Auburn, Highline, Kent school boards pass resolutions supporting Road Map Project

The Auburn, Highline and Kent school boards have each passed resolutions endorsing the Road Map Project, a community-wide effort to dramatically improve student achievement from cradle to college and career in South Seattle and South King County.

The Road Map Project's goal is to double the number of students in the region who are on track to graduate from college or earn a career credential by 2020. The project also aims to close achievement gaps for low-income students and children of color. The school districts involved in the Road Map Project are Auburn, Federal Way, Highline, Kent, Renton, Seattle and Tukwila.

The Auburn School Board passed its resolution on Sept. 10, Highline approved its on Aug. 8 and Kent did the same on Sept. 26. The Road Map Project has now gathered endorsements from six of the seven districts in the region; the school boards for the Federal Way, Tukwila and Renton districts passed similar resolutions earlier this year.

In addition to working together as part of the Road Map Project, the seven districts have also teamed up to compete for a federal Race to the Top grant. Work is currently under way on the grant proposal and members of the public are encouraged to read the plan and comment. Additionally, people are invited to show support for the effort on Facebook.

Auburn School Board President Lisa Connors said partnership with the Road Map Project will benefit all students.

"We are very excited about working with the Road Map Project on behalf of student learning in our region. The Auburn School District strategic plan aligns well with the Road Map Project benchmarks and our partnership with the project will help all our students develop career and college skill success," Connors said.

Debbie Straus, president of the Kent School Board, underscored the Road Map Project's focus on collaboration and partnership.

"Kent is supporting the Road Map Project as it allows multiple districts to come together with shared data, shared vision and a shared voice. We each serve different communities but we all serve local students. All of those students deserve the benefits of a quality education that leads to relevant preparation for college and career. But most importantly, the Road Map Project is working to create true opportunity for our students, our schools and our region," Straus said.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.