Jennings, Garfield schools receive state award, $15,000

Jennings Elementary in Colfax and Garfield Elementary have earned a 2017-18 national Title I Part A Distinguished School award and received $15,000 to use for professional development, curriculum, supplies or other uses. They qualified by meeting a criteria of average state test scores in math and English/Language Arts over the past three years.

Jennings Elementary also received the award in 2015.

Six schools in Washington are recipients of awards for 2017–2018 with two schools selected for national recognition and four for state recognition.

Each submission must identify the content area ELA (English language arts) and/or mathematics, and one or more of the following three categories to emphasize: Exceptional student performance for two or more consecutive years, Significant progress in closing the achievement gap between student groups and Excellence in serving special populations of students.

The four Washington schools selected for the State Title I, Part A Distinguished Schools Award will be invited to attend the 2018 National Title I Conference in Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 8-11, 2018, Jennings Elementary, South Ridge Elementary and Briarcrest Elementary in Shoreline are the other two schools.

Eligibility for awards is based on three years of Smarter Balanced Assessment data for school years ending in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Schools must demonstrate student proficient growth during those three years as identified through Student Growth Percentiles (SGPs) and that students have met state average scores.

Title I, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act is a federal program that serves the needs of children who struggle to learn. Title I, Part A programs and services provide customized instruction to help children meet academic standards and take an active, engaged interest in what they learn and can do.