State recognizes SBLSD schools for outstanding achievement

We are excited to announce that Washington state has recognized four schools in the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District for student growth for all students, achievement in ELA & Math, and closing gaps for English Learners as part of the Washington School Recognition Program for the 2023-24 school year. These recognitions are a reflection of the hard work and dedication by our staff to know, value and support every student. 

Congratulations to the staff, students and families of the following recognized SBLSD schools:

• Emerald Hills Elementary: Recognized for growth for English Learner students
• Liberty Ridge Elementary: Recognized for growth for all students; growth for students in one or more racial or ethnic groups; growth for English Learner students; growth for low-income students and; growth for students in Special Education
• Mountain View Middle School: Recognized for closing gaps in English Learner progress
• Tehaleh Heights Elementary School: Recognized for achievement in English Language Arts & Math

Each year, the Washington State School Recognition Program highlights schools that demonstrate exceptional progress in key areas of student success. For the 2023-2024 school year, 16% of schools received recognition. All Washington public schools are eligible for the honor. As part of being honored, each school will receive a banner to display in their buildings.

Schools can be recognized in three categories: Closing Gaps, Growth, and Achievement.

• Closing Gaps: Schools in this category have made significant progress in areas identified for improvement in previous school years. These areas may include English language arts and math assessment scores, English Learner progress, or graduation rates.
• Growth: Schools recognized for growth have at least one student group that has shown some of the state’s largest annual gains across multiple measures, such as attendance, assessment scores, English Learner progress, graduation rates, or the percentage of ninth graders who successfully earned all their attempted credits.
• Achievement: These schools have the state's highest performance in at least two key areas, including attendance, dual credit completion, assessment scores in English language arts or math, graduation rates, or ninth-grade credit attainment, and are above average across all reportable student groups on the 2025 Washington School Improvement Framework.

The Washington School Recognition Program is jointly operated by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), State Board of Education (SBE), and Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee (EOGOAC).