Reward Schools are identified by New York State as those that have demonstrated high achievement, have shown the highest amount of progress within New York State, and have student achievement without significant gabs between sub-groupings of students within the school. The identification process was made in accordance with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Flexibility Waiver (ESEA) of New York State approved by the United States Department of Education as of 2012. identified 354 high progress and high achieving schools recognized as Reward Schools by the New York State Education Department. In August of 2014, the New York State Commissioner John B. All of these contribute to its excellent reputation as a place of educational excellence. Long Island is known for its sports teams and venues delicious cuisine based on seafood, duck, buffalo and wineries its contribution to the rock and roll musical culture its history as an important aviation center for the United States and its prominence in the pursuit of engineering and scientific research. Several trade colleges also provide top notch experiences for students pursuing careers in any of a number of trades. The proximity of many superior colleges and universities offer graduating high school students varied options for higher education. The high percentage of awards, scholarship recipients, high national testing scores, abundant scholar programs combined with the best in music, art, athletic and cultural exploration provide top quality education. Many of the school districts include the best curriculums and strive to produce the best results for the students who are learning there. While the island itself is primarily suburban, the educational opportunities rival that of any major urban city. Many of the school districts are recognized as top ranked the United States Department of Education, New York State Education Department and national organizations. There are 127 public school districts with more than 600 schools located on Long Island, spread over Nassau and Suffolk Counties.