Supporting local partnerships
Supporting local partnerships
Horizons Regional Grants
Our Horizons Regional Grant Program is supporting four regional partnerships that are ready to expand programs to help more students transition from K-12 into postsecondary education. Each Horizons region features a “backbone” organization—which could be a school district, educational service district (ESD), or nonprofit—that coordinates the partnership. Other partners include K-12 school districts, higher education institutions, and workforce, government, and community-based organizations (CBOs).
In addition to grant funding, each Horizons partnership will receive technical assistance to learn more about high-quality advising strategies and other programs proven to help students take the next step after graduation. Technical assistance providers will also help regions measure the impact of their partnership and build their capacity to access, analyze, and apply data so they can refine programs to meet student needs.
While Horizons partnerships are working to support all high school students in their region, they have a particular focus on solutions that benefit students who face the most significant barriers to opportunity, including students from rural and low-income backgrounds, and Black, Latino, and Indigenous students.
ESD 112 Postsecondary Readiness Partnership
Partners:
- School districts: Ocean Beach, Naselle-Grays River Valley, Wahkiakum, Castle Rock, Toutle Lake, Kalama, Hockinson, Trout Lake, Glenwood, Stevenson-Carson, White Salmon Valley, Klickitat, Lyle, Wishram
- Colleges: WSU Vancouver, Lower Columbia College, Clark College
- Other partners: Two workforce partners, three economic development councils and chambers of commerce, multiple CBOs
For over 50 years, Educational Service District 112 has enhanced educational equity and opportunities in Southwest Washington and beyond, supporting teaching and learning, and offering business and administrative expertise to both large and small school districts. Working with education and community partners, ESD 112 serves over 99,000 K-12 students across 30 public districts, 34 private schools, and two state schools. ESD 112 also directly impacts approximately 17,000 children annually throughout their region and state, providing essential resources and opportunities for every child to succeed.
Elevate / United Way of the Blue Mountains
Partners:
- School districts: College Place, Dayton, Prescott, Walla Walla
- Colleges: Walla Walla Community College, Whitman College
- Other partners: ESD 123, Walla Walla Valley Chamber of Commerce, Communities in Schools of the Blue Mountain Region, Port of Columbia
Elevate serves Columbia and Walla Walla counties, encompassing multiple school districts. Their shared mission is to overcome barriers hindering student success, recognizing the community's role in achieving educational goals. Their primary aim is to improve educational alignment from cradle to career development.
Elevate has three key strategies:
- To foster a culture supporting educational investment, highlighting its importance for personal and community growth.
- To promote diversity, equity, and inclusivity practices for all community members.
- To collaborate with stakeholders to maximize resources and create sustainable change.
Under the Horizons grant, Elevate’s goals are to enhance supports for students and parents, improve postsecondary pathways, and establish a network of internships, apprenticeships, and workforce mentors to empower students with real-world experience and essential skills for future endeavors.
Puget Sound ESD
Partners:
- School districts: Highline, Federal Way, Tukwila
- College: Highline College
- CBOs: Becoming a Man, College Possible, Communities In Schools
As one of nine regional educational agencies serving school districts and state-approved private schools in Washington, Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD) develops and delivers an array of services providing instructional and administrative support to PreK-12 schools, as well as direct service to students and families in the Puget Sound region.
Through Horizons, PSESD will partner with the Highline, Federal Way, and Tukwila School districts, Highline College, and CBOs including Becoming a Man, College Possible, and Communities In Schools. It is committed to creating a space where all — students, educational leaders, staff, and boards — can thrive and succeed. Working with its partners, PSESD will dedicate itself to expanding programs, grounded in culturally responsive advising and implementation practices, that are proven to reduce historical educational inequities and to help students transition from high school into postsecondary education — whether as an apprenticeship, career certificate, or as a two- or four-year degree program.
West Sound STEM Network / PREP (Postsecondary Regional Equity on the Peninsula)
Partners:
- School districts: Cape Flattery, Quileute Tribal, Suquamish Tribal Education Department, Crescent, Sequim, Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Quilcene, Brinnon, Quillayute Valley, North Kitsap, Bainbridge Island, South Kitsap, Central Kitsap, North Mason
- Colleges: Peninsula College, Western Washington University
- Other partners: Three economic development agencies, multiple workforce partners, and multiple CBOs
PREP’s lead partners are West Sound STEM Network, College Success Foundation, and Peninsula College. Together they will collaborate with other partners including 15 school districts/Tribal schools, Western Washington University, and nine workforce, government, and community-based organizations in Clallam, Jefferson, Mason, and Kitsap counties.
Their mission is to expand programs that are proven to help students transition from high school into postsecondary education — whether that’s an apprenticeship, career certificate, or two- or four-year degree program. Special focus will be given to Black, Latino/a, Indigenous students and students impacted by poverty.
PREP’s goals include:
- Expanding postsecondary advising and mentoring specifically for focus populations in rural and Tribal secondary schools.
- Increasing financial aid application completion rates through coordinated outreach efforts and supports in schools across K-12 partners.
- Increasing high school to college transition support services; and
- Providing high-demand industry education opportunities.
Technical Assistance Providers
Technical Assistance Providers:
- Washington STEM: In addition to serving as the Horizons partnership manager, Washington STEM will provide technical assistance around data and partnership capacity-building to support each region’s efforts
- College Access: Research & Action (CARA): High-quality advising solutions
- Scholar Fund: Continuous improvement and student voice best practices
- Sankofa Consulting: Measurement, learning, and evaluation
Learn More
- Our Work in Washington State: Supporting Local Partnerships
- Meet the four regional partnerships helping students explore postsecondary pathways in Washington state
- New findings on college and career advising provide insights for Washington
- What new research tells us about students' views on college
Limitless Learning Network
The Gates Foundation provides funding to launch and manage the Limitless Learning Network, which brings 26 local partnerships together to collaborate and explore new ways to support students in Washington state. Between the 2023-2027 school years, Limitless partnerships will convene in person and virtually to share information, explore new ideas, and develop best practices to help more young people design the future they want.
The Limitless Learning Network is for practitioners who lead the implementation of local programs that support students’ transitions from high school to postsecondary education. That includes college and career readiness directors, higher education enrollment staff, and nonprofit organizations providing advising and other college and career guidance supports. These practitioners are exploring ways they can strengthen their partnerships, use data to understand student needs and improve student programs, and design and implement effective strategies to increase postsecondary enrollment rates for local students.
In 2023, due to their deep work in education, local knowledge of Washington state and postsecondary access, and experience launching similar communities, the Gates Foundation asked Education First to help launch and incubate the Limitless Learning Network in its first year. Education First successfully selected and engaged 26 diverse partnerships across the state that have built meaningful connections in their first year of collaboration.
As we had always intended, in early 2024, the Gates Foundation set out to find a permanent local partner to serve as the Learning Network manager to build on Education First’s successful launch. At the end of 2024, Education Northwest will serve as the permanent Limitless Learning Network manager. Education Northwest has extensive experience in postsecondary access, along with a history of success managing learning communities and leading work in Washington state.
By the numbers
Meet the Limitless partnerships
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Counties |
12 School District(s) |
Higher Education Partner(s) |
Additional Partner(s) |
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Chelan |
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Clark; Klickitat; Skamania |
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Cowlitz |
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Grant |
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Grays Harbor |
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Island |
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King |
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King |
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King |
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King |
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Kitsap |
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Mason |
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Skagit |
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Snohomish |
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Snohomish |
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Spokane |
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Spokane |
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Stevens |
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Walla Walla |
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Whatcom |
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Whatcom |
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Whatcom |
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Yakima |
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Yakima |
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Yakima; Franklin |
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Kitsap, Clallam, Mason, Jefferson, and Grays Harbor |
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Elevating student voices is part of our Washington State Strategy
Three reasons the Gates Foundation is launching Horizons in Washington state
Creating Limitless Opportunities for Washington State’s Students
Washington State Education Other Areas
More about what we do
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