As I look back over the course of 2022, I feel a great deal of hope. Schools have returned to in person teaching, teachers and district staff are hard at work, and students are catching up after the challenges of the pandemic. Our impact and work in 2022 underlines what a difference we can make when we invest in innovative programs, strategies and collaboration. On the hardest days, my hope comes from knowing that the Alliance is part of a strong community of folks like yourself, committed to ensuring Seattle students receive the education they deserve.
For over 25 years, the Alliance has offered support to Seattle Public Schools that met the moment. While numbers can’t show the full story of our impact, the data below underscores what we’ve been able to accomplish together, because of continued support from the Seattle community.
The Seattle Teacher Residency
The Seattle Teacher Residency – our innovative teacher preparation program – reached a milestone of preparing and retaining diverse educators to teach in Seattle schools for over 10 years. As of 2022,
- There are 183 graduates of the program teaching in Seattle Public Schools
- 50% of those graduates are teachers of color, more than double the percentage of teachers of color among all SPS teachers
- The average retention rate of graduates after three years is 88%, and 73% after five years
- 81% of all graduates continue to teach in Title I schools
The Right Now Needs Fund
The Right Now Needs Fund, created in partnership with Amazon in 2019, is a support system for students and families to close gaps and fulfill immediate, basic needs across all 106 SPS schools.
- Over $1M of support was distributed from the fund in 2022
- Over 13,000 instances of support were provided in 2022
- 47% of funds went to addressing food insecurity, 24% to shelter and housing and 24% to clothing
- Since 2019, the fund has generated more than 50,000 instances of student support
The Office of African American Male Achievement
The Office of African American Male Achievement – an innovative strategy of Seattle Public Schools which we have supported by rallying philanthropic investment – continues to thrive.
- In 2019, the Alliance set a bold goal of raising $3M in support of the creation of the office.
- As of this month, we have raised $3.6M+ to ensure the office has the resources necessary to shift systems and design programs that support and invest in the brilliance of Black male students.
While there is much work still to be done for students, Seattle shines on the national map with accomplishments we can all be proud of. In the recently released 2022 NAEP Nation’s Report Card, Washington State students are on par or ahead of the national average in math and reading. The Seattle Teacher Residency has played a role in Seattle Public Schools’ efforts to successfully overcome the teacher shortage trend and STR’s collaborative work is spotlighted as a national example of best practices by the National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR). And our district’s commitment to racial equity has been lauded across the country as visionary, strategic and impactful.
Some seasons of this work are harder than others, and at times, hope is hard to come by. But as we enter this season of gathering, rejoicing, and reflecting on all we’re grateful for, I find hope and gratitude in the support our community continues to provide to the Alliance. Thank you for your commitment to the students of our city, and for the trust you place in us to advance racial equity and educational justice in partnership with Seattle Public Schools.
All our best to you and yours, from all of us at the Alliance,
Lisa Chick
CEO and President, Alliance for Education