Annual Report

2014-2015 Academic Year

The past year numerous reports have lauded our schools for the innovative

practices and partnerships that have led to increases in national graduation

rates for students of all backgrounds. I am proud to be a part of this

movement and thankful for our partnerships with Highline and Federal

Way Public Schools in addressing this social issue.

Since admitting our first student four years ago, Gateway has strived to

produce academically sound and intellectually driven students who are

fully capable of pursuing a career or field of their choice. Gateway meets

this goal by preparing students for success as they continue on with their

education at Highline College, completing their Associate’s degree or

Bachelor’s degree. Even more meaningful is the fact that our students,

regardless of the path they choose, understand what it means to be

challenged and engaged intellectually.

The significance of our work, though, must be understood within the

historical context of education for the poor and underserved, because

knowing our history will help us situate our work today. Countless scholars

have written essays describing our current system but the work of late 19th

century scholar, W.E.B. Du Bois, still resonates today. Du Bois understood a

people deprived of an education, will not only lose the power of the vote,

but power to live fulfilling and meaningful lives as codified in the

Declaration of Independence. To this point he writes, “Freedom, too, the

long-sought, we still seek, - freedom to love and aspire. Work, culture,

liberty, - all these we need, not singly but together…” So, as we bear

witness today, to the heavy hand of poverty and the label of race in

denying a population of its opportunities, it is apparent the writings of Du

Bois, written over a hundred years ago, are still relevant. And this is where I

situate the work of Gateway, continuing the tradition of cultivating and

grooming intellectuals. What follows in this report is the narrative of

preparing students for work and society by creating an intellectual culture,

whereby students are truly capable of enjoying the fruits of liberty.

Kao Saechao, M.Ed. Program Director,

Gateway to College – Highline College

“The training of the schools

we need to-day more than

ever,--the training of deft

hands, quick eyes and ears,

and above all the broader,

deeper, higher culture of

gifted minds and pure

hearts. The power of the

ballot we need in sheer

self-defence,--else what

shall save us from a second

slavery? Freedom, too, the

long-sought, we still seek,--

the freedom of life and

limb, the freedom to work

and think, the freedom to

love and aspire. Work,

culture, liberty,--all these

we need, not singly but

together, not successively

but together, each growing

and aiding each, and all

striving toward that vaster

ideal…” W.E.B. Du Bois

Opening Remarks

45%

55%

Enrollment by District

FWPS

HPS

42%

58%

Female Male

Gender

2%

15%

18%

29%

36%

American Indian

Black

Asian/Pacific Islander

White

Hispanic/Latin@

35

40

FWSD HSD

FTE Count By District

46%54%

Courses Enrolled

College Level (ENG

101, Math 111,

etc.)

High School

Completion

Courses Only

Gateway continues to serve a diverse student population. This year we served a total of 154 students

who entered with an average GPA of 1.33. One significant change this year is the increase in enrollment

for Hispanic/Latin@ and Asian/Pacific Islander students. Compared to the previous year, we increased

enrollment for Hispanic/Latin@ students by 20% and Asian/Pacific Islander students by 29%.

This change in demographics sheds light on two areas. First, in Gateway students develop a profound

sense of self and accomplishment in the program and have become our best referral source. Second,

we have gained the trust of our schools and community partners who won’t hesitate to send us their

most challenging student because of the change they have seen in students.

n = 154

Gateway Student Demographic

FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE

In the first year of Gateway,

students develop academic

writing skills as preparation for

an English 101 course.

Gateway students begin the first

year by starting in Foundation

quarter. After Foundation, all

students are placed into an

English 101 course with

continued writing support from

their Foundation instructor.

Sandra Juarez’s Narrative

“Believe”

“I remember my dad coming back

inside to get me. He told me an

important message that I will never

forget, ‘Nothing in life is easy. You

have to work hard and push yourself

to accomplish what you desire. You

should never give up just because

you failed the first time. You get

back up like you never failed.’ After

that small speech, I decided to go

back outside to give it another try.

Of course, I fell time and time again

till I finally did it. I felt so proud of

myself. What I felt most proud of

was that I took the chance of going

back out there and not giving up.”

(Pictured third from left)

OPENING DIALOGUE

In Gateway, students are expected

to exchange ideas and share their

work with peers. Our goal is to

create a safe and engaging

environment for discourse and

learning. Here, Ben Satele reads

from his portfolio during the

celebration event at the end of

Foundation quarter.

In Gateway, we believe retention and year-to-year persistence are accurate measures of engagement.

The first question we ask is: are our students going to class consistently? Based on the research on

academic attainment, our goal is to have students maintain an attendance rate of 90% or higher for the

year. This year we inched closer to our goal as our students were in class 86% of the time.

So, what keeps Gateway students coming back to the program? In our time working with students, we

have discovered that all students want to understand their world a little better and curious about their

life and purpose. To help them in this intellectual endeavor, we challenge students to think deeply about

learning by immersing them in literature, current events, educational videos and relating it to their own

personal challenges. In short, intellectual engagement precedes personal engagement and that is why our

students stay in the program.

0% 100%

WINTER 2015 TO SPRING 2015 RETENTION RATE

74%

Gateway to College – Productive Persistence

The Gateway Culture

FALL 2014 TO WINTER 2015 RETENTION RATE

80%

FALL 2013 TO FALL 2014 PERSISTANCE RATE

57%

100%

100% 0%

0%

AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE

86%

100% 0%

SECOND YEAR EXPERIENCE The A

2lgebra Project

In the second year, Gateway

students develop their math skills

in order to pass a college level

math class. Students are co-

enrolled in a Gateway math class

while taking an existing algebra

class. The goal is create a learning

community focused on math.

SECOND YEAR EXPERIENCE Neydin’s Path

Neydin Estrada graduated with 66

college credits, a 3.85 GPA and

having passed a Math 111 (college

algebra) course. She received the

Outstanding Scholastic

Achievement Award for her work

with the English department at

Highline College.

graduates

in increased lifetime earnings*

savings to the public health system**

is the average number of college credits accumulated

is the average college level GPA

students read All the Right Stuff, The

Malefactor, The Story of a Snitch and The Ones Who

Walk Away as part of the application process

books read by Gateway students as

part of Foundation and continuing courses

students have passed a college level English or

Communication course

is the average GPA of student passing a

college level English or Communications course

We believe building

strong readers is the

first step to liberty.

This process begins

when students start

the application

process by reading The

Malefactor by Anton

Chekhov, thus

engaging students

through the art of

reading and dialogue.

The act of reading is

the best protection

against those that

dehumanize because

of race and poverty.

*Lifetime earnings are based on additional earnings of $260,000 for high school graduate vs high school dropout from the study, “Finishing High School: Alternative Pathways and Dropout Recovery” by

John H. Tyler and Magnus Loftstrom

** Average lifetime savings to the public health system per graduate is $40,500 based on the report, “The Costs and Benefits of An Excellent Education for All of America’s Children” by Henry Levine, et al.

DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR

Jasmin Tucker graduated with

72 college credits, 3.7 college

GPA and on the Vice

President’s Honor Roll three

consecutive quarters. She

plans on majoring in Business

at University of Washington.

GIVING BACK

Our goal is to cultivate

students into leaders. In turn,

our hope is they return to

Gateway to help other

students. Here, Billy Chandler

inspiring other Gateway

students to keep reading and

stay focused on their goals.

LIFELONG CONNECTIONS

The Gateway community is only

as strong as its students. Here,

Gateway graduates, Jeramy

Aquino and Avael Atlas returning

to update the program on what

they have done since graduating.

Jeramy completed the YearUp

program and currently works as a

contractor providing support for

information systems. Avael plans

to join the Marines.

Gateway Staff Bopha Mao

Program Assistant

Nancy Rawles

English Faculty

Victoria Bernstein

English Faculty

Kao Saechao

Program Director

In closing, I would like to thank the Gateway staff for their

hard work and dedication to our students, especially

Nancy Rawles for contributing to this report. Mike Sita

from Highline Public Schools continues to help us move in

the right direction. We, also, wouldn’t be able to keep

everything moving without help from Sharon Cawsey

(HPS) and Tanya Nascimento (FWPS). Our continued

partnership with the Gateway to College National Network

has helped build a strong network to support student

learning.

As a practitioner, my understanding of curriculum and

instruction has increased exponentially due to a group of

dedicated educators who regularly attend the Colloquium

for Instructional Development meetings spearheaded by

Drego Little. Furthermore, our continued partnership with

the Gateway to College National Network has helped build

a strong network to support student learning.

At Highline College, I want to thank Jeff Wagnitz for

trusting me to build the program from the ground up and

allowing enough flexibility to make Gateway work for the

students. Rolita Ezeonu has been instrumental in

providing wisdom and insights, and I will always be

grateful for her support. Erik Scott has shown courage and

dedication in working with Gateway to create a

supplemental math course for our Gateway students.

Both, Ay Saechao and Erik, have been willing participants

in brainstorming The A2lgebra Project as cross department

collaboration to help all students. I am grateful for the

work that Jacque Clinton put in working with Gateway

students. Toni Castro, Debbie Faison and the Student

Services department have helped to make the process of

matriculating students as seamless as possible. Finally,

there are far too many staff and faculty to thank at

Highline, so thank you ALL for your support the past five

years.

Closing Remarks

Gateway students have become

an integral part of the Highline

College community. They

participate in campus-wide

events, join student groups and

interact with the existing student

body. Here they celebrate their

success with their peers.