The Finley School District has been recognized by the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) with the inaugural State Superintendent’s Award for Educational Excellence, a new statewide recognition honoring school districts demonstrating strong student achievement and academic progress.
Finley was recognized for its academic progress over the past three years, reflecting the district’s ongoing commitment to improving outcomes for students and supporting learning across all grade levels.
The award recognizes 46 school districts across Washington state and highlights districts showing either top performance in the most recent school year or significant progress over a three-year period.
Award criteria align with the state’s Annual Snapshot on Student Opportunity and Outcomes, which measures district performance across key indicators including kindergarten readiness, Highly Capable program participation, regular attendance, fourth grade reading, eighth grade math, ninth graders on track to graduate, and four-year graduation rates.
“I am excited for our community and district teams to be recognized for this award,” said Finley Superintendent Bryan Long. “As we work together and achieve together, the outcome of student learning is paramount. Simply put, our students are learning, and they are achieving. We are proud to share in this success and encourage all students, staff, and community to continue moving forward knowing the entire state is cheering you on. Congratulations!”
To ensure fair comparisons across Washington’s more than 300 school districts and state-tribal compact schools, OSPI standardizes performance measures across multiple student success indicators. District scores are averaged, and the top-performing districts in each category are selected for the award.
Finley School District will receive a banner and plaque recognizing the district’s commitment to providing high-quality educational opportunities and supporting student success.