COVINGTON — Three schools in the North Kitsap School District were recognized Tuesday for earning the 2013 Washington Achievement Award.

Gordon and Pearson elementary schools and Kingston High School each received the award from the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Pearson and Kingston High received the award for closing achievement gaps. Gordon received the award for science education.

The awards were presented at Kentwood High School Gymnasium. State Superintendent Randy Dorn and State Board Chairman Jeff Vincent recognized 381 schools.

The achievement awards are based on statewide assessment data for the three previous school years. The data is analyzed using the Accountability Index and criteria from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Flexibility Waiver.

The award system is based on indicators such as achievement of low-income students, achievement of non-low-income students, achievement vs. peers, and improvement from previous years. The ratings are a reflection of the percentage of students who met standards in a given assessment; a rating of 7, for example, means that more than 90.1 percent of students met testing standards.

To earn an award in science, a school must have an overall two-year average of 6.00 in the score index.