Washington State Achievers (WSA)

1
The Bill Melinda Gates Foundation An Overview
of What We Know Now in Washington State
May 11, 2006
2
THE PROBLEM

• Only 32 of American high school students will
  graduate
• with skills they need to succeed in college or
  work.

• Only 1/4th of high school graduates are prepared
  for college-level classes in English, math,
  reading and science (ACT)
• Only ½ half the graduates are prepared for
  college-level reading and 40 percent for math.

3
OUR GOAL
All Students College Ready Improve graduation
and college readiness, especially for low income
and minority students

• Short-term outcome indicators
• Climate-3 Rs
• Attendance
• Progression rates
• Achievement gains

4
GRANTS OVERVIEW

• Over 1 Billion in Education to date
• Major investments in Chicago, New York City,
  California, Ohio, Texas, and Washington state
• 1,700 new and re-designed schools in more than 40
  states
• Networks e.g. New Schools Venture Fund, New
  Visions, KnowledgeWorks, NCLR, Early College High
  Schools, others
• Gates Millennium Scholarships

5
3 LEVEL FOUNDATION STRATEGY

• States
• College ready policies
• Support capacity

Public will improved public policy,
80 College Ready Graduation Rate

• Districts
• Alignment and options
• Effective services

Improvement momentum
Knowledge, evidence tools

• Schools
• New school networks
• Improvement models

6
STRUCTURE AND INSTRUCTION

• Effective Schools
• Common Focus
• High Expectations
• Personalization
• Respect and Responsibility
• Time to Collaborate
• Performance Based
• Technology as a Tool

• Powerful Teaching and Learning
• Rigor
• Conceptual Understanding
• Problem Solving or Reasoning
• Effective Communication
• Relevance
• Real-world Connections
• Student Involvement in Crafting Assignments

7
WEB SOURCES OF REPORTS

• www.norc.org/gatesscholars
• www.gatesfoundation.org/Education/ResearchAnd
  Evaluation/
• http//www.waedfoundation.org/

8
EVALUATION

• Launched in Spring 2001
• AIR and SRI
• Mandate Tell the story
• Three interlocking studies
• Implementation
• Student outcomes
• System outcomes

9
DATA SOURCES SAMPLE SIZES (2002-05)
School Type Number in Survey Sample Number in Site Visit Sample
Model Schools 5 5
New Schools 29 26
Schools Not Yet Redesigned 16 11
Redesigned Schools 26 16
Comparison Schools 3 0
10
WASHINGTON STATE ACHIEVERS (WSA)
Middle School Early College Awareness
High School Improvement Prepares All Students
for College
College Access Scholarships
All Students College Ready
35 Middle Schools
16 High Schools Mentoring
500 Scholarship per year Summer bridge
College mentor
11
SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR ACHIEVERS CANDIDATES AND
SCHOLARS

• College Awareness Curriculum
• Achievers College Experience (ACE)
• Higher Education Readiness Opportunity (HERO)
• Community College Retention Activities
• College-Readiness Campaign
• Achievers Scholars Alumni Association
• Additional Partnerships WA State Legislation,
  HEC Board, GEAR-UP and UW Summer Honors Academy

12
IMPROVING WASL READING SCORES 16 ACHIEVERS HIGH
SCHOOLS
12.6
16.8
13
IMPROVING WASL MATH Scores 16 ACHIEVERS HIGH
SCHOOLS
12.4
14.0
14
IMPROVING RIGOR 16 ACHIEVERS HIGH SCHOOLS
15
COLLEGE DIRECT GRADUATES IN ALL ACHIEVERS HIGH
SCHOOLS
16
COLLEGE DIRECT GRADUATES IN ACHIEVERS HIGH
SCHOOLS
17
HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE PREPARATION AND ATTENDANCE
OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS IN WSA AND NON-WSA SCHOOLS
2000-2004

• Initial difference between WSA and Non-WSA
  schools in 2000
• Rates at achiever schools increasing
• Rates at non-achiever schools stagnant or
  decreasing

18
KEY FINDING IMPROVED COLLEGE ENROLLMENT
ACHIEVERS HIGH SCHOOLS AND SCHOLARS
19
PROGRESS TO DATE

• Increases in percentage of students passing WASL
  math and reading exams
• Increase in number of students graduating with
  course requirements for admission to Washington
  four year colleges
• Increases in number of students taking the
  SAT/ACT
• Increases in students enrolling in four year
  colleges

20
2006 WASHINGTON INTEGRATED WORKPLAN

• Advance the states college/work-ready practices
  and policies
• Support district and school improvement focused
  on the college-and work-ready agenda
• Expand the Transition Math Project (TMP)
• Utilize research, communications and community
  outreach efforts
• Strengthen the states support system for
  low-performing schools and districts
• Support OSPIs district and high school
  improvement model
• Build capacity in Educational Service Districts
• Strengthen alternative high school models
• Inform the school finance conversation
• Help inform Washington Learns
• Look for additional advocates on school finance
  issues