Teach For America - Washington 3.01

The Puget Sound is a region of thriving immigrant communities and a racially and socioeconomically diverse population. Despite the region’s rich diversity and enormous potential for educational excellence, Washington is one of only six states with a growing disparity in education between low-income students and their higher income counterparts. Nearly all of Seattle’s failing schools are located in low-income neighborhoods and serve primarily students of color.

According to the Washington State Report Card, 55% of tenth graders at Rainier Beach High School scored proficient on the state reading exam, and 14% scored proficient on the math exam. Even at Garfield High School, one of the city’s highest-performing schools, just 15.9% of African American tenth grade students scored proficient in math, meaning African American students attending one of the city’s best schools have less than a one-in-five chance of passing the state math exam.