The Chehalis School District announced an annual donation from the Chehalis Foundation at its monthly school board meeting Tuesday, Sept. 16.
The $639,754.77 donation is part of the foundation’s ongoing support of the district’s Student Achievement Initiative (SAI), which was created in 2013 to increase the number of graduates who would go on to earn degrees or certifications, after learning only about 30% were doing so.
The district previously set a goal to bring that number to 60% by the class of 2023. Carrina Stanton, the district’s public information officer, told The Chronicle that the district was “on track to meet or exceed” that goal, adding that they track students for eight years after graduation.
Because SAI has become so entrenched in the school’s culture, Stanton said the district now refers to the initiative as the district's student achievement goal.
And the bar has been set higher.
“Our new goal we set for the district last year is called 75 by 35 — we want 75% of our graduates to earn a degree or certificate after graduation by the Class of 2035,” Stanton wrote.
The goal, she said, would apply to this year’s third graders.
The donation announced during the board meeting comes from money given by individual donors.
According to the district, the funding will go toward efforts that include the following:
• Pre-K college awareness
• Grades 9-12 college exposure/awareness activities
• College level course support/college prep assessments
• Pre-K through 12 instructional improvement (Powerful Teaching and Learning)
• Pre-K through 12 summer engagement
• Data review
• Pre-K through 12 math achievement (professional development and resources)
• Consulting expenses
• Full or partial salaries and benefits for: Student achievement specialist, career and college prep adviser, student success counselors and student achievement teacher on special assignment.
