The Foundation for Edmonds School District has received a $10,000 grant from the Norcliffe Foundation, which will be used to expand the Foundation’s College Access for All program.

The Norcliffe Foundation is a family foundation that funds human services, health care, civic and community projects, education, and arts and culture initiatives in the Puget Sound region. 

The College Access for All program reduces barriers to higher education through stipends and scholarships for low-income students. Financial assistance is available for college entrance and world language exams, College in the High School course fees, summer school credit recovery and post-secondary scholarships for vocational, 2-year and 4-year programs. Last year, College Access for All served more than 3,000 high school students enrolled in the Edmonds School District. 

“It’s a known fact that access to education after high school has become a prerequisite for skilled employment and careers of the future,” said Deborah Anderson, executive director of the Foundation for Edmonds School District. “Underwriting the cost of exams, college-credit courses, summer school and post-secondary tuition is a common-sense approach that opens doors for more of our students. We thank The Norcliffe Foundation for supporting them with this generous grant.” 

The Edmonds School District is Snohomish County’s largest public school district, serving more than 20,200 students across 35 schools. Nearly 33 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced lunch and an estimated 600 will experience homelessness during the school year. Last year, the foundation made more than $600,000 in district-wide program investments.