Citing a correlation between student health and academic performance, the city is creating a health center at the Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center, which operates in part of the Meany Middle School building at 21st and Republican. The health center, which will be operated by International Community Health Services, will be funded by the 2004 Families and Education Levy through the end of levy funding.

Mayor Mike McGinn and the City Council are preparing to put an extension and expansion of the Families and Education Levy up for a public vote in November. The Council voted unanimously in March in favor of pursuing a larger $231 million levy. According to our news partners at the Seattle Times, polls currently show that the vast majority of Seattle voters support extending the levy, but only 31 percent are in favor of expanding it.

From the city’s press release:

“We know that refugee students, immigrant students and English language learners are struggling to achieve academic progress in our schools,” said McGinn. “This program will improve the health of our City’s youth. And the data shows a direct correlation between student health and performance. A recent peer-review study shows that usage of Seattle’s school based health centers was related to a 33 percent decreased likelihood of dropping out of school when compared with students who had similar risk factors but who didn’t utilize school-based health center services.” 

“School-based health centers are a proven way to keep kids in school and help them succeed academically,” said Councilmember Tim Burgess. “This partnership is especially exciting because it marks the first time we are extending this support to the broader community that these children rely on.”