WHEREAS, There are more than 300 local education agencies and more than 2,000 schools throughout the State of Washington, all of which are working to provide high quality educational opportunities for the students they serve; and

WHEREAS, Each school and community is different, and some have had to overcome great obstacles; and

WHEREAS, Schools should be recognized not only for student achievement, but also for demonstrating growth and closing opportunity gaps; and

WHEREAS, State law directs the State Board of Education, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee to collaborate on school recognition; and

WHEREAS, In 2018, the United States Department of Education approved Washington state's plan under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act; and

WHEREAS, The shift to the Every Student Succeeds Act accountability system presented an opportunity for Washington state to make its school recognition system more equitable; and

WHEREAS, The Washington school recognition program commits to upholding a recognition framework that showcases schools succeeding in serving all students equitably; and

WHEREAS, Each year, schools are to be identified and recognized for their exemplary performance based on multiple outcomes and indicators that are fair, consistent, transparent, and easily understood by schools and communities; and

WHEREAS, The Washington school recognition program uses state and local data to identify schools that have made gains in targeted areas and are on a path toward overall improvements in achievement, growth, and closing opportunity gaps; and

WHEREAS, In Spring 2020, over 350 schools across the state will be recognized and celebrated for closing gaps, showing growth, and demonstrating achievement in the previous school year; and

WHEREAS, The State Board of Education, the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction recognize April 27, 2020, through May 1, 2020, as School Recognition Week;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor state-recognized schools and the extraordinary commitment of Washington state's K-12 schools to our students' futures; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage schools and communities to join in this recognition by celebrating state-recognized exemplar schools.