November 2024: Reflecting on the power of collaboration
My team just returned from a trip to Ilani, located on the Cowlitz Reservation in Ridgefield, for the third in-person Limitless Learning Network convening. It warmed my heart to see so much deep, intentional, and supportive collaboration happening across the state—with hundreds of people coming together to explore how we can better support young people in their college and career journeys.
Here are a few things I heard from Limitless partnerships, which span across the state:
- The power of creating space to learn: Educators are always on the go and don’t always have time to reflect with others. Partnerships have loved having the time and space to take a step back and learn with other practitioners.
- Students bring so much expert guidance: Partnerships are discovering in very unique ways how much better their programs can be when they ask students to co-design them.
- Rural communities are connecting: We know that rural students often have unique needs and barriers. It’s been rewarding to see collaboration happen between rural partnerships. Best practices in one region are getting adapted to the local context in another—without having to start from the beginning.
It’s amazing to see how much progress these partnerships have made in just one year. I invite you to scroll down in this newsletter to read more reflections from Education First, our grantee that launched the Limitless Learning Network.
We’re excited to share more reflections from the Limitless convening in future newsletters as well. During what has been a stressful month for a lot of people, I’m ending November with a deep sense of gratitude to the people who continue to show up, roll up their sleeves, and collaborate to ensure we can make a positive difference for the students in our state.
Their future depends on us, and our state’s future depends on them.
With gratitude,
Angela
FAFSA is live!
Spread the word: the 2025/26 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is live and ready for all students to fill out.
- According to NCAN, more than 22,000 students tested out the FAFSA over the last two months, allowing the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) to respond quickly to any bugs or glitches.
- FSA is confident after their beta testing that the FAFSA is ready for everyone.
- FSA has also doubled their call center staff.
Looking for resources to support students in Washington state?
- Head to the Washington Student Achievement Council website to access a financial aid toolkit that includes information about the state’s Washington College Grant and details the financial aid application process.
- Check out the College Success Foundation’s Financial Aid Hub, which answers questions about paying for college, the FAFSA process, and the grants and scholarships available to students.
- Students who are undocumented or come from mixed-status families also have financial aid options like the WASFA.
Learn more: 2025-26 FAFSA Now Available to All
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The Limitless Learning Network is sparking local collaboration
“When high school graduation happened, I felt shuttled to the end without any indication of how to make decisions and navigate life. The transition was abrupt and disorienting.”
- That’s what 19-year-old Sibily shared in a recent blog posted by our grantee Education First, an organization that helped launch the Limitless Learning Network.
Limitless was formed to strip down the barriers between local K-12 and higher education systems so that students like Sibily had more supportive transitions.
- Limitless features 26 local partnerships across Washington state that come together to share ideas and best practices to help more young people successfully transition into an education or career program after high school graduation.
- In a new blog, Education First reflects on how four key elements sparked collaboration in the Learning Network’s first year.
Why it matters: These elements have helped regional partnerships set clear goals and build meaningful relationships with students and community members. Plus, they are finding ways to scale efforts to reach as many students as possible.
- In Whatcom and Skagit counties, for example, three different Limitless partnerships are creating a working group to strengthen their regional collaboration.
- Using the “Build focus and coordination” element, they aligned on three learning objectives to collectively explore across their partnerships.
- In doing this, the three separate partnerships are ensuring that all students in Whatcom and Skagit counties benefit from the lessons they learn together.
Read more: Stewarding coherence through cross-sector collaboration and peer-led learning
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Students and families explore college options at Yakima event
Gates Foundation grantee Communities for Our Colleges (C4C) recently brought together 132 students, parents, and community members from Yakima Valley, Tri-Cities, and Ellensburg to talk about college access and affordability.
- The event featured workshops on financial aid, scholarships, and professional licensing.
- As C4C highlighted at the event, a bill recently signed by the governor is allowing more Washington residents to receive professional licenses—opening the door to careers in teaching, healthcare, and other good-paying jobs.
Through videos, writing, and speeches, student and community members shared their stories of why they would like college to be free for all students.
- Participants also shared personal barriers to college access, such as transportation and food, and emphasized the need for more equitable schools.
- As Elias from Toppenish High School said, “I want everyone to have a fair chance.”
Why it matters: As recent surveys confirm, cost remains the biggest concern for students when it comes to college. At the same time, students feel like they don’t understand the financial aid landscape.
- Events like this one organized by C4C help students understand the financial aid and career opportunities available to them.
- These 130+ students and families can now go back and share what they learned with other community members—extending C4C’s reach well beyond those in the room.
Learn more about C4C: https://ourcolleges.org
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Check out the Discovery Center Giving Marketplace
❄️ Looking for holiday gifts that give back? Join the annual Giving Marketplace, the holiday giving event of the season hosted by the Gates Foundation Discovery Center. Find unique gifts from over 35 vendors with proceeds supporting global health, women and girls, education, refugees and so much more. Your gifts truly keep giving!
- 35+ Incredible Vendors with great causes🎁
- Live Music Performances🎵
- Card and Jewelry Making✨
- People and Pet Portraits🐶🐱
- Dec 6-7 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Free!
Learn more: Giving Marketplace – Gates Foundation Discovery Center
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ERDC updates make accessing data easier for all
The Education Research and Data Center released several new products to make their education data more accessible and transparent to schools, colleges, and community and education leaders—providing a more streamlined experience for all users.
These updates include:
- A web-based data request form (no more PDFs!) along with a public data request log that allows you to see the status of data requests in addition to who is accessing ERDC data—and for what purpose.
- An updated data handbook, which provides answers to questions like, “How does ERDC match data?” to “Why can’t I get that data yet?”
- A comprehensive P20W Data Dictionary that includes all data available through ERDC, including examples and which years are available for specific data points.
ERDC has also made it even easier for visitors to find and explore statewide data dashboards.
- These dashboards provide information on topics like our state’s postsecondary enrollment and dual credit participation rates.
- And ERDC allows visitors to sort data based on race/ethnicity, gender, and other topics like income.
- You can also explore how much graduates of specific programs earn up to 10 years after completing their postsecondary programs.
Learn more: https://erdc.wa.gov
What we’re reading
- Washington public college tuition is declining. Here’s why, The Seattle Times
- Webinar: What policymakers and colleges are doing to promote student success, Inside Higher Ed
- Spokane’s free public charter high school offers a dynamic environment where creativity flourishes, Spokane Talk
- Webinar: Education and workforce outcomes of students who have experienced foster care, homelessness, or institutional education, League of Education Voters