By producing stellar results in helping at-risk students succeed, Nezperce School in the Nezperce Joint School District is one of four Idaho schools identified for national recognition by the State Department of Education.
Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra announced that Nezperce School and Birch Elementary School in the Vallivue School District were selected as this year’s Distinguished Schools for Idaho, while Fairview Elementary School in the Bonneville Joint School District and Beutler Middle School in the West Side Joint School District are the state’s two nominees for the National Blue Ribbon Award. All four honored schools met their targets in ISAT for all student subgroups, with at least 95 percent participation in the annual assessment.
The annual Distinguished Schools awards recognize outstanding achievements by two Title One schools from each state that serve a high proportion of at-risk students.
Nezperce School was honored in the category of Exceptional Student Performance and Academic Growth. The K-12 school outperformed more than 80 percent of other Idaho schools in the percentage of students meeting or exceeding proficiency in the content standards for both English language arts and mathematics over the past three years. About 40 percent of Nezperce students come from an economically disadvantaged background.
The Distinguished Schools will be honored during the National ESEA Conference in February in Atlanta, Georgia. Idaho’s Distinguished Schools and Blue Ribbon nominees will receive a monetary award to support their participation in national award ceremonies. (Idaho Department of Education)
