The Road Map Project began in 2010 as a cradle-to-career collective impact initiative with an ambitious goal: to double the number of students in South King County and South Seattle who are on track to graduate from college or earn a career credential by 2020. This goal includes a commitment to close achievement and opportunity gaps for low-income students and children of color and to increase achievement for all students.
At the heart of this work is the belief that cross-sector collaboration is necessary to address systemic disparities and advance educational equity. For the past six years, the Road Map Project has brought together the seven school districts in the region and diverse partners around a common agenda to improve outcomes from birth through postsecondary completion. The backbone organization for the Road Map Project is the Community Center for Education Results (CCER). In 2012, the seven districts collaborated to secure a competitive $40 million Race to the Top award from the U.S. Department of Education, which provided an infusion of funds to support district efforts aligned with the Road Map Project.
This brief shares key findings from a case study of how Highline Public Schools and its community partners have contributed to the Road Map Project, as well as how the project has influenced the district’s efforts to improve opportunities and outcomes for young people. The brief also shares recommendations and reflection questions for collective impact initiatives looking to improve school district engagement.
Read more from Education Northwest or follow news on the case study release.
This report was produced as part of a multi-year evaluation of the Road Map Project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
