The state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is recognizing 46 school districts across Washington with the inaugural State Superintendent’s Award for Educational Excellence, including four districts from the NWESD 189 region.  Each district ranks among the top 25 in the state in their respective category.  With its award, OSPI aims to highlight and recognize districts across Washington state that are demonstrating strong student achievement and sustained academic progress.

OSPI introduced a new program this year, the State Superintendent’s Award for Educational Excellence. This creation comes after the U.S. Department of Education ended the Blue-Ribbon Schools Award, encouraging states to create their own recognition systems.

To create its award, OSPI utilized broader, research-based indicators of student opportunity and success across the K-12 experience. It utilizes 11 measures that focus on educational opportunities and academic success, aligning with the state’s Annual Snapshot on Student Opportunity and Outcomes.

Some measures used in the award selection methodology include regular attendance, high school-level math in 8th grade, reading across multiple grade levels, dual-credit participation and four-year graduation rate.

Anacortes School District and Conway School District received the Academic Achievement Award. These two districts ranked among the top 25 in the state for overall student achievement.

“The school board is incredibly proud of our teachers, staff, and students for this recognition,” Anacortes School Board President Jennie Beltramini said in an article posted to the Anacortes School District website. “It reflects the hard work happening across the district every day, and the commitment of the staff to make sure our students have every opportunity to grow and succeed.”

The Sedro-Woolley School District and Sultan School District earned the Academic Progress Award, meaning they are in the top 25 school districts in the state in terms of improvement over the past three school years.

These four schools are wonderful examples of the exemplary work happening across the NWESD region.

“Congratulations to these districts for their dedication to the students they serve and making a positive impact in public education,” Dr. Ismael Vivanco, superintendent of NWESD 189, said.