Commitment: Leaders Sign Unprecedented Compact
Transitioning from high school to college can be a challenge for students locally and across the U.S. Leaders across the Puget Sound recognize the weight of this transition and have come together to agree to practices aimed at improving students' postsecondary opportunities and outcomes. Resources allocated through Race to the Top are helping smooth the path to postsecondary work for students across South King County.
Established in 2010, the Puget Sound Coalition for College and Career Readiness has worked diligently to provide a seamless transition K-16 transition for students. The Coalition recently finalized and signed a Compact that commits to regional change in K-12 and postsecondary education. This document is the first of its kind in the State of Washington. Drafted by Task Force members Green River Community College President Eileen Ely, Auburn, Kent and Puget Sound ESD Superintendents Kip Herren, Lee Vargas, and John Welch and Road Map Project Executive Director Mary Jean Ryan and College and Career Success Director Kirsten Avery, the Compact articulates the agreement to implement a range of practices across organizations strengthening student experiences through the high school to postsecondary transition.
"Coalition members, representing both the K-12 and postsecondary institutions, have reached out across systems to do what's best for students," said PSESD Superintendent John Welch. "Coupled with other efforts to increase access and support for students entering post-secondary college or career programs, we should see a significant increase of students in the region entering post-secondary programs to eventually secure viable careers."
The Compact represents an unprecedented commitment to regional collaboration to broaden access to postsecondary success, and includes such evidence-based practices as improving systems (student scheduling and academic support) to broaden access to rigorous course taking, implementing early interventions for students are at risk of not graduating from high school, implementing policies and practices allowing for multiple measures for course placement in college math and English and adopting and expanding access to effective strategies promoting the persistence of recent high school graduates, and reengaged youth ages 16-24 including mandatory orientation and advising for first-time college students.
Other practices focus on the continuum of instructional and programmatic supports for students who are eligible for the College Bound Scholarship. A record 95% of students from low-income families in the South Seattle and South King County region have signed up for the state's College Bound Scholarship, which could pay for their college tuition.
"I am excited by the commitment of our Coalition members to remove potential barriers for all students, but particularly for first-generation college students and students of color. It is clear that access to valuable postsecondary options and programs must be available for all students," commented South Seattle College President Gary Oertli.
The Compact received feedback from numerous stakeholders in K-12, postsecondary education and community based organizations. Next steps to implement the Compact include educating school district and community and technical college boards about Compact agreements and defining an agenda for learning in 2014-15 to support implementation of these promising practices across the region.
Resources: More than $10 Million in Federal Race to the Top Funds
The region is fortunate to have resources to support these efforts through both federal and private grants. Over $10 million of the $40 million federal Race to the Top grant is dedicated to "Stay Strong" efforts. The Executive Committee for the Road Map Region Race to the Top issued preliminary awards of $1.5 million in Investment Funds for Project 8 (College and Career Readiness) as part of the second round of awards to the seven districts participating in the Consortium.
A total of $3.7 million will be awarded through Project 8 (College & Career Readiness) in three disbursements. The first and second distributions of these funds totaled $1.5 million each, which included the following awards:
* Auburn School District: Systematic Implementation of College and Career Readiness, $242,460
* Federal Way: Academic Acceleration Support, $200,560
* Highline Public Schools: On Track to College and Career Success, $225,182
* Kent School District: Preparing College Bound and Career Ready Students $163,095
* Renton School District: Implementation of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Ensuring Success through Support, $247,482
* Seattle Public Schools: College Bound, $45,241 and Enhancing Applied STEM Learning and College Bound Scholarship Support, $180,209
* Tukwila School District: Get Ready, Get Out, Get In, $246,314
Like other districts in the Road Map Region, Renton School District has achievement and opportunity gaps. The implementation of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) at Renton High School is a research-based program designed to mitigate and overcome these gaps. Through whole-school reform, the IBDP will infuse all aspects of the school rather than merely being a program solely for high-achievers during the 11th and 12th grades.
Renton High School has achieved significant progress made through initial funding in Round 1. The goal for nearly 100% participation in IB English and IB History of the Americas for juniors is highly ambitious and the inclusion of college visits is a strong strategy.
Results: Students Already on the Road to 'Stay Strong'
In addition to the successful implementation of district-level programs, the Race to the Top Executive Committee decided to expand in-school SAT taking to include 12th grade students in October 2014 for Auburn, Federal Way, Highline, Kent and Tukwila school districts.
Race to the Top funds currently provide free, in-school College Board testing for students in 8th grade to take ReadiStep, 10th grade to take PSAT and 11th grade to take SAT. The number of students taking the SAT grew from 5,781 in 2013 to 6,478 in 2014. Consortium districts requested the expansion to provide all 12th grade students the chance to take the SAT. The expansion effectively gives students an opportunity to test a second time to obtain a higher score, allows students who may have missed the opportunity in the spring another chance to take the test, and gives seniors who have not yet passed state graduation exams the opportunity to earn a score on SAT that qualifies them for graduation.
"With our initial offering of College Board testing, we have increased College and Career Readiness in districts and removed the financial, scheduling and transportation barriers for students pursuing post-secondary education," commented Jennie Flaming, College and Career Readiness Project Manager for Race to the Top.
Attached Media Files: 2014-07/4161/75725/Vargas_and_Ryan.jpg