Brinnon Elementary and Salish Coast Elementary in Port Townsend are being recognized for performance growth by one or more of their respective student groups for the 2022-2023 school year.

Randy Spaulding, executive director of the Washington State Board of Education (SBE), wrote a June 21 email to Brinnon School District Superintendent Patricia Beathard, congratulating her for the “high growth” in Brinnon Elementary’s English Language Arts (ELA) and math proficiency rates and student growth percentiles (SGP) by one or more of its student groups for 2022-2023.

“Recognized schools like yours make great strides to improve outcomes for students by closing gaps and showing tremendous growth and achievement,” Spaulding wrote. “This recognition is overdue, and we are thrilled to now be able to honor Washington schools like yours.”

For the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years, 571 public schools in 178 school districts across Washington state have earned this recognition, earning a banner to display in their buildings.

According to Spaulding, the State Board of Education also plans on honoring each school from the SBE’s virtual platforms on social media, using the hashtag #WASchoolRecognition, and on the SBE website.

For the 2022–23 school year specifically, 241 schools are being recognized for growth, including both Brinnon Elementary and Salish Coast Elementary. That means each school had at least one student group among the highest performers on 60% or more of the measures of the Washington School Improvement Framework’s (WSIF).

The schools that are recognized have been identified for school improvement support through the WSIF. Spaulding explained that — based on the WSIF, and in alignment with federal requirements — schools are recognized “more equitably for closing gaps, growth and achievement,” as the framework considers “multiple measures, including growth, achievement and student success indicators, like attendance and completion of dual credit coursework.”

The State Board of Education, the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee, and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction work together to honor the schools who are part of the Washington School Recognition Program, formerly known as the Washington Achievement Awards.

More information about the methodology and specifics for recognition for each school can be found online at sbe.wa.gov/our-work/school-recognition.