Six Washington Schools Recognized for Exceptional Student Performance
Six schools in Washington won awards for their creative and innovative programs that contribute to student success, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) announced today.
The 2017–18 Distinguished School Awards were selected by OSPI’s Title I, Part A program, which aims to provide every student with a fair, equitable, and high-quality education and close educational achievement gaps. Two schools will receive national awards and four will receive state awards. The schools are:
National Title I, Part A Distinguished Schools Award winners:
- Evergreen Elementary (Bethel School District)
- Drum Intermediate (University Place School District)
State Title I, Part A Distinguished Schools Award winners:
- Leonard Jennings Elementary (Colfax School District)
- Garfield Elementary (Garfield School District)
- South Ridge Elementary (Ridgefield School District)
- Briarcrest Elementary (Shoreline Public Schools)
“The recognition of these six schools demonstrates the power and impact of hardworking students, passionate educators, and committed communities,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal. “When we work in partnership with our communities, we do amazing things for our students.”
The national award winners will receive recognition and be honored at the 2018 National Title I Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 8–11, 2018. The schools will also receive state-level recognition and $25,000 each.
State winners will be invited to attend the 2018 National Title I Conference and will receive state-level recognition and $15,000 each.
The selected schools demonstrated a wide array of strengths, including team approaches to learning and teaching, focused professional development opportunities for staff, individualized and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support for student success, and/or strong partnerships between the school, parents and families, and the community.
School Eligibility
Eligibility for awards is based on three years of Smarter Balanced Assessment data in both English language arts (ELA) and mathematics for the school years ending in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Schools must demonstrate student growth during those three years as identified through Student Growth Percentiles (SGPs) and that students have met state average scores.
Each school selected achieved success in ELA and/or mathematics in one of three categories:
- Exceptional student performance for two or more consecutive years;
- Significant progress in closing the achievement gap; and/or
- Excellence in serving special populations of students.
Title I, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act is a federal program that serves the needs of children who struggle to learn. Title I, Part A programs and services provide customized instruction to help children meet academic standards and take an active, engaged interest in what they learn and can do.
