WSSDA Announces 2025 Boards of the Year

The Chimacum, Oak Harbor, and Spokane school boards have earned Board of the Year recognition from the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA). These boards were selected from among a record 49 Boards of Distinction honored at the WSSDA Annual Conference.

This top honor recognizes a board that has demonstrated significant vision and leadership, resulting in positive, measurable student success. These three Boards of the Year demonstrated how purposeful board learning and genuine community engagement can drive remarkable improvements in graduation rates, attendance, and academic outcomes.

Small-district Category
(2000 or fewer students)

The Chimacum School Board turned data into action and action into results. From discipline and attendance rates to achievement gains among their most underserved students, the impact is clear. When boards do the hard work of examining opportunity gaps and committing to closing them, students will thrive.

Medium-District Category
2001-9000 students)

The Oak Harbor School Board has shown how the strategic plan can become a living tool for change that amplifies student voice, strengthens community partnerships, and puts a shared sense of belonging at the center of what success looks like. When faced with tough choices, this board used a disciplined review of data to drive its budget decisions while putting students first.

Large-District Category
(9001 students and up)

Based on their district’s strategic plan, the Spokane School Board made Native student success a districtwide priority and embedded it into every governance decision they make. As a result, the district has seen dramatic increases in graduation rates, attendance, and academic growth. That success has been fostered by a systemic, equity-focused approach built on authentic partnerships with tribal leaders, students, and families.