Mt. Hope High School has been making steady progress in recent years moving its way up the school ranks, and the school's efforts have been rewarded with the state's highest designation.

The Bristol-Warren high school has achieved the "Commended" designation, placing it in the top 11 percent of schools in the state.

"We've been working really hard," Mt. Hope Principal Donald Rebello said. "It's a great accomplishment for our school and for our students."

The Rhode Island Department of Education released its 2014 school classifications last week, rewarding 30 schools in 20 districts with "Commended" status. RIDE based the 2014 school classifications on

Proficiency on state testing.

How many students have attained distinction.

How many students the state tests.

Is the school serving all students, including those with disabilities and English learners?

Is the school approaching its 2017 targets?

Are all students making progress?

Is the school improving year over year?

Graduation rate.

Mt. Hope has achieved a 92 percent graduation rate and 96 percent proficiency in reading on the NECAP in 2013, up from 90 percent in 2012 and topped only by Barrington and Narragansett high schools at 98 and 97 percent, respectively. In math, Mt. Hope ranked in the middle of the road at 42 percent proficiency, which was down from 48 percent the previous year.

Bristol-Warren is one of 20 school districts in the state to have a commended school.

“I am glad that we have been able to honor schools from the majority of our school districts as 2014 Commended Schools, and I am particularly pleased that 18 high schools are among our commended schools this year,” Education Commissioner Deborah Gist said in a release. “These high schools have maintained high levels of proficiency while closing achievement gaps and supporting a high graduation rate."