Redmond, Wash. – On October 19, the Center for Educational Effectiveness (CEE) announced the 99 schools statewide named as recipients of the 2011 School of Distinction Award. Three Lake Washington School District schools – Redmond Elementary School, Smith Elementary School and The Renaissance School – all were named “Schools of Distinction.”

These awards are presented by CEE, the Association of Educational Service Districts (AESD), the Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP), Phi Delta Kappa-Washington chapter, Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA), Washington State Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) and Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA).

To be considered, schools had to be performing at least at the state average in fourth, seventh and/or tenth grade reading and math assessments, as measured on the Spring 2011 Measures of Student Progress (4th and 7th grade) and High School Proficiency Exam (10th grade). (Redmond and Smith Elementary Schools were judged on their fourth grade MSP scores. Renaissance School was measured on its 7th grade scores.) Schools then were evaluated on combined reading and math improvement from 2006 to 2011 based on state assessments. The top five percent of schools are then recognized with the School of Distinction Award.

Redmond Elementary, centrally located in downtown Redmond, WA, strived to raise test scores while serving a population that includes significant numbers of English Language Learners and students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Smith Elementary School is located in a suburban Sammamish, WA, neighborhood. This school has worked diligently to raise its relatively high test scores even higher.

Renaissance School is a junior high Choice School, accepting students from anywhere in the district. The school focuses on integrating the visual and performing arts with a challenging science and mathematic curriculum. It was founded in 2006: the data used to qualify for this award is made up of the first six years in the history of the school.

The Schools of Distinction Awards will be presented at six regional awards ceremonies.

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About Lake Washington: Lake Washington School District is a high-performing public school district serving Kirkland, Redmond, and Sammamish, Washington. It is the sixth largest district in the state of Washington, with over 24,000 students in 50 schools.