Our Impact

The Office of African American Male Achievement was established to reimagine and build a school system that intentionally cultivates the strength of Black boys and teens, ensuring each and every Black student recognizes their own potential and feels supported in their education. By listening to the expressed concerns of Black male students, AAMA will create a framework that aligns work and practices across the district to ensure SPS has the culture, conditions, staff competencies, and community connections in place for all Black boys and teens to excel in their education.

​​The Alliance for Education gives numerous awards to educators and school leaders in the district annually showcasing the leadership of those that work tirelessly to support students, with a focus on those committed to advancing racial equity. One of these awards is the Thomas B. Foster Award for Excellence that champions Seattle Public Schools principals who advance educational justice and racial equity in their schools. Every year, two $25,000 educational grants are awarded to selected principals.

The Alliance for Education works with school-based groups like PTAs, booster clubs and more, to effect systemic change by supporting  fundraising efforts on behalf of students. By offering fiscal services, the Alliance reduces barriers, providing school volunteers and staff with the support they need to reach their goals.

As students and teachers quickly adapted to remote learning during the pandemic, the Alliance worked in partnership with Seattle Public Schools and engaged with community partners and donors to meet SPS families’ most critical needs through the Education Equity Fund.

The Right Now Needs Fund is a one-of-a-kind program that works at the individual school level to address the basic needs of students and families across all Seattle Public Schools. The fund ensures students can fully participate in classroom activities by covering the costs of clothing, meals and shelter that are not included in individual school budgets, but are necessary for students to thrive. Initiated by a generous lead investment from Amazon in 2018, the fund continues to be fueled by Amazon in its fifth school year.

The Seattle Teacher Residency (STR) program was developed in 2012 by the Alliance in partnership with the University of Washington, Seattle Education Association and Seattle Public Schools to recruit, prepare and retain high quality elementary and special education teachers for students furthest from educational justice in Seattle Public Schools. Educators primarily come from the communities they serve, teaching mainly in Title I elementary schools.