e-Newsletter
October 8, 2014
Issue No.34
In This Issue
Upcoming Events & Key Dates

10/16 Executive Committee Meeting

10/21 White Center Education Initiative Meeting (Deep Dive 2)

10/25 Seattle EdSurge Tech for Schools Summit

Quick Links


About the Road Map Region Race to the Top Grant

In 2012, seven King County, Washington, school districts joined forces and won $40 million in federal Race to the Top funds over four years. The participating school districts are Auburn, Federal Way, Highline, Kent, Renton, Seattle and Tukwila. The districts dubbed themselves The Road Map District Consortium, a reference to their participation in the Road Map Project, a community-wide effort in South Seattle and South King County to drive major educational improvement with a focus on personalized learning.

Dear  ,

We are excited to share that we have submitted our Annual Performance Report to the US Deparment of Education! Congratulations to Highline for being awarded one of this year's GEAR UP grants. An EdSurge Tech for Schools Summit will be held for educators later this month. Finally, young people 12- to 24-years-old across the county are encouraged to participate in the King County Youth Action Plan Survey.

Annual Performance Report Submitted
We are pleased to share that we have submitted the Annual Performance Report (APR) to the U.S. Department of Education. The APR highlights the successes and lessons learned from of the first two years of our region's $40 million grant.  

Through the Road Map Region Race to the Top District Grant, we have demonstrated that when a community comes together with significant resources, it can accomplish a great deal in a short period of time. Through the power of collaborative work, the Road Map Consortium has built strong, sustainable systems to personalize learning for all students. With more than $8 million awarded to districts already, projects are underway, educators are supported, and we are starting to collect data and learn from early successes and challenges. We expect to move into deeper implementation in the coming years, and are focused particularly on students in high-need schools, who are low-income, of color, English Language Learners (ELL), or who have disabilities.

The full APR, including the Executive Summary, may be accessed on our website.

RFQ Issued for Deep Dive 3
Puget Sound ESD has issued a Request For Qualifications seeking individuals or organizations to provide technical assistance to Road Map school districts and community-based organizations applying for the Deep Dive 3 Investment Fund for Community-School Partnerships.  Technical assistance will focus on building authentic partnerships to support student success, in-school and out-of-school. The RFQ is open until October 21.

Highline Wins Huge GEAR UP Grant to Help Students Get on the Pathway for Success in College
The US Department of Education recently announced the award of 41 grants totalling $82 million under the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) program.

Applicants were encouraged to address how they plan to increase postsecondary success, implement college- and career-ready standards, and work in conjunction with Promise Zones - places where the federal government has partnered with local communities and businesses to create jobs, increase economic security, improve educational opportunities, and reduce violent crime.

Highline Public Schools, the only K-12 entity to receive GEAR UP funding this year in Washington State, will receive $1.1 million. Congratulations, Highline!

EdSurge Summit Taking Place on October 25
The Seattle EdSurge Tech for Schools Summit will be taking place on October 25. This is a great opportunity to learn and share with other educators on implementation of digital STEM tools (RTT Project 4).

In partnership with Seattle Public Schools, Kent School District and Highline Public Schools, EdSurge is hosting an All Educator Day at the Bell Harbor Conference Center. This event, free for K-12 teachers, is to try out some of the most innovative technology being built for schools. The aim is to provide genuine opportunities to meet entrepreneurs, exchange points of view and provide feedback. 
 
For more information, and to register, please see the EdSurge flier.

King County Youth Action Plan Survey
Earlier this year the Metropolitan King County Council approved legislation calling for the development of a Youth Action Plan. The Plan will set King County's priorities for serving infants through young adults, and will inform the County's annual investment in services and programs serving this population.

The voices of children and youth, and adults who care about them, are vital to creating the King County Youth Action Plan. One of the ways in which community input will be gathered is through an online and paper survey, which will be open until October 31. The goal is to gather over 1,000 responses from young people 12- to 24-years-old across the county. The survey aims to understand ways young people want to be engaged in local government, and to identify the most pressing issues they face.

To get involved, please participate in the survey.


Please visit the Race to the Top Website!
Please remember to share the Road Map Region Race to the Top website with friends and colleagues! We regularly update content and add new resources. To access the website click here!

Stay Tuned!
Thank you for taking the time to read the Road Map Region Race to the Top grant e-newsletter! The next e-newsletter will be released in late-October. Click "Join Our Mailing List" on the left to receive future e-newsletters!


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