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A Decade of Excellence: FWPS School Board Earns Prestigious Board of Distinction Recognition for the tenth year in a row!

A Decade of Excellence: FWPS School Board Earns Prestigious Board of Distinction Recognition for the tenth year in a row!
WSSDA 2025 Board of Distinction

District among 49 recipients this year

Federal Way Public Schools (FWPS) Board of Directors has once again achieved the Washington State School Directors' Association (WSSDA) Board of Distinction status, marking the tenth consecutive year of this prestigious recognition. This year, FWPS joins 49 other school boards across Washington State in receiving this honor, out of 295 eligible districts.

The FWPS Board was commended for demonstrating strong governance by adopting MTSS as a district-wide framework and embedding it into policy and monitoring systems. WSSDA reviewers noted the district's "systemic and equity-driven approach with great depth and breadth of initiatives," which led to measurable gains including improved math and ELA outcomes across more than 20 schools. This accolade acknowledges the board's unwavering commitment to equity and its continued focus on closing opportunity gaps, ensuring that all 21,500+ scholars within the district have a pathway to success.

Rigorous Standards in Board Leadership and Student Outcomes

Receiving the Board of Distinction title requires a comprehensive application that reflects the board's initiatives in key areas, including professional development, equitable opportunity access, and high expectations for student learning outcomes. FWPS's submission emphasized impactful actions in:

  • Strong Governance and Planning: Guided by the district’s Strategic Plan, developed with input from hundreds of stakeholders, the board ensures accountability through regular monitoring reports aligned with ENDS and Executive Limitations.
  • Scholar Readiness and Equity: The board adopted the Portrait of a Graduate—defining six core competencies including critical thinking, empathy, and collaboration—and advanced Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to meet scholars’ academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs.
  • Targeted Academic Supports: Through the District Support Team and small group instruction models, schools receive differentiated coaching and intervention, leading to measurable growth in ELA and math across more than 20 schools.
  • Positive Transitions and Scholar Leadership: Initiatives such as K–3 and 9th Grade On-Track meetings, WEB and LINK Crew, and a middle school master schedule aligned to MTSS support smooth transitions and empower scholar leadership.
  • Engagement and Wellness: The board fosters authentic partnerships through Community Connect, Coffee and Conversation, and annual Recognition Nights while advancing initiatives like Closing the Hunger Gap to ensure every scholar starts the day nourished and ready to learn.
  • Student Voice and Cultural Inclusion: The board elevates scholar perspectives through its Scholar Representative program and continues its partnership with the Puyallup Tribe to support Native scholars’ sense of belonging.

The FWPS Board of Directors will be honored along with other Boards of Distinction at the upcoming WSSDA Annual Conference

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