A record 37 applicants, including the Morton School Board, have received the 2024 Board of Distinction award from the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA).
“Several boards applied this year that haven’t done so in the past,” said WSSDA Executive Director Tricia Lubach. “It’s encouraging to see more boards participating because it helps them connect research-informed best practices to work in their own districts.”
The Boards of Distinction program, initiated in 2009, aligns with the research-based Washington School Board Standards first published in the same year. The standards guide school boards to focus on areas where they can make the most significant difference in supporting students, aligning with their community’s aspirations for its children, and effectively governing the school district.
“The work of school boards is wide and deep, but the Boards of Distinction program focuses on a narrow portion of their broad scope,” WSSDA said in a news release. “School boards seeking this honor must illustrate how a strategic initiative of the district reflects elements of the Washington School Board Standards and provide compelling evidence demonstrating a positive impact on closing opportunity gaps for their students.”
Applicants were evaluated based on criteria that include:
• Did the board identify any opportunity gaps? (An opportunity gap is the unequal distribution of resources and/or experiences that can impact a student’s academic, health and economic outcomes.)
• Did the board provide evidence of successfully addressing these gaps?
• Did the board show that they learned from the experience? Will their learning lead to adjustments to district initiatives in the future?
• What elements of Washington School Board Standards aligned with their initiative?
• Was the board clear about its own actions and those of district staff that participated in the initiative?
• Did the board show connections between its actions and success of the initiative?
“This year’s applications were truly inspiring,” said Dr. Heather Curl, director of leadership development at WSSDA. “We’re grateful for each school board’s efforts to support students — whether by expanding dual language programs, prioritizing physical and mental health, or identifying and addressing opportunity gaps in access to Algebra and advanced placement courses. I’d also like to thank our review team, which included members from the State Board of Education and Educational Service Districts. Overall, the applicants did an excellent job, and I hope to see even more districts apply next year.”
The grand finale of the program will be the announcement of the three Boards of the Year at WSSDA’s 2024 Annual Conference this month. Selected from among the Boards of Distinction, the Boards of the Year will represent a small, medium and large school district based on the number of students they serve. This prestigious honor will recognize the exceptional achievements of these school boards and the leadership they have shown in driving the success of their students.
The full list of Board of Distinction award winners is below.
• Small District Category: Cascade, Elma, Hockinson, Mabton, Morton, South Bend and South Whidbey
• Medium District Category: Anacortes, Arlington, Bremerton, Ferndale, Grandview and Kelso, Lakewood, Mount Vernon, Pullman, Riverview, Shelton, Steilacoom, University Place, Wapato, White River
• Large District Category: Auburn, Battle Ground, Clover Park, Edmonds, Everett, Federal Way, Issaquah, Lake Washington, Pasco, Peninsula, Puyallup, South Kitsap, Spokane, Tacoma and Yakima
