AMAZON EXPANDS SUPPORT TO ADDRESS IMMEDIATE NEEDS - INCLUDING SHELTER, FOOD AND BASIC NECESSITIES - FOR STUDENTS IN NEED ACCROSS 133 SCHOOLS IN PUGET SOUND REGION AMID COVID-19

Amazon Press Center, October 1, 2020

Amazon, Bellevue LifeSpring and The Alliance for Education today announced Amazon is making a more than $2.5 million donation to support the immediate needs of thousands of students from underserved communities within the Puget Sound region amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With this donation, Amazon is expanding its innovative Right Now Needs Fund, designed to meet the basic needs of schoolchildren and their families and eliminate barriers to learning, such as challenges with food, shelter, clothing, school supplies, and more. Amazon will donate more than $1.4 million to Bellevue LifeSpring to launch a new Right Now Needs Fund in Bellevue to support students in need at all 29 Bellevue School District schools through 2022. The Right Now Needs Fund in Bellevue can be distributed to students immediately.

(Additional information can also be found on Geekwire)

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ALLIANCE FOR EDUCATION HELPS SECURE $1.86 MILLION TO SUPPORT SPS BLACK MALE ACHIEVEMENT

The Seattle Medium, July 15, 2020

The Alliance for Education is proud to have secured $1.8 million dollars to support Seattle Public Schools’ Department of African American Male Achievement. The Department of AAMA is a sustained and collaborative campaign that reimagines how we educate and support Seattle’s Black youth. Through the Department, educators, thought leaders, and students are directly addressing anti-Black institutional and structural racism by creating educational systems, structures, and spaces that advance success for all African American male students at SPS.

AMAZON ADDS $250K TO FUND IT CREATED FOR SEATTLE STUDENTS, INCREASING ACCESS TO SUMMER PROGRAMS

Geekwire, June 3, 2019

Several months after announcing a $2 million grant to aid Seattle school students with the creation of the “Right Now Needs Fund,” Amazon is pitching in an additional $250,000 to make sure underserved kids get assistance during the summer months. Amazon’s donation to the Alliance for Education will support increased safe summer programming for youth through Seattle Parks and Recreation. 

SEATTLE'S RAINIER BEACH HIGH EARNS NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT IN HBO SHOW 'WYATT CENAC'S PROBLEM AREAS'

Seattle Times, May 7, 2019

The show captured what The Seattle Times’ Education Lab discovered in its own reporting back in 2016: Despite the odds and naysayers, the Rainier Beach community rallied together to save its school. Parents secured millions of dollars in grants and funding for a new International Baccalaureate (IB) program, one that Cenac noted typically enjoys support at wealthier schools.

AT HER FIRST MAJOR SPEECH, NEW SEATTLE SCHOOLS CHIEF JUNEAU RESTATES AN AGE-OLD PRIORITY: RACIAL EQUITY

Seattle Times, April 17, 2019

At her first major public address on the state of Seattle’s public schools, Superintendent Denise Juneau delivered the same message as her predecessors: the district is doing well, but should be doing better — especially for students of color. At Seattle Central College’s Broadway Performance Hall on Tuesday evening, Juneau shared the stories of employees and schools that exemplified the goals she set out to accomplish in her five-year vision. Chief among them: Providing an education that “accelerates growth for students of color who are furthest from educational justice, with an intentional focus on African American males”.

IN SEATTLE, SCHOOL SEGREGATION IS ACTUALLY GETTING WORSE

Crosscut, March 28, 2019

It's been 40 years since Seattle schools first tried — and failed — to integrate. Today, data suggest segregation persists across the district.

WASHINGTON'S TEACHER DIVERSITY NUMBERS FOR 2019 ARE IN - AND THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED MUCH

Seattle Times, March 21, 2019

An array of research shows that students of color benefit academically and socially from having teachers who share their racial backgrounds.

SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS LEVIES PASSING BY WIDE MARGINS

Seattle Times, February 12, 2019

Levies to pay for Seattle Public Schools’ daily operations and construction projects were easily passing in Tuesday night’s vote count. The three-year Educational Programs and Operations levy (Proposition 1) and six-year Building Excellence Capital levy (Proposition 2) could cost property owners up to $2.2 billion. The operations levy was ahead, with 66 percent. The capital levy was winning with 68 percent.

SEATTLE SCHOOLS TAP AMAZON GRANT TO GIVE GROCERY CARDS TO FAMILIES IN NEED

KNKX, February 12, 2019

The nonprofit group Alliance for Education has been administering a $2 million grant from Amazon, announced last fall, to help cover basic needs of school kids. So far, 21 schools have tapped the Right Now Needs Fund, with $36,000 disbursed since it began giving out money in December, said Lisa Chick, president of the Alliance.

AFTER MONTHS OF LISTENING, SEATTLE SCHOOLS HAVE A DRAFT PLAN FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS

Seattle Times, January 16, 2019

TEACHER DIVERSITY IN WASHINGTON STATE

Seattle Times, December 14, 2018

Over the last five years, Washington’s schools have seen an 18 percent increase in the number of students of color — and a 2 percent decrease of white students. The growth of teachers of color, an increase of 32 percent, also outpaced the increase of new white teachers, which was about 10 percent. Still, three out of every four teachers the state has gained over the past five years were white.

STEADY RISE IN GRADUATION RATES AT SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

King 5 News, November 20, 2018

Graduation rates continue to rise at Seattle Public Schools, the largest district in Washington State. Current data shows a graduation rate of 82 percent for students in Seattle Public Schools (SPS). That's a three percent increase over the previous year's data, and 11 percent increase since 2013. SPS says graduation rates among students of color show even greater improvement, with a 15 percent increase in the past five years.

ASA MERCER PRINCIPAL CHRIS CARTER RECIEVES THOMAS B. FOSTER AWARD

The Seattle Medium, November 9, 2018

The Alliance for Education and Seattle Public Schools recently announced that Principal Chris Carter of Asa Mercer International Middle School has received the Thomas B. Foster Award for Excellence, a prestigious annual award for Seattle Public Schools principals who have demonstrated significant achievements in closing opportunity gaps in their schools.

RAINIER VIEW PRINCIPAL ANITRA PINCHBACK-JONES RECEIVES THOMAS B. FOSTER AWARD

The Seattle Medium, November 7, 2018

On Tuesday, The Alliance for Education and Seattle Public Schools announced that Principal Anitra Pinchback-Jones of Rainier View Elementary has received the Thomas B. Foster Award for Excellence, a prestigious annual award for Seattle Public Schools principals who have demonstrated significant achievements in closing opportunity gaps in their schools. 

SEATTLE'S $600 MILLION-PLUS EDUCATION LEVY APPROVED BY WIDE MARGIN

Seattle Times, November 6, 2018

Seattle’s $600 million-plus education levy, Proposition No. 1, was approved by a wide margin Tuesday, with 68.5 percent of voters agreeing to the largest-ever education tax proposed by the city.

CONGRATULATIONS! BIG AWARD FOR ALKI ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL RENA DEESE

West Seattle Blog, October 29, 2018

The Alliance for Education presents the Thomas B. Foster Award for Excellence to an outstanding Seattle Public Schools principal each year - along with a grant to their school; the organization made the surprise presentation during an assembly starting the school day. 

AMAZON DONATES $2 MILLION TO ALLIANCE FOR EDUCATION TO CREATE "RIGHT NOW NEEDS FUND" TO HELP STUDENTS IN SEATTLE

Amazon News, October 15, 2018

The "Right Now Needs Fund" is intended to help meet the urgent and basic needs of students attending Seattle Public Schools.

AMAZON GIVES $2 MILLION TO ALLIANCE FOR EDUCATION TO HELP SEATTLE STUDENTS

Puget Sound Business Journal,  October 15, 2018

Hundres of guests at the annual Alliance for Education gala at Seattle's Fairmont Olympic Hotel leapt to their feet and cheered as Amazon General Counsel David Zapolsky announced that Amazon was giving the non profit $ 2million for Seattle Public Students. 

AMAZON DONATES $2M CREATE FUND TO HELP IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF SEATTLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

GeekWire, October 15, 2018

Amazon is announcing a $2 million grant to help Seattle school students. But the focus isn't the shiny education technology. Instead, it's that missing raincoat, a weekend backpack full of food, or unaffordable school supplies. 

SEATTLE'S SCHOOL TEST SCORES IMPROVING - EXCEPT FOR STUDENTS LEARNING ENGLISH

Seattle Times, September 18, 2018

Test scores for English learners, who make up 12.5 percent of Seattle Public Schools students, are worse than they were four years ago. 

AS NEED SOARS, SCHOOLS RALLY BEHIND FAMILIES IN VANCOUVER, WASH. - AND OTHER CITIES TAKE NOTICE

Seattle Times, July 13, 2018

As student poverty rates soared in “America’s Vancouver,” school officials converted more than half of the district’s campuses into one-stop shops for low-income and homeless families.

FORMER MONTANA STATE SUPERINTENDENT DENISE JUNEAU TO LEAD SEATTLE SCHOOLS

Education Week, April 5, 2018

Denise Juneau, Montana's former state schools superintendent will be the next superintendent of Seattle Public Schools. The Seattle school board voted unanimously on Wednesday to hire Juneau, who served as Montana's state superintendent for two terms, from 2008 to 2016.

RACIAL EQUITY IN SEATTLE SCHOOLS HAS A LONG, FRUSTRATING HISTORY - AND ITS GETTING WORSE

Seattle Times, January 12, 2018

For at least seven decades, Seattle Public Schools has pledged to eliminate the gaps in achievement between students of color and their white peers. But even as district leaders swear their latest efforts are more than just another round of rhetoric, the gaps continue to grow.

INNOVATIVE TRAINING PROGRAM PLACES MORE TEACHERS OF COLOR IN SEATTLE'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Seattle Times, April 5, 2017

With 74 graduates teaching in 31 schools, the Seattle Teacher Residency is helping improve teacher retention and diversity rates in Seattle Public Schools.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW: KEY DATES IN THE STATE'S NEW MCCLEARY SCHOOL-FUNDING PLAN 

Seattle Times, July 14, 2017

The Washington Legislature barely met a June 30 deadline to approve a 2017-19 state budget that includes a plan to increase funding for public schools. Here’s how and when the major changes will kick in over the next several years.

Washington vs. Massachusetts: How college affordability compares

Seattle Times, May 3, 2016

Last month, Education Lab took a look at why Massachusetts’ K-12 education system leads the nation in performance, and why a state that seems so similar to Washington seems to be achieving so much more...

The Seattle School District Is Reviewing Its Language Immersion Programs

KPLU, May 3, 2016

Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish: These are the languages hundreds of students are learning in the Seattle School District...

Education summit highlights disparities in student achievement

Seattle Times, April 30, 2016

In Seattle Public Schools, students of color met third-grade reading standards at a rate 30 percent lower than their white classmates. They graduate at a rate 24  percent lower than white students. And a third of Seattle students of color attend a high-poverty school, while a third of white Seattle students attend a private school...

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