COWICHE -- Marcus Whitman Cowiche Elementary School recently received a $20,000 award for its academic achievement. Only four schools in the state received the honor.

The grant was given to Washington Title 1 schools and improvement teams that have significantly raised student achievement in mathematics and/or reading through strategies that can serve as state models.

The money may be used for professional development, team building, teacher planning opportunities and development of additional research-based instruction.

Title I schools are schools where 40 percent or more of the students come from low-income families.