Summer program to aid students who fail WASL

Up to 600 Seattle 10th-graders who fail the state's high-stakes test this spring will get some extra help through a new program called Summer College.

The program, announced Monday by Mayor Greg Nickels, will focus on teaching students the skills they need so that they can pass the Washington Assessment of Student Learning by the end of summer. The WASL is a graduation requirement for this year's sophomores, the class of 2008.

Summer College classes will be held at community-college or university campuses — with the idea of giving students who normally wouldn't consider attending college a taste of that life. Although the core math and literacy classes will be taught by Seattle Public Schools teachers, students also will be able to take an elective college-level class. Program leaders hope Summer College may eliminate some of the stigma associated with summer school.

Seattle Public Schools has been working with the city of Seattle and higher-education leaders on the plan for about two months, with many details still to be completed. Nickels announced the new program during his annual State of the City speech.

The school district will tackle the core responsibility of providing teachers and is also likely to organize transportation through Metro. The city will provide students with sack lunches and may pay for some elective classes. The community colleges and universities will provide venues and perhaps some teaching aides.

The program, which will be voluntary, will be aimed at students who failed the WASL narrowly by scoring a 2 out of a possible 4 on the test. It will also be open to 11th-graders who failed the test last year. The school district estimates 600 to 800 students will be eligible for the program.

Barbara Salo, summer-school program manager for Seattle Public Schools, said the program will begin after July 4 and will last five weeks — ending in time for the first WASL retake, scheduled in August. She said the Seattle Community Colleges system is interested in helping out, as are Seattle University and the University of Washington.

"The enthusiasm of all three constituents is most impressive," Salo said. "Everyone realizes it's a shared responsibility to help these kids and move them forward."

Salo said the school district will pay teachers extra to participate in the program but hasn't worked out an estimated cost yet.

Jessica de Barros, a senior policy analyst with the city, said there are likely to be three Summer College sites: one in the north, one in the south and one in the central city. The city estimates its costs at $200,000; Nickels will likely ask the City Council to approve the extra money in a supplemental budget.

Nick Perry: 206-515-5639 or nperry@seattletimes.com