TECHNOLOGY ACCESS FOUNDATION

TAF's Mission: We build collaborative relationships with public education to create access to transformative systems of learning for students and teachers of color to eliminate race-based disparities in an increasingly diverse society.

Why TAF Needs To Solve The Problem. It is important we solve these issues because:
- Three quarters of living wage jobs in the future will require some familiarity with STEM disciplines
- Achievement and opportunity gaps on the basis of race/income remain rife.
- Children of color are in the majority and today over 60% of children under the age of 5 are of color.
- Having teachers who more accurately reflect the population of their classrooms results in culturally based instruction and higher student expectations.
- Washington State has close to 60,000 teachers, but only 9% of those teachers of color. In contrast, 42% of Washington students are students of color.
- Turnover of teachers of color closely parallels research on new teachers, who also leave the profession at disproportionately high rates.

STEMbyTAF Vision for our Schools
Imagine a public school that redefines STEM literacy, equitable education, and what it means to be a well-educated 21st-century student. Imagine a school known for encouraging innovation, for pushing the limits of what is expected, delivering curriculum in a way that is relevant to real-world needs and goals of students, that creates an environment that promotes academic success through a social justice lens. Imagine a school where learning is designed for, and often by, the students, where teachers collaborate as part of their daily practice and learn alongside their students, where parents are welcome in the classrooms at any time, and where professionals in other fields participate in teaching and learning. When you walk in this school, you sense there is a bond of caring between all the groups—teachers, students, leadership, and support staff—where people look out for each other and students support each other to do their very best.
Students learn to succeed; not for standards or teacher expectations; not to compete in the workforce and fuel the economy; not for personal gain and prestige; but so they can position themselves to create the world that they
themselves envision; personally, communally, nationally and globally.

We know, by partnering with public school districts, we can create schools with academic environments that eliminate race-based disparity in academic achievement, and promote the highest level of student learning and teacher development. TAF has four strategic programs to realize our mission:

TAF Academy - TAF Academy was launched in 2008 as the only school in Washington State that is co-managed by a nonprofit and a school district. The partnership with Federal Way Public School has enabled TAF Academy to develop into an award-winning, high performing, 6th-12th grade, no barriers to entry public neighborhood STEM school. TAF Academy has a student body of over 70% students of color, and a staff of nearly 50% of color.

STEMbyTAF School Transformation - In a need to replicate the TAF Academy school without building new schools, TAF uses the best practices in leadership, teaching and learning from TAF Academy, and partners with existing districts and public schools to create academic environments that promote the highest level of student learning and teacher development. TAF provides a fulltime instructional coach on the school campus for four years.

STEMbyTAF Teacher Institute - Built on the best practices in leadership, teaching and learning from TAF Academy, the STEMbyTAF Teacher Institute develops the instructional practices of a network of educators and supports their ongoing learning so that they can enable every student to reach their highest potential.

Edwork Network / Martinez Fellowship - These programs provides and supports multiple pathways to a teaching degree, early career coaching, and ongoing professional development to improve teacher diversity and retain teachers of color in Washington State.

Each program works in dynamic partnership with public school districts, and we intentionally seek partnerships with schools and districts that meet all the following criteria:
- More than 50% of the school’s students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
- At least 70% of the school’s student population are children of color.
- The school qualifies for Title I Federal assistance.
- The school’s standardized test scores (state-mandated Measurements of Student Progress) are below the state and district averages.

TAF is unique in this work. There are other organizations that provide elements of a STEM education, but none offer the same type or depth of services. TAF has also worked with Washington STEM and the Road Map Project, organizations that share a similar interest in improving student outcomes through advancing STEM education. Washington STEM’s work focuses on connecting educators to share their teaching experiences while the Road Map Project focuses on college and career readiness for South King County and South Seattle youth. TAF is distinct, however, in our commitment to addressing the socioeconomic concerns that underlie student outcomes, our community roots and our direct engagement with educators in various roles.

TAF has developed a strategic plan, which if implemented correctly, will change the ecosystem of public education and ensure that historically underserved students receive a quality education. It is the core of our work to ensure that we have schools with academic environments that eliminate race-based disparity in academic achievement and promote the highest level of student learning and teacher development.

Many public school district Superintendents would like to implement innovative solutions to ensure all their students (particularly those traditionally underserved) are receiving a quality education. Key barriers for them are funding, human and learning resources. Aside from starting new schools, the only other option is to transform existing schools. A partnership with TAF is a solution to all of these key issues.

For these reasons and more, TAF’s method of transforming schools is particularly appealing to educators. Our ability to deliver a model that gets teachers excited about teaching again, helps them build better relationships with their students. Additionally, the STEMbyTAF model shows them how to let students lead the learning; supports educator leadership development; brings in professionals from all backgrounds; and, supports opportunities for students to apply their learning takes away many of the obstacles in school transformation. TAF’s change model is inexpensive --approximately $300 per student, per year --and is entirely driven by the academic community with support from TAF. Locating ownership in the local school community ensures a more sustainable environment.

In the new year, TAF is partnering with Seattle School District with Washington Middle School in the 2020-21 school year starting with 6th grade. We are continuing to add new STEMbyTAF Transformation schools, expanding into new school districts. Edwork Network will expand to support more teachers of color with coaching and ongoing professional development as well as provide racial equity training to our teachers and staff.

Last year TAF Academy had a 100% graduation rate with 93% attending college with nearly $550,000 in scholarships awarded. Our STEMbyTAF School Transformation program expanded to three new schools last year, plus a 4th year for Boze Elementary which added a robotics program and provided 100% of students access to coding during school. Our Martinez Fellowship has supported 188 teaching fellows impacting 16,000 students across 35 school districts.

Awards and Recognition - Since TAF Academy opened in 2008, the school has received numerous awards for excellence and innovation on both state and national levels.

Innovative School Designation | 2014
Washington State’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)

School of Distinction | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Center of Educational Effectiveness

Intel School of Distinction | 2011
Intel Corporation

Early Innovator Award | 2011
WA STEM

Partnering for Excellence Award | 2011
Ashoka Changemakers and Carnegie Corporation for Teacher-Scientist Partnership (TSP) Program