While some school systems in Georgia are faced with allegations of cheating like the Atlanta Public School system, one appears to be beating the odds.

A K-8 school from Chatham County is now in the top 10 percent of all Title one schools making progress in the state and it will take parents as well as students to keep them there.

Khaki pants and purple shirts flood through the cafeteria doors of East Broad Street School as the students celebrate the 30 minute break from class.

When Principal Kimberly Stevens first arrived at East Broad, she says it was not an award winning school. Students were only reading a 35 percent proficiency level.

"I have kids who three years ago when I first got here you couldn¹t get them to hold a book, they¹d just push it aside and these kids are coming up to me now, what else can I do Ms. Stevens?" she says. "I'm trying to get my stuff together, walking into the walls cause they¹re so busy reading."

Students are now reading at a 70 percent proficiency level.

According to Matt Cardoza with the Georgia Department. of Education, this reading increase is particularly important.

“If you’re not reading on grade level it’s difficult to do all the other work because that requires reading,” he says.

Principal Stevens says the school also had a severe attendance problem and parents have been key to turning it around.

“So we had to have a conversation with our parents saying this isn’t acceptable.”

But the children themselves gave the biggest push to mom and dad. Students convinced their parents to attend school functions in exchange for Eagle Bucks, currency for the school store and chances for dress down days, a time when the student can wear an outfit of their choosing instead of the standard uniform.

The recent debut of the school's new parent center included raffles and dinner for the attendees. One mother, Carla Peterson, says the parent participation efforts are working.

"I totally see a big difference in my kids, academically and behavior wise," Peterson noted.

Georgia Department of Education spokesman Matt Cardoza is not surprised by the improvement at East Broad. He says multiple studies show a link between parental involvement and student success.

"A lot of that comes down to what’s the value of education is in the home life. The more they see a parent or a grandparent or guardian involved in their schooling the more likely they are to do well," Cardoza informs.

Peterson says she’s steadily increased her involvement with her 7th and 8th grader since they began attending east Broad this year. In her words, the school makes it easy.

In a high-poverty area where parents may be working multiple jobs to provide, keeping it easy, is key. 95 percent of students attending East Broad qualify for free or reduced lunch.

"They call, they send the information, I get emails, I get it all, with that being said it motivates me to make sure I want to be here," adds Peterson.

As principal Stevens prepares to leave the bustling cafeteria and return to her office, she says she’s proud of how far the school has come. But Highest Progress is not the award she wants in 2015.

"This award was great but next year I want it to be the highest performing award," Peterson says donning a hopeful smile.

Tags: GPB, GPB Savannah, title I, Georgia schools, gabrielle ware, Chatham County education