradwell Institute by 0.9 points and Liberty County High School 4.2 points.

Compared to other systems in the First District Regional Educational Service Agency, out of 18 counties, Liberty is tied for fifth place with Wayne County. Last year, Liberty was in sixth place.

RESA is an educational agency that shares services to improve educational programs and assists the Georgia Department of Education in promoting its initiatives.

Bryan County scored 80.6 points and Chatham 64.5 points.

Board chairwoman Lily Baker said she was pleased to see the district moving up in the ranks.

In a press release Superintendent Dr. Valya Lee said, "We continuously strive for excellence in Liberty County and take our CCRPI scores very seriously. We are happy with the progress that we have made as a county over the past school year. Our staff, students, and parent have worked hard and will continue to make every effort to show continued growth."

Georgia has been using CCRPI since 2012 to measure school achievement.

2016 CCRPI scores by school:

Button Gwinnett 69.7

Frank Long 74.4

Joseph Martin 72.7

Liberty Elementary 69.3

Lyman Hall 75.4

Taylors Creek 80.5

Waldo Pafford 67.9

Lewis Frasier 80.4

Midway Middle 70.2

Snelson Golden 59.4

Bradwell Institute 81.1

Liberty County High 85.9