The final in a series of four press releases has been released highlighting the achievement of the first year of the region's Race to the Top grant. The grant's 'Stay Strong' work is focused on implementing strategies to help more students enroll in postsecondary education and be successful. To accomplish this goal, the consortium is offering all students the opportunity to take the ReadiStep, SAT and PSAT in school for free, expanding the Advanced Placement (AP) course selections for students and helping more teachers to get AP course training. Consortium members are also improving high school course selection by including more STEM, International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, world language and career certificate options. In addition, middle and high school guidance counselors are receiving training and being provided with counselor assistants to better serve more students.
As one result of this work, on April 16 about 7,700 students in Auburn, Federal Way, Highline, Kent, Renton and Tukwila took part in SAT School Day. (SAT day for Seattle Public Schools occurred in February.) Through SAT School Day, students across the region took the College Board's SAT for free, a critical step in the college admissions process. Taking the SAT usually entails paying a $50 fee and spending several hours somewhere outside the school day. High school juniors were able to take the test free of charge, during the school day, at their schools. This was made possible through the use of Race to the Top grant funds and includes the registration fees, an online SAT-prep course and a healthy snack to students who registered.
For more detailed information on the work to improve access to college entrance exams, counselor support, and investment fund projects in specific districts, please see the
press release. Congratulations to all the students who took part!
Project 5 Career Awareness RFP Released
On April 28, the first of two requests for proposals that will help build our regional career awareness and exploration system was released. This first RFP seeks online tools that students can use to learn more about their own skills and interests, and then research careers that focus on those strengths. The tools will offer such career information as associated educational requirements, job trends, annual wages and employment outlooks. In addition, accepted tools will offer information on post-secondary programs that support chosen careers.
Proposals from appropriate providers are due on May 29. For more information, please see the Project 5
Doing Business page.
