3 Moses Lake Schools Rank Top 10% for Student Growth

When you close achievement gaps and help every student grow, the whole community wins.

Three Moses Lake schools received honors from the Washington State Board of Education this week for exceptional student achievement and growth. Midway Elementary, Sage Point Elementary, and Vanguard Academy joined just 16% of schools statewide earning recognition through the Washington School Recognition Program.

The awards aren't just participation trophies. They're based on three years of hard data measuring how well schools help students learn, attend class, and prepare for their futures.

Midway Elementary earned two recognitions that tell a powerful turnaround story. After being identified for needing targeted support just last year, the school made such meaningful improvements that it earned Closing Gaps honors. Midway also landed in the top 10% statewide for helping English language learners grow in both math and reading.

Sage Point Elementary joined that elite top 10% group too. The school's English language learners showed exceptional growth in both English language arts and math proficiency, proving that language barriers don't have to limit academic success.

Vanguard Academy earned its spot by helping multiracial students excel. The school ranked in the top 10% statewide for dual credit completion and attendance among this student group, opening doors to college credits while still in high school.

The Ripple Effect

These wins matter beyond test scores. When schools figure out how to help English language learners and diverse student populations succeed, they're cracking codes that benefit everyone. The strategies that work for students facing the biggest challenges often become best practices that lift all students higher.

Each school will receive a state recognition banner to display on campus. That visible symbol reminds students every day that their hard work is noticed and their growth matters.

The recognition comes from data spanning the 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 school years, so these aren't flukes. They represent sustained effort from teachers, students, and families working together toward real progress.

District officials put it simply: "These recognitions reflect real progress, students growing, gaps closing and opportunities expanding."

Other regional schools earned recognition too, including schools in Ephrata, Othello, Wenatchee, Eastmont, Lake Chelan, and Mattawa, showing that student success is spreading across Washington communities.

When schools prove that every student can grow, regardless of background or starting point, that's the kind of progress worth celebrating.