Three Lewis County school districts were recently honored by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) with awards recognizing academic excellence and progress.
The Adna School District received the inaugural State Superintendent’s Award for Educational Excellence (SSAEE) for Academic Achievement, along with 24 other school districts.
According to a news release from OSPI, the award recognizes the 25 top-performing school districts in educational achievement from the previous school year.
“When assessing student achievement, there are a number of school-based factors that contribute to students' success,” said State Superintendent Chris Reykdal in a news release. “The research shows that access to advanced coursework, readiness for success in kindergarten, and consistent attendance are all strong indicators of student learning, and paired with test scores, provide a more complete picture of student achievement. Our highest performing school districts are focused on these critical measures of success, and it is an honor to recognize them.”
Adna also received the inaugural SSAEE for Academic Progress, as did the Onalaska School District, Toledo School District and nearby Rainier School District in Thurston County.
The award recognizes the 25 top-performing school districts in progress over the last three school years.
According to the release, the SSAEE is a response to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) abruptly canceling its Blue Ribbon Schools Award, a federal program that recognized schools for excellence in student achievement and closing opportunity gaps.
ED has encouraged state chiefs to implement their own state-level awards in place of the Blue Ribbon Schools Award, according to the release.
“There are a lot of public schools in our state that are doing some truly fantastic work around creating opportunities for students,” Reykdal said. “We wanted to make sure this work is being talked about, acknowledged and celebrated.”
The Carbonado School District, Steilacoom Historical School District and White River School District joined Adna as the four districts recognized in both categories.
To learn more about this year’s awards and the methodology used for selecting awardees, visit https://tinyurl.com/ywj7ut6y.
