Area schools earn state achievement awards

Published 3:03 pm Thursday, April 21, 2016

Five Valley elementary schools and one middle school were notified this week that they had received Washington Achievement Awards for 2015.

In Snoqualmie Valley School District, Fall City, Opstad, Snoqualmie Elementary schools, along with Twin Falls Middle School, received the honor. In the Riverview School District, Carnation and Cherry Valley Elementary Schools received it.

The awards use the State Board of Education Revised Achievement Index and are based on statewide assessment data for the three previous years. The Achievement Index measures school performance, emphasizing improvement and recognition. Schools cannot be listed as Priority or Focus and must have at least 95 percent participation on state tests to qualify for recognition.

Schools are being recognized in seven categories, overall excellence, high progress, English language arts growth, math growth, extended graduation rate, English language acquisition and achievement gap.

“OSPI and the State Board of Education have spent a lot of time on the achievement index,” said Randy Dorn, superintendent of public instruction. “We’re very proud of the schools recognized for their performance on the index. Each school shows sustained growth or excellence, or both.”

The award-winning schools will be honored during a ceremony on May 10 at Union Gap School.

Twin Falls Middle School, Opstad and Snoqualmie Elementary Schools were recognized for high progress. Fall City Elementary was recognized for English language arts growth. Both Carnation and Cherry Valley Elementary Schools were recognized for high progress.

This is the seventh year of the Washington Achievement Awards.