Area schools receive WASL award

By Venice Buhain | The Olympian • Published October 23, 2008

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Two South Sound elementary schools are among 98 schools statewide honored for showing the greatest improvement in state test scores.

Lacey Elementary School, in the North Thurston district, and Southworth Elementary, in the Yelm district, were named 2008 Schools of Distinction.

The two local elementary schools exceeded the state average performance in fourth grade in the reading and math portions of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning and showed a trend of improvement the past six years, an Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction news release says.

Seventh and 10th grades also were evaluated.

This year, other nearby schools honored include Pioneer Middle School in the Steilacoom Historical School District; Pe Ell School; Centralia High School and Napavine Junior/Senior High School.

Lacey Elementary School Principal Gary Culbertson said one of the keys to the improvement is daily 20-minute periods of instruction targeted to students' level of understanding. Each day, students at each grade level are separated into three sections — so students who understand that day's material can work on new material while students who need extra help can get it, he said.

Teachers can tell that students are meeting state standards when they improve on tests that are given every other week, Culbertson said.

"When you look at the WASL scores at the end of the year, it's too late," he said. "We end up testing every other week ... and (the teachers) adjust accordingly."

Yelm Community Schools superintendent Alan Burke said that Southworth Elementary School staff members have a history of working to assure that students meet state standards.

"Over the years, they have had a history of high scores," he said. "It's gone up and down over the years, because they are a relatively small school, but the scores have been consistently high."

In a prepared statement, state superintendent Terry Bergeson said that the honor recognizes "gains that aren't recognized by the federal No Child Left Behind law or its 'Adequate Yearly Progress' calculations.

"Students and teachers and schools continue to make incredible progress."

Last year, the first year the honor was given, five South Sound schools were honored: Littlerock Elementary in Tumwater, Roosevelt Elementary in Olympia, Rochester Middle School, and Rainier and Tenino high schools.

Venice Buhain covers education for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-5445 or vbuhain@theolympian.com.