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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Summer College Helps Students Pass the WASL and Graduate
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
6/13/2007 2:00:00 PM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Holly Miller (206)684-4508
David Tucker (206)252-0203
Alex Fryer (206) 684-8358
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Summer College Helps Students Pass the WASL and Graduate
SEATTLE - Mayor Greg Nickels, Seattle School Superintendent Raj Manhas, North
Seattle Community College President Ron Lafayette, and South Seattle Community
College President Jill Wakefield today announced the second year of Summer
College, a program that aims to help struggling students meet high school graduation
and proficiency requirements while exposing them to the opportunities of a
college education.
Summer College will help more than 350 high school students who did not pass
the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) this spring. The five-week
program, made possible by an innovative partnership among the Seattle Public
Schools, Seattle Community Colleges and the City of Seattle, will be located
at two community college campuses - North Seattle Community College and South
Seattle Community College - to quickly boost student achievement and give students
an experience of college life.
This year’s Summer College program has two components. One component
focuses intensely on increasing math proficiency. One hundred and fifty (150)
slots are available for this five-week program that operates five days per
week and provides one-to-one tutoring in mathematics. The program is available
to help students who scored at level 1 or a low level 2 on the mathematics
section of the WASL. The students will also be offered classes in literacy
(reading and writing) and other college-level classes. WASL scores range from
level 1 to 4, with a 3 or 4 required for passage.
The second component will help up to 200 ninth and 10th grade students, who
scored a level 2 on at least one WASL assessment this spring. These students
will take mathematics, literacy and an exciting enrichment course that will
all count towards high school graduation. Immediately following Summer College
classes, students may retake the WASL tests they did not pass.
“This is a step towards giving our kids the best preparation for academic
success that we can,” Nickels said. “We are setting the bar high
for every student and working to help them make it over the top. Summer College
will give these students the tools to pass the WASL, open their eyes to the
possibility of entering college and give them hope for the future.”
City Councilmember David Della said, “It takes the entire community
to help children and youth reach their full potential. I believe that students
from all backgrounds and income levels should have the same opportunity to
learn and succeed. Summer College is a unique program that will ensure students
in our public schools are provided the tools to succeed academically.”
“This powerful partnership will help Seattle students graduate prepared
for college and the workforce,” Manhas said. “Summer College provides
an innovative strategy to students who are currently behind academically and
need support in passing the WASL, and we have planned a high quality learning
experience.”
“The Seattle Community Colleges are proud to host high school students
on our campuses and offer a taste of college life,” Lafayette said. Students
will take exciting enrichment courses such as Creative Writing, Personal Finance,
Career Planning, Game Theory and others.
“We look forward to another year of Summer College,” Wakefield
said. “Last year, students blended in beautifully to the tempo of our
college campuses.”
Mayor Nickels proposed investing $107,000 in Summer College in the city’s
2007 Supplemental Budget, using Families & Education Levy funding to pay
for enrichment courses, classroom maintenance, lunches and classrooms supplies.
The Levy is also investing $150,000 in tutoring services. The Washington State
Legislature added $19,374,924 for remedial assistance in the 2007 State budget
with $599,099 slated for Seattle Public Schools, which significantly supports
the District’s overall remedial efforts.
Summer College will run from July 5 through August 3. Eligible students will
be notified by mail between June 11 and June 15, following release of the WASL
scores from the State.
Parents or students seeking to register for Summer College or who would like
additional information should call Seattle Public Schools at (206) 252-0815.
Visit the mayor’s web site at www.seattle.gov/mayor. Get the mayor’s
inside view on efforts to promote transportation, public safety, economic opportunity
and healthy communities by signing up for The Nickels Newsletter at www.seattle.gov/mayor/newsletter_signup.htm
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Office of the Mayor
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