As Seattle and South King County celebrate a $40 million Race to the Top grant, a new regional report card reveals increasing need among students and shows data on 30 important indicators related to student success.

The report was issued today by the Community Center for Education Results, the nonprofit organization supporting the Road Map Project, which is a regional effort to dramatically improve education results in South King County and South Seattle.

The project’s goal is to double the number of students in South King County and South Seattle who are on track to graduate from college or earn a career credential by 2020, and to close opportunity gaps.

Seven school districts – Auburn, Kent, Renton, Federal Way, Highline, Seattle and Tukwila – are among the many partners working on the Road Map Project.

The data shown in the report are meant to motivate action and drive change. The report, which will be published annually, tracks the project’s Indicators of Student Success, which are important measures related to student achievement, such as the percent of students proficient in third-grade reading or the percent of students who enroll in post-secondary education.

Thirty indicators are in the report, which also includes bright spots – examples of great success and opportunity gap closure – from throughout the region.

“We’ve known for years that education results in our region are not where they need to be,” said Mary Jean Ryan, executive director of the Community Center for Education Results. “The results report clearly shows where we need to focus. These problems aren’t new – what is new is the resolve and commitment in the region to improve education so all our students can be successful.”

Officials said the recently-awarded $40 million grant will accelerate the work currently under way in the region to improve education.

Visit roadmapproject.org to read the report in its entirety.