A recent U.S. Department of Education blog featured the Road Map Region's focus on equity and rigor, and the important support received from Race to the Top. For example, the grant has helped support and fully implement Renton's I.B. program, and been used to make PSAT/SAT tests free and available to all students during the school day. This has resulted in many more students taking college-going tests, particularly students of color.

In addition, districts are also looking at equity among their youngest learners. Recognizing that opportunity gaps can start even before children enter school, all seven districts have used Race to the Top funding to offer educational and school-readiness programming for children and their families before they begin kindergarten.

The districts have also leveraged the federal Race to the Top award to secure additional funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to analyze and improve how they are addressing racial equity as they work to meet the goals of the RTT-D grant. This additional funding has been used to inventory equity policies, practices and services, and provide teachers and principals with professional development focused on racial equity and cultural responsiveness.

Congratulations to Highline Public Schools, which has been recognized as a District of Distinction for their Pre-K Play and Learn program! Like many Road Map school districts, nearly 70 percent of incoming kindergarteners have no formal early learning experiences. To address this, Highline utilizes Race to the Top funds to engage 4- and 5-year-olds, and their caregivers, in purposeful play activities that can be replicated at home.

From February through June children and caregivers can access Pre-K Play and Learn groups at nine different district sites, and work with facilitators, including preschool teachers from community-based providers, to develop children's kindergarten-readiness skills. These sessions are hosted by community organizations, and many are bilingual. To learn more about Highline's Pre-K Play and Learn, or to connect with a site, contact Tina Wooten at Tina.Wooten@highlineschools.org. Districts of Distinction is a national recognition program honoring school districts engaging in innovative work that is resulting in quantifiable benefits, and could be easily replicated by other districts.

Thank you for taking the time to read the Road Map Region Race to the Top grant e-newsletter! The next e-newsletter is planned for December. Click "Join Our Mailing List" on the left to receive future e-newsletters!