Idaho State Board Honors Schools for Academic Achievement

Members of the Idaho State Board of Education are traveling across Idaho this month to recognize a handful of Idaho schools for making significant strides in raising student achievement over the past two years.

Eleven schools earned the 2010 Additional Yearly Growth Award and just two schools have been named Distinguished Schools this year.

Superintendent Luna was in Coeur d’Alene on Friday to recognize Winton Elementary School for its Additional Yearly Growth Award.  He celebrated Whittier Elementary School’s Distinguished School Award this morning in Boise.

Whittier Elementary Principal Derek Gardner and State Superintendent Tom Luna

“Idaho is a national leader,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction and State Board member Tom Luna. “Our success is not a coincidence. It takes teamwork and focus. The schools awarded today are examples of dedicated teachers, hard-working students and involved parents. I'm proud to celebrate Idaho's public school success.”

Idaho State Board of Education President Richard Westerberg said, “These schools show us that our students, teachers, administrators- everyone involved- can perform at a high level.”

To be honored with an Additional Yearly Growth Award, a school must make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) for two consecutive years and show a minimum of a ten percent improvement in one of the forty-one subcategories.

The top five percent of schools who meet the above criteria earn a Distinguished School designation.

Here’s the full list of award winners this year.

Schools honored this year with an Additional Yearly Growth Award include:

• Mountain View Elementary- Cassia County Schools- Reading Hispanic Students
• Hailey Elementary- Blaine County Schools- Reading in Hispanic Students
• Hailey Elementary-Blaine County Schools- Reading in students on Free/Reduced Lunch
• Peregrine Elementary- Meridian School District- Math in Special Education students
• Horizon Elementary- Jerome School District- Math in students on Free/Reduced Lunch
• Downey Elementary-Marsh Valley School District-Math in white students
• Jefferson Elementary- Pocatello/Chubbuck School District- Reading in students on Free/Reduced Lunch
• Winton Elementary-Coeur d'Alene School District- Math in students on Free/Reduced Lunch
• Priest River Lamanna High School- West Bonner County Schools- Math in students on free/reduced lunch
• Priest River Lamanna High School-West Bonner County Schools-Math in white students
• Whittier Elementary-Boise School District- Math in Hispanic Students

Distinguished Schools:

• Peregrine Elementary in the Meridian School District- Math in Special Education Students
• Whittier Elementary in the Boise Independent School District- Math in Hispanic Students

Visit the State Board of Education website for more information. Congratulations to these outstanding schools!

~ Melissa M.