The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the State Board of Education (SBE) have announced the 280 schools statewide that will receive Washington Achievement Awards. Of those 280 schools, 30 are in Lake Washington School District (LWSD), the third largest district in the state.

More schools in LWSD earned awards than any other district including the two districts that serve more students than LWSD. The 30 LWSD schools will receive a total of 73 recognitions, including 15 awards for overall excellence. All award-winning schools will be honored during a ceremony on May 3 at Olympic Middle School in Auburn.

“Students in Lake Washington continue to achieve at high levels,” said Dr. Traci Pierce, superintendent. “Our teachers and administrators work hard every day to ensure that achievement gaps are closing and all students are learning, growing and succeeding.”

The awards use the State Board of Education Revised Achievement Index and are based on statewide assessment data for the three previous years. The index measures school performance, emphasizing improvement and recognition. Schools are recognized as top performers in seven categories: Overall Excellence, High Progress, English Language Arts Growth, Math Growth, Extended Graduation Rate, English Language Acquisition and Closing the Achievement Gap. Some schools are honored in more than one of these categories.

Fifteen LWSD schools will be recognized for overall excellence:

• Alcott Elementary (Redmond)

• Audubon Elementary (Redmond)

• Blackwell Elementary (Sammamish)

• Discovery Community School (Kirkland)

• Evergreen Middle School (Redmond)

• Explorer Community School (Redmond)

• Kirk Elementary (Kirkland)

• Mead Elementary (Sammamish)

• Northstar Middle School (Kirkland)

• Renaissance School of Art & Reasoning (Sammamish)

• Rockwell Elementary (Redmond)

• Rosa Parks Elementary (Redmond)

• Smith Elementary (Sammamish)

• Stella Schola Middle School (Redmond)

• Wilder Elementary (Woodinville)

Two of these schools have been recognized for overall excellence each year since 2011: Rockwell Elementary and Rosa Parks Elementary.

Twenty-seven LWSD schools will be recognized with high progress awards: Alcott Elementary, Audubon Elementary, Blackwell Elementary, Carson Elementary, Discovery Community School, Environmental & Adventure School, Evergreen Middle School, Explorer Community School, Franklin Elementary, Inglewood Middle School, Juanita Elementary, Kirk Elementary, Kirkland Middle School, Mann Elementary, McAuliffe Elementary, Mead Elementary, Northstar Middle School, Redmond Elementary, Renaissance School of Art & Reasoning, Rockwell Elementary, Rosa Parks Elementary, Rose Hill Middle School, Rush Elementary, Sandburg Elementary, Smith Elementary, Stella Schola Middle School and Wilder Elementary.

Lake Washington Schools performed well in English Language Arts growth, with 17 schools winning special recognition awards in this category: Alcott Elementary, Blackwell Elementary, Dickinson Elementary, Discovery Community School, Evergreen Middle School, Explorer Community School, Franklin Elementary, Lakeview Elementary, Mead Elementary, Northstar Middle School, Redmond Elementary, Rockwell Elementary, Rosa Parks Elementary, Sandburg Elementary, Smith Elementary, Stella Schola Middle School and Wilder Elementary.

Seven special recognition awards for math growth will be given to LWSD schools: Discovery Community School, Evergreen Middle School, Kirk Elementary, Kirkland Middle School, Rosa Parks Elementary, Stella Schola Middle School and Wilder Elementary.

Five schools will receive special recognition awards for English language acquisition: Alcott Elementary, Audubon Elementary, Redmond Elementary, Rockwell Elementary and Rosa Parks Elementary.

Two schools will receive special recognition awards for Closing the Achievement Gap: Bell Elementary (Hispanic Students) and Kirk Elementary (Students with Disabilities).

Schools are selected for awards based on their statewide assessment data for the three previous years. This data is analyzed using the Achievement Index and methodology approved by both OSPI and the SBE.