MANDATA -- Line Mountain students scored high on PSSA tests, meeting adequate yearly progress benchmarks set forth by No Child Left Behind.

Superintendent David Campbell presented a report of the scores to the school board at its monthly meeting Tuesday.

The No Child Left Behind Act required students to reach 56 percent proficiency in math and 67 percent proficiency in reading to achieve the average yearly progress.

Students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades saw jumps in math and reading scores over their 2007 scores, with sixth-graders scoring 83.3 percent proficiency in math, up from 68.4 percent in 2007. In reading, sixth-graders scored 78.2 percent proficiency, up from 62.7 percent in 2007.

Seventh-graders did similarly well, scoring 76.5 percent proficiency in math, up from 68.4 percent in 2007. Reading scores for seventh-graders were 67.1 percent proficient, up from 62.7 in 2007.

Eighth-graders held steady at 64.2 percent proficient in math and improved from 70.3 percent proficient in reading in 2007 to 80.8 percent this year.

"I might stack that up against any in the area, not just Northumberland County," Campbell said. "That's something we're going to celebrate heavy that first day of school."

Eleventh-graders met average yearly progress due to improvement shown, Campbell said. Students in grades third through fifth also surpassed AYP benchmarks.

Campbell credited the success to the quality of instruction and the board's commitment to small class size.

"It's a direct result of the teachers," Campbell said. "They're busting their butts."

Administrators already are laying out plans to push their scores even higher next year by implementing an eSchool program for all students that would allow parents to access online daily reports about their child's academic progress, teacher Web sites and various curriculum programs that would improve scores.

Elementary Principal Thea Tafner's main concern about future PSSA scores lies with the retirement of 11 elementary teachers.

Tafner said some of the retiring teachers already have volunteered to return to school to help the district's new teachers, some of whom were approved by the board Tuesday.

All were hired at salaries of $31,368. They are Melinda Masser, elementary; Jackie Carpenter, elementary; Lydia Snyder, elementary; Angel Magaro, secondary; and Autumn Lenker, elementary.