Hello partners,
At the start of the summer, my son stood in the same spot that I did 35 years ago—in the driveway of a house that has been in our family for decades—for a high school graduation photo. It was emotional comparing the two photos!
I am so proud of him and the thousands of other students in our state who, as the Seattle Times noted, had a high school experience like no other. Our young people have navigated so much uncertainty, but they are bravely stepping into the world.
And just like that, I blinked and summer is ending—and this momma is not ready! However, I know that he is, and we are excited for him to enter a new era as a scholar at Seattle Central College. I’m excited about what lies ahead for him and so many others AND we have a job to do to ensure our students have the supports they need to pursue postsecondary pathways and complete their credentials.
Thank you to all our partners working to ensure their transitions are smooth, welcoming, and empowering!
Angela Jones
Director, Washington State & US Charters
A success story of dual credit expansion
The six presidents from Washington’s public four-year universities and business leaders from the Washington Roundtable recently stopped by the Gates Foundation to discuss a success story in dual credit expansion, specifically College in the High School (CiHS).
- In 2023, the Washington state legislature made CiHS programs free for all students. The change is already paying off.
- In the 2023/24 school year, CiHS enrollment increased by 10,000—jumping from 18,678 to 28,472, according to data from ERDC.
- CiHS courses are taught at high schools by high school teachers, using college curriculum and textbooks, and are overseen by college faculty and staff.
Why it matters: CiHS classes help students explore college-level courses without having to leave school. Research from ERDC confirms that these courses put them on a strong path to postsecondary opportunities.
- In fact, 74% of students who took a CiHS course enrolled in a postsecondary program after high school—much higher than the state average of 51%.
- Making these courses free will only expose more students to new pathways.
Going further: The Council of Presidents heard that students weren’t sure which CiHS courses would be accepted at Washington’s colleges, so they created a CiHS Equivalencies Tool.
- This new tool allows high school students, school counselors, principals, and families to see which CiHS courses will transfer to all six institutions.
- The tool’s data shows that over 85% of CiHS courses have direct equivalencies, fulfill general education requirements when transferred, or meet elective requirements for degree completion at a public four-year institution.
- This greatly decreases the chances students will have to spend money taking classes covering material they have already learned.
Explore this new tool: College in the High School Equivalencies Tool
Washington high schoolers want to pursue postsecondary pathways
High schools in Washington STEM’s High School to Postsecondary (H2P) Collaborative recently finished digging into the results from their student and staff surveys.
- The survey primarily looks at student aspirations and educator knowledge and beliefs about the cost of college.
What they found: In this latest survey, 86% of students report wanting to pursue some kind of education after high school.
- At the same time, educators believed only 72% of students have this aspiration
- The gap is closing, however. Educators in previous surveys thought only 60% of students had this goal.
Why it matters: These surveys are sparking important conversations about what students want and how schools can better set them up for success after graduation.
- "It created motivation to change things,” said Ryan Beard, director of Career Technical Education at Richland School District.
- “We had to ask, ‘Are we doing the best for our kids, if we aren’t even believing that they have these aspirations?’”
Read more: H2P Collaborative: Reimaging postsecondary pathways
Bill Gates chats with our Washington State Teacher of the Year
To celebrate Back to School, Blaire Penry, the 2024 Washington State Teacher of the Year, sat down with Bill Gates to talk about her experience teaching career and technical education and fine arts at the Auburn School District, where 76 percent of students are people of color.
- Blaire told Bill about the joy she found creating new materials and lesson plans to support her students when Auburn schools switched to remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Why it matters: While many students struggled with the shift to online instruction, Blaire found that several of her kids not only adapted but thrived. That inspired her and the district to launch Auburn Online School—believing families deserve it as an option.
- It’s been rewarding. She even found that online drama classes were more inviting for some students because “it gives students the space to explore and try things out in ways they might not with all eyes on them in a classroom.”
Hear more from Blaire: Can online classes change the game for some students?
Supporting young people who want to be civically engaged
A group of about 30 students spent their summer learning about how they can use their voice to inform decision-makers thanks to our grantee, the Dolores Huerta Institute at Mi Centro, who hosted the civic engagement training alongside the Washington Student Association.
- The training featured interactive sessions, committee simulations, and even a tour of the state capitol.
- Students not only gained invaluable insights into civics but also received professional headshots for their resumes and LinkedIn profiles, and built a strong network of peers.
The Dolores Huerta Institute works to equip students with essential skills and knowledge for active engagement in Washington state government and advocacy.
- We can’t wait to see what these student leaders do in their upcoming school year!
Explore America’s views on higher education
How have American perceptions of higher education shifted in the last eight years? That’s what New America sought to answer in their latest Varying Degrees report.
- Varying Degrees is one of the only nationally representative longitudinal surveys about higher education value and economic mobility.
What they found: New America found that cost continues to be the biggest barrier to enrollment in college for most Americans.
- American adults want greater transparency on key indicators of education quality
- And while perceptions of the value of higher education have dipped, more than 70% of Americans still want their family members to earn a postsecondary credential.
Explore more: Varying Degrees 2024: New America’s Eighth Annual Survey on Higher Education
What we’re reading
College in the High School helps CWU peer into the future, Crimson & Black Magazine
Across WA, universities see drop in enrollment, Spokesman Review
Pierce College student turns class project into successful non-profit, Pierce College
Five Washington Charter Public Schools Chosen To Participate In Graduation Success Initiative, Seattle Medium