College Spark Washington Announces $1.4 Million in Community Grants to Help Low-Income Students Become College-Ready and Successfully Transition to College
SEATTLE, April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- College Spark announced $1.4 million in Community Grants with projects ranging from helping Rogers High School of Spokane transition to using Advanced Placement English Language Arts as the default placement for all 11th grade students to helping Whatcom Community College fully scale English 101-Plus, a co-requisite course that provides support for students still needing developmental coursework to build skills and self-efficacy while also allowing them to earn college credit.
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The annual, competitive statewide Community Grants Program focuses on building the effectiveness of grantees working with low-income students in middle school, high school and college by funding new and promising practices that help students become college-ready and transition successfully to college.
"Gaps in college readiness, college access, and college success between low-income students and their more affluent peers persist," said Christine McCabe, Executive Director at College Spark. "As funders, we are able to take risks and bet on good ideas to advance social and economic change. These programs will be testing innovative solutions that have the potential to improve postsecondary persistence and completion rates for low-income students."
This year's ten grantees will measure results using at least one of the following indicators of future college success:
- Early Warning Indicators: Decreasing the number of middle school students who trigger two of three early warning indicators: five or more absences per semester, course failure, or suspension or expulsion.
- Remedial Education: Decreasing the number of students who require remedial education in college.
- College Math and English: Increasing the number of students who earn their first college-level credit in English or Math.
Since 2005, College Spark's Community Grants Program has awarded more than 100 Community Grants totaling more than $15 million.
Please see below for a full list of grantees or visit the 2016 Community Grants webpage for a detailed project description.
- Community Colleges of Spokane (Spokane) -- $149,991
- Lake Washington Institute of Technology (Kirkland) -- $150,000
- NEWESD 101 (Spokane) -- $149,998
- Renton Technical College (Renton) -- $49,999
- Republic School District (North Central, South Central, Eastern) -- $150,000
- Seattle Public Schools (Seattle) -- $150,000
- Skagit Valley College (Mount Vernon) -- $149,712
- Spokane Public Schools (Spokane) -- $150,000
- Whatcom Community College (Bellingham) -- $150,000
- Whatcom Community College (Bellingham) -- $150,000
College Spark Washington funds programs across Washington state that help low-income students become college-ready and earn their degrees. Grantees include community-based organizations, K-12 schools and districts, community and technical colleges, four-year colleges and universities, educational nonprofits, and public agencies. College Spark began supporting access to higher education in 1978 and, since 2005, has awarded more than $45 million to college readiness and degree completion programs throughout the state.
Contact: Thai Craig
206-282-4528
Email
SOURCE College Spark Washington
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