In the 2019-21 biennial budget the Legislature appropriated $125,000 a year to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to administer a pilot program to identify and support incoming high school students who were at risk of not graduating. Five school districts were selected to participate in the pilot program based on their Ninth Grade On-Track scores in the Washington School Improvement Framework and their higher than average enrollment of students classified as low-income or English language learners. Those districts were Ellensburg, Wahluke, Moses Lake, Grandview, and Toppenish.
Pilot districts created success teams of educators composed of administrators, counselors, student support staff, and ninth grade teachers. Success teams regularly reviewed attendance, behavior, and grade data to deploy strategic supports to students showing early signs of falling behind. Each pilot district received $21,000 in pilot program funds to pay for data systems, travel related to professional development, release time for educators to staff the success teams, and student supports.
In 2021, OSPI expanded the pilot project to 30 schools using $3 million of funding provided by the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund.
OSPI must establish and administer the Ninth Grade Success Grant Program (grant program), subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for that purpose. The purpose of the grant program is to fund the creation of ninth grade success teams that can identify and support incoming high school students who are at risk of not graduating.
Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, OSPI must award grants to eligible public schools. When awarding grants, OSPI must prioritize schools with low ninth grade on-track scores identified through the Washington School Improvement Framework and schools that have graduation rates below the statewide average. OSPI must attempt to award grants to public schools in different geographic regions of the state.
Grant recipients may use grant funds for costs associated with establishing and operating a Ninth Grade Success Team Program, including but not limited to:
OSPI may contract with a qualified nonprofit organization that has experience coaching school success teams to provide individualized coaching to grant recipients.
By June 30, 2024, and annually thereafter until 2029, OSPI must report to the Governor and the education committees of the Legislature on the implementation of the grant program. The report must include:
PRO: 9th grade is a distinct and critical transitional year. 9th grade is the first year when many students have to receive passing grades in core courses, so courses are some of the toughest they're going to take in their high school careers. Freshman have the lowest GPAs, the most missed classes, majority of failing grades, and more misbehavior referrals. Many times, students do not know how to ask for assistance or access the resources that may benefit their learning. Research shows that students who don't fail classes in 9th grade are 4 times more likely to graduate and succeed in their education. 4 out of 5 schools participating in the pilot program reported an immediate and sustained increase of 9th grade on track rates even with the disruption of the pandemic. One district saw a single year increase of 25% for 9th grade on track rates. Districts need at least 2 more years to know how the increased on-track rate will translate to an increased graduation rate. The pilot program strengthened staff and student relationships, helped staff use data to diagnose and develop interventions, and improved teacher practice beyond the 9th grade. Students who were farthest from equity were especially benefited by these targeted interventions. Mentorship is highly valuable for these young students to understand the complexity and importance of their high school education through student-adult connections and student-student connections. This should become an on-going effort to support student learning. The impacts of the 9th grade success program reverberate widely.