SPRINGFIELD – Fifty-one Massachusetts public schools were recognized for their progress and the only two in the western part of the state that were honored were from Springfield.

The Baker Administration made the announcement on Feb. 1 at a State House ceremony honoring the schools.

The White Street School and Springfield STEM Academy both received recognition as a “Commendation School.” The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education defined the honor as “Each year, a subset of Level 1 schools is recognized as Commendation Schools for their academic accomplishments. A school can be commended for demonstrating very high achievement, showing strong progress overall, and/or for making strong progress toward narrowing proficiency gaps. The schools were initially announced in September.”

“I’m proud that our Massachusetts K-12 education system is one of the best in the country, and I thank the educators and communities across the Commonwealth who are leading the way and providing high-quality educational opportunities for their students every day,” said Gov. Charlie Baker. “It’s an honor to recognize these schools, their students and their families for all of their success and hard work toward closing achievement gaps in Massachusetts.”

Springfield Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick told Reminder Publications, “We could not be prouder of the state’s recognition of the great work and achievements attained at White Street and STEM Middle schools. We will not rest on our laurels. We will continue our focus on closing the education gap and it’s clear that as a district and community, we are poised and ready to do that hard work.”