Four Spokane Districts Win Top Washington Education Award

Washington state just handed out a brand new education award, and four Spokane County school districts made the cut.

Riverside, Freeman, Nine Mile Falls, and Liberty school districts received the inaugural State Superintendent's Award for Educational Excellence. Only 46 districts out of 295 across Washington earned the recognition.

The award replaces the federal Blue Ribbon Award, which ended abruptly last fall after 41 years. Washington's Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction created this new system to keep celebrating schools where students succeed.

The state looked at 12 different measures, including attendance, kindergarten readiness, test scores, ninth graders passing all their classes, and graduation rates. They recognized districts both for current achievement and for showing real improvement over three years.

The numbers tell an impressive story. Riverside boasts a 95.6% graduation rate, far above the state average of 82.6%. At Freeman, 95.3% of freshmen passed all their courses, and their graduation rate hit 96%.

Nine Mile Falls saw kindergarten readiness nearly double thanks to three new preschool programs they added. Their graduation rate reached 94.1%, with 94.3% of freshmen passing all classes.

Liberty rounded out the winners with a 92.9% graduation rate and 89.2% of kindergartners ready in all six development areas.

The Ripple Effect

These awards represent more than numbers on a report card. They reflect entire communities rallying around their kids.

"It builds the confidence of our staff and our students and our families," said Ken Russell, Riverside's superintendent. "It's a testament to the hard work that all of those individuals have been doing."

Jeff Baerwald from Nine Mile called it "the ultimate team award," crediting students, families, and educators working together. Randy Russell at Freeman pointed to the winning formula: "great kids with committed, dedicated staff and a very supportive group of parents and community."

In smaller districts like Liberty, that teamwork feels especially personal. Superintendent Jerrad Jeske says it truly takes everyone doing what's best for kids every single day.

When schools succeed, entire communities win, and these four districts prove what's possible when everyone pulls together.