Community Context and Program Goals
What is the context of the Kent Community Success program?
The Kent Community Success program in Kent School District completed its third grant year in 2024-25. It provided opportunities for high quality programming in response to the needs and assets of Mill Creek, Neely-O’Brien, and River Ridge communities, as follows:
- The program serves a suburban area of King County with large low-income, immigrant, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), and refugee populations.
- Mill Creek, Neely-O’Brien, and River Ridge served a large population of BIPOC students, Multilingual Learners, and low-income students.
- During the 2024-25 school year, all three sites served a larger proportion of Hispanic/Latino (of any race) Black/African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students compared to the district.
- All three schools had a larger proportion of low-income students in comparison to the district during the 2024-25 academic school year.
- Mill Creek and Neely-O’Brien served a greater proportion of Latino/a/x students compared to the district.
- All three sites served a greater proportion of Multilingual Language Learners compared to the district.
- In 2023-24, the percentage of 4th grade students at Neely-O’Brien and River Ridge meeting standard in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math was significantly below the district.
- Neely-O’ Brien ELA and Math rates of students meeting standard were 35.6% and 20.6, respectively.
- River Ridge ELA and Math rates of students meeting standard were 10.3% and 15.9%, respectively.
- In 2023-24, the percentage of seventh and eighth students at Mill Creek meeting standard in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math were also significantly below the district.
- Seventh grade students ELA and Math rates students meeting standard were 18.0% and 7.8%, respectively.
- Eighth grade students ELA and Math rates students meeting standard were 17.8% and 5.9%, respectively.
The Kent Community Success program experienced a system outage for their texting system with families, which prevented their ability to use their usual mechanisms to communicate with families during what they felt was a stressful time, with uncertainty about program funding and increased immigration enforcement across the country. Additionally, one site (Neely O’Brien) had a new Site Coordinator at the start of the 2024-25 school year (following summer session). The Site Coordinator was new to the 21st CCLC program and learned more about the program and its requirements throughout the school year.
Table 1: Student Demographics and Academic Outcomes[1]
|
Student Demographics and Academic Outcomes (from OSPI Report Card)
|
Mill Creek Middle School
|
Neely-O’Brien Elementary School 475 |
River Ridge Elementary School 698 |
Kent 25,455 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race/Ethnicity | |||||
| American Indian /Alaskan Native | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | |
| Asian | 17.7% | 10.1% | 25.2% | 23.6% | |
| Black/African American | 16.7% | 17.4% | 17.4% | 12.7% | |
| Hispanic/Latino (of any race) | 42.5% | 18.6% | 18.6% | 24.0% | |
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander | 9.0% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 3.5% | |
| Two or More Races | 3.9% | 7.1% | 7.1% | 9.3% | |
| White | 9.8% | 16.0% | 16.0% | 26.5% | |
| Other Student Demographics | |||||
| Multilingual Learners (MLL) | 42.6% | 48.6% | 48.6% | 31.1% | |
| Low Income | 72.1% | 68.9% | 68.9% | 56.3% | |
| Students with Disabilities (Special Education) | 24.0% | 18.3% | 18.3% | 14.8% | |
| Academic Assessment Results | |||||
| SBA ELA 4th Grade % meeting standard (2023-24) | X | 35.6% | 10.3% | 39.8% | |
| SBA Math 4th Grade % meeting standard (2023-24) | X | 20.6% | 15.9% | 39.6% | |
| SBA Math 7th Grade % meeting standard (2023-24) | 18.0% | X | X | 44.0% | |
| SBA Math 7th Grade % meeting standard (2023-24) | 7.8% | X | X | 29.5% | |
| SBA Math 8th Grade % meeting standard (2023-24) | 17.8% | X | X | 42.0% | |
| SBA Math 8th Grade % meeting standard (2023-24) | 5.9% | X | X | 27.7% | |
What does the Kent Community Success program aim to achieve?
The Kent Community Success program established goals and objectives to guide programming during the Cohort 18 grant timeframe. Program goals and objectives focus on student academic achievement, social-emotional learning, regular program attendance, family engagement, and community partnerships as follows:
- Meet the individual needs of students in the areas of math, reading, and social emotional learning.
- 50% of regular attendees will demonstrate progress in math and reading.
- 50% of regular attendees will improve classroom behavior.
- Create a sense of belonging and engagement for students in 21st CCLC program, with focus on students furthest from educational opportunity.
- 10% of total school population will regularly attend program (i.e., attend 30 days or more).
- At least 60% of regular attendees will attend program for 60 days or more.
- Data will not show differences in regular attendees or 60+ day attendees across race, ethnicity, or MLL groups.
- Strengthen family-school connection for families in 21st CCLC program, with focus on families furthest from educational opportunity.
- At least 75% of regular attendees will have a family member attend at least one family event.
- All family events reflect interests of families in the program as measured on surveys and CBO’s.
- No disparity in family participation as a function of race, ethnicity, or ELL status.
- Of families who participate in family events, 95% will rate the event positively on survey.
- Support collaboration and participation of students, families, and partners to help inform programmatic opportunities and developments.
- Measurable improvement in relevant sections of the YPQA each year, at each site; or an average rating over 4.0.
- Each 21st CCLC program site will add one partnership each year that reflects the population(s) served at each school.
[1] From OSPI Report Card, https://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ Accessed July 2025.