|
Upcoming Events & Key Dates
|
| |
|
|
12/10 Executive Committee Meeting
|
|
|
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 ,
The Road Map region's focus on equity was recently highlighted in a Department of Education blog. In addition, Highline Public Schools has been recognized as a District of Distinction for its Pre-K Play and Learn program -- congratulations! Finally, we are excited to have recently participated in a Personalized Learning Summit.
|
Wins for Road Map
Race to the Top!
|
|
Road Map Region's Focus on Equity and Rigor Spotlighted
|
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.
|
|
Highline Recognized for Pre-K Program
|
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. |
|
Road Map Team Represents at National Race to the Top Summit
|
|
Last month, our Race to the Top project staff participated in a
Personalized Learning Summit of all 22 Race to the Top District grantees across the country. The theme of the Summit was Making it Personal: Building Capacity to Sustain What Works. Stay Strong Lead Hilary Loeb shared the region's wins in postsecondary readiness, including large increases in numbers of students taking rigorous courses. Project Director Jessica de Barros had the honor of presenting on Puget Sound ESD's Racial Equity Tool, sharing our learning so far on how to engage community partners. We also visited a Washington, DC school that served students beginning at age 3 in preschool through 3rd grade; heard from the Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools on equitable learning; and interacted with the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Civil Rights, Catherine E. Lhamon, on how district and school data are used to examine gaps for students of color. Finally, we represented the Road Map region by wearing our DiscoverU! gear!  Project Staff: Jay Feldman, Mary Waldron, Matt Harris, Rafael Gallardo, Peter Daniels, Hilary Loeb, Jessica de Barros
|
|
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 is planned for December. Click "Join Our Mailing List" on the left to receive future e-newsletters!
Questions or Ideas for future e-newsletter topics?
|
|
|
