Milton L. Olive Middle School in Wyandanch is now in good academic standing after nine years on the state's low performance list.

Wyandanch Superintendent of Schools Gina Talbert says the boosted rating is the result of nearly a decade of hard work.

"One of the district priorities is to improve the graduation rate in our district, which we've done collectively with a 20% improvement over the last three years," Talbert says.

She says the improvements came by offering accelerated coursework for advanced students and intensive tutoring in English for students who recently immigrated to the United States.

Administrators say their next goal is for the school to achieve blue ribbon status.

Principal Shannon Burton says the school will offer three new learning tracks - allowing students to focus on performing arts, technical education or accelerated students to earn high school credits while in middle schools.

"If they can earn those high school credits, it supports them in accelerating in high school where they can take advance courses, college classes," Burton says.

Students also say the accelerated course offerings are motivating them to study harder.

"I feel like they're interested in our future, and they're helping to push us to get to that point," says eighth grader Jaiden Stowe

The school's new status will be official on July 1.