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The Paschal Sherman Indian School (PSIS) has been named a “School of Distinction” by Cognia, a global nonprofit school improvement organization. Out of more than 1,100 eligible institutions reviewed by Cognia, only 25 schools and eight systems were honored, the Colville Tribes said in a press release Tuesday.

The honor is bestowed upon institutions that demonstrate evidence of a growth in learning by students, a healthy culture for learning, engaging and high-quality instructional environments, and effective leadership for learning.

PSIS served 100 students in kindergarten through ninth grade in the 2022-23 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation just entered into a tribal/state compact with the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The compact provides for funding to flow directly to PSIS. In the past, funding went through an agreement between a state school district and a tribal school.

“PSIS is to be commended for earning the designation as a School of Distinction,” said Dr. Mark

Elgart, president and CEO of Cognia. “Cognia Accreditation is already a mark of school quality recognized around the world. Being named a School of Distinction further acknowledges the demonstrated commitment to education quality and a mindset of continuous improvement PSIS has for its learners.”

“The Colville Tribes values great educational opportunities for our children,” said Jarred-Michael Erickson, chairman of the Colville Confederated Tribes. “We are proud of the recognition that Paschal Sherman school has earned. We also appreciate the recent compact with the State of Washington, which we expect will lead to additional funding and support for academic achievements and experiences.”