Ony, Morton Schools Released From Required Action Status

Onalaska Middle School and Morton Junior-Senior High School have reason to celebrate.

The schools were among the first three schools released from Required Action Status by the Washington State Board of Education.

The districts were in the first group of schools established as a Required Action District in 2011. The schools were marked for extra federal funding in the program, which as the name implies, requires districtwide changes to improve test scores. 

Onalaska Middle School and Morton Junior-Senior High School were placed on Required Action Status for their reading and math scores, which were below benchmarks. 

After successful implementation of a required action plan, sufficient progress removing schools from the Priority School list, and progress closing the educational opportunity gap, the schools were the first in the state of Washington to be removed from the list. Lakeridge Elementary School in the Renton School District was also released. 

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction said in a press release that both Lewis County schools obtained special achievements.

Students at Onalaska Middle School increased their proficiency on state assessments for reading and math by approximately 30 percentage points and the school showed higher than average student growth.

Onalaska Superintendent Jeff Davis said the school could have been taken off the list a year earlier. However, the district asked to remain on for an additional year to receive financial support from the state. 

The money helped continue the after-school tutoring program, provide professional development and contract with a counselor for the middle school.

Since the school has now been removed from the list, the fiscal help will end at the end of the year. If the services are continued, Davis said, the expenditures would have to come out of the general education budget.

“I’m just so proud of the work our teachers and our kids have done,” Davis said. 

The superintendent said when the school was initially placed on the list, the community and staff were in shock. Now, with a lot of progress made, he said, the school did exactly what it needed to do and more to receive the recognition.

The school will continue its emphasis on reading and math, and will also add a new initiative next year to improve students’ writing. 

For Morton Junior-Senior High School, combined reading and math state assessment scores showed an increase of 15 percentage points. 

John Hannah, Morton School District’s superintendent, said with the help of Educational Service District 113, the school was able to put new systems in place to focus on the needs of the students, while getting resources to help them meet standards.

“From a couple of different standpoints, it’s very positive,” Hannah said about the school’s achievement. “The community is reassured the school has been doing the right work and the right items in the school to be successful and headed in the right direction.” 

He added that from a staff standpoint, the hard work was deemed worth it. 

“Students know and show up at the front doors to get a quality education from quality staff,” he said. 

With support services and guidance from both OSPI and ESD, the school is ready to build on the foundation the partnership established. 

The focus of the school will remain the same as it has for the last four years. 

Hannah said the school will continue looking at data and at the student’s progress to find solutions to get the students where they need to be. 

“We’re headed in the right direction and our board as well has become active in helping the school move forward,” he said.