Alliance for Education

Educational Investments: The Alliance brings together the philanthropic community and Seattle Public School (SPS) leadership to define and support strategic investments in SPS with a focus on increasing equity. In 2022, the Alliance's strategic work included: The Seattle Teacher Residency, the Right Now Needs Fund and Other investments advancing racial equity and educational excellence in Seattle Public Schools. The Seattle Teacher Residency (STR): We continue to successfully recruit, prepare, and support a diverse pipeline of high-quality teachers trained specifically to teach in Seattle's highest need schools, particularly Title I schools. STR's mission is to accelerate student achievement through the preparation, support, and retention of exceptional teachers who reflect the rich diversity in Seattle Public Schools. We seek to reduce the achievement gap for students furthest from educational justice and increase opportunities for them to succeed in school, career, and life. Some highlights of our successes in 2022 include:- Teachers Trained: At the end of the 2021-22 school year, there were 128 STR-trained teachers in more than 31 high-need public schools in Seattle. An additional 30 Cohort 9 residents started the program in 2021 which included 14-months of graduate-level coursework and in-classroom apprenticeships. They were hired in Seattle Public Schools in spring 2022 to begin their first year of teaching in fall 2022.- Students Served: More than 2000 students in over 30 Title I schools benefitted from teachers trained with critical content, social-emotional, and cultural competencies through the STR program in 2021-22. - Diversity: 52% of current STR residents are teachers of color or biracial and multiracial educators compared to 20% of other Seattle Public School teachers in a district where 54% of students are students of color.The Right Now Needs Fund: This program is designed to address the most basic needs of Seattle Public School students, to ensure that students can come to school and focus on learning. The Alliance disburses funds to all the 104 Seattle Public Schools, in amounts reflective of the percentage of students in each school receiving free and reduced lunch. Funds can be requested by any school community member and are approved by the school principal. The funds can be spent on addressing the basic needs of students, such as clothing, adequate food, shelter, and necessary school supplies. In 2022 over $1,000,000 was disbursed to meet the basic needs of students. Other Investments: The Alliance raises dollars to support initiatives that advance racial equity and educational excellence in Seattle Public Schools. In 2022, the Alliance also provided more than $1,800,000 in funding to support Seattle Public School's Office of African American Male Achievement.

Affiliated school activities:In 2022 the Alliance provided fiscal support services for volunteer led support groups raising funds to benefit schools and engaged those groups in supporting schools with more limited access to resources. During the year, the Alliance disbursed over $834,000 for instructional support, scholarships, awards, materials, trainings, extracurricular programs, and other school-related activities through our fiscal sponsorship programs.