HERMISTON – Rocky Heights Elementary will be one of eight Oregon schools honored later this month for showing progress in closing the achievement gap between minority and non-minority students.

The Celebrating Student Success Award and a $2,000 grant will be presented by State Superintendent Susan Castillo at an awards banquet April 29.

The “exceptional” rating is the highest level of achievement on the state’s yearly report cards and is the first-ever for the Hermiston School District.

Rocky Heights has a large minority and economically disadvantaged population, and 40 percent of the students are learning English as a second language, according to the state Department of Education.

But 90 percent of the school’s students meet grade-level expectations in reading and 93 percent in math, 7 and 11 percent more, respectively, than the state average.

Schools with comparable student populations averaged only 75 percent of students performing at grade level in math and reading, according to the state.

Rocky Heights officials attributed their success to an intensive reading program and a progress-tracking system.

The school pays careful attention to its numbers, breaking down assessment data by ethnicity and race, gender and socioeconomic status. That analysis is used in developing strategies to help students.

For example, Rocky Heights kindergarten teacher Cindy Beatty assesses her students every two to three weeks to evaluate progress. She schedules a 75-minute reading block for her students and reports that nearly all of them are reading by the spring, some as high as the second-grade level. That includes children who show up on the first day of school knowing little or no English.

“I see struggling kids, yes, but I don’t make excuses,” she said. “I strive for the best all the time, and I believe all the kids can make it.”

Principal Dennis Eygobroad said teachers used to feel threatened by low test scores.

“In the old days, we gave the tests, looked at scores, and then didn’t do anything,” he said.

When Eygobroad showed the staff the wide disparity between minority and white students, some were shocked, he said. Now, by breaking down test scores, teachers are able to look precisely at the strengths and weaknesses of every group and individual.

Data has become empowering, Eygobroad said. In the past four years, students performing at grade level in reading and math shot up by 50 percent.

“Rocky Heights Elementary is a clear, inspiring example of how students can overcome language and economic obstacles to excel at school,” state Superintendent Susan Castillo said.