Photo courtesy of the State Board of Education.
We are celebrating 46 schools in our region that each earned an award from the Washington School Recognition Program for their performance during the 2024-25 school year.
Congratulations to these schools (listed at the bottom of the article) who are putting in the work to ensure their students have the best possible opportunities for success.
These schools, spanning across 25 of the 35 public school districts we serve are among 379 schools honored statewide. The Washington State Board of Education announced the honorees this week, recognizing schools that have demonstrated exceptional progress across multiple measures of student success.
“We are incredibly proud to celebrate the 46 schools across our region recognized by the Washington School Recognition Program,” Northwest Educational Service District 189 Superintendent Dr. Ismael Vivanco said. “This acknowledgement reflects the dedication, resilience, and commitment of our educators, leaders, and communities to ensure each and every student has meaningful opportunities to succeed. Seeing 25 of our 35 districts represented statewide speaks to the strength of our collective work. This recognition is not just about achievement, it’s about progress, equity, and the steadfast belief in what our students can accomplish.”
The State Board of Education stopped by the NWESD Superintendents’ Advisory Council meeting May 8 to present banners to superintendents representing honored schools.
The Washington School Recognition Program is operated by the State Board of Education in collaboration with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee, as required by state law (RCW 28A.657.110).
All public schools that take part in the Washington School Improvement Framework (WSIF) improvement process are eligible.
Schools can be recognized in three categories: Closing Gaps, Growth, and Achievement. A school can receive multiple awards each year.
Schools honored for Closing Gaps showed meaningful improvement, meeting minimum requirements such as Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) participation rules for ELA and math. Schools must also increase WSIF scores without declines for student groups and may need to move above the WSIF identification threshold, improve graduation rates, or increase English learner progress.
Schools honored for Growth show at least one reportable student group made some of the biggest gains statewide from 2023–24 to 2024–25 across multiple measures such as ELA and math proficiency, student growth percentiles, attendance, graduation, 9th-grade on track, dual credit, and English learner progress. The group must rank in the top 10% on at least 60% of the measures it qualifies for, and the school must also pass the “high-low gap” test showing gaps narrowed with no declines for the highest- or lowest-performing groups.
Schools honored for Achievement are among the state’s highest-performing schools based on the last three years, with all students ranking in the top 20% on at least two key measures such as ELA or math proficiency, attendance, graduation rate, 9th-grade on-track rate, or dual credit completion. To qualify, the school must also have a WSIF score of 6.00 or higher for the All Students group and for all reportable student groups.
Congratulations to all honored schools and the tremendous work they put in to earn this recognition.
Honored Schools
Anacortes School District
Fidalgo Elementary – Growth
Arlington School District
Post Middle School – Closing Gaps & Growth
Bellingham School District
Cordata Elementary School – Growth
Blaine School District
Blaine Middle School – Closing Gaps
Burlington-Edison School District
Allen Elementary – Closing Gaps
Concrete School District
Concrete Elementary – Growth
Conway School District
Conway School – Growth
Edmonds School District
Challenge Elementary – Achievement
Lynndale Elementary – Growth
Meadowdale Elementary – Growth
Mountlake Terrace Elementary – Growth
Sherwood Elementary – Growth
Westgate Elementary – Growth
Everett School District
Cedar Wood Elementary – Achievement
Garfield Elementary School – Growth
Silver Firs Elementary – Achievement
Ferndale School District
Beach Elementary – Growth
Central Elementary – Closing Gaps
La Conner School District
La Conner Middle – Growth
Lake Stevens School District
Highland Elementary – Closing Gaps
Glenwood Elementary – Growth
Lake Stevens Middle School – Closing Gaps
Mt. Pilchuck Elementary School – Growth
Stevens Creek Elementary – Achievement
Marysville School District
Marshall Elementary – Growth
Meridian School District
Irene Reither Elementary School – Closing Gaps
Meridian High School – Closing Gaps
Monroe School District
Maltby Elementary – Closing Gaps
Mount Baker School District
Acme Elementary – Growth
Mount Vernon School District
Little Mountain Elementary – Closing Gaps
Mount Vernon Open Doors – Growth
Mukilteo School District
Challenger Elementary – Growth
Nooksack Valley School District
Nooksack Elementary – Closing Gaps
Sumas Elementary – Closing Gaps
Oak Harbor School District
Crescent Harbor Elementary – Growth
Hillcrest Elementary – Achievement & Growth
Olympic View Elementary – Growth
Orcas Island School District
Orcas Island High School – Achievement
San Juan Island School District
Friday Harbor Middle School – Growth
Sedro-Woolley School District
Central Elementary School – Closing Gaps
Mary Purcell Elementary School – Closing Gaps
Samish Elementary School – Closing Gaps
Snohomish School District
Riverview Elementary – Growth
Totem Falls – Growth
Stanwood-Camano School District
Port Susan Middle School – Closing Gaps
Stanwood Elementary School – Growth
