The Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Boards of Distinction awards. The awards recognize school boards that have demonstrated effective governance aligned with the Washington School Board Standards and show evidence of improving student outcomes.
Since its inception, the Boards of Distinction program has emphasized rigorous criteria, including narrowing opportunity gaps, aligning board actions with student-success initiatives, and distinguishing board efforts from staff operations.
“To become a Board of Distinction, you have to provide clear, evidence-based demonstrations of improved student outcomes tied to board action,” said Dr. Heather Curl, WSSDA’s director of leadership development.
Some common elements among this year’s applicants were strategic planning, legislative advocacy, and the use of disaggregated student data to guide multi-pronged improvement efforts.
“There were boards that identified a portion of their school population, that’s the disaggregated data, and used a few different ways to help them raise their academic performance; for example, new curriculum, professional development for teachers, outreach to parents and caregivers, etc. And those tactics would’ve been supported by intentional actions of the school board,” said Curl.
This year’s cohort features a record slate of 49 school boards across three district-size categories. Among the recipients are seven first-time applicants, reflecting a growing commitment statewide to strengthening board performance and student-focused governance.
“We use the Board of Distinction program to encourage school boards to reflect on their work, analyze their progress, and think about how to build on it,” said Curl. “Some boards actually use the application process as an annual exercise to support their work.”
A panel of 11 reviewers spent several hours reading and scoring the applications. The reviewers include former and current Educational Service District superintendents, State Board of Education board members, former school directors, and others who are involved in education leadership on a statewide level.
“Our reviewers were extremely generous with their time and expertise. Their support is crucial to the program and we’re extremely grateful,” said Curl.
Effective Governance = Student Success
Each of these boards submitted evidence of impactful, sustained efforts that have moved the needle on student outcomes in their communities. Their applications showcased how board decisions over a multi-year window were meaningfully linked to student success, operationalized initiatives, and addressed systemic opportunity gaps.
2025 Awardees by Category
Large District Category
- Auburn
- Bellevue
- Central Kitsap
- Clover Park
- Edmonds
- Everett
- Federal Way
- Issaquah
- Lake Washington
- North Thurston
- Northshore
- Pasco
- Puyallup
- South Kits
- Spokane
- Tacoma
- Yakima
Medium District Category
- Anacortes
- Arlington
- Bremerton
- Ferndale
- Kelso
- Lakewood
- Monroe
- Mount Vernon
- Oak Harbor
- Orting
- Peninsula
- Pullman
- Riverview
- Sequim
- Shelton
- Snoqualmie Valley
- Steilacoom Historical
- Tukwila
- University Place
- Wapato
- West Valley (Yakima)
- White River
Small District Category
- Cascade
- Chimacum
- Eatonville
- La Conner
- Mabton
- Meridian
- Onion Creek
- Port Townsend
- South Whidbey
- Valley School District
Why It Matters
Ongoing research has shown that effective board governance is foundational to the success of public schools. By focusing on long-term student outcomes, aligning their efforts with the research-based Washington School Board Standards, and rigorously examining data around equity and opportunity, the award-winning boards exemplify committed leadership in service of students, families, and communities.
Boards of the Year
One board from each category will receive additional recognition as Board of the Year, to be announced at the WSSDA Annual Conference later this month.