merger proposal. Southeast Initiative The Southeast Initiative was a three-year plan, from 2007 to 2009, to "[e]nsure that local secondary schools are the 'schools of choice' for residents in southeast Seattle..." The plan targeted Rainier Beach High School, Cleveland High School, and Aki Kurose Middle School. First approved in June, 2007, the district expanded the plan in 2008 and proposed to increase spending on it to $7.9 million. In 2007–08, the Initiative's first year, 17.3% of Rainier Beach students chose the school as their first choice. In the third year, 2009–10, only 12.8% chose it. Cleveland High School declined from 28.6% to 18.0% as its students' first choice. Aki Kurose Middle School declined from 33.3% to 19.4% as its students' first choice. Rainier Beach High School's WASL reading test pass rates declined from 70.0% in 2007 to 61.5% in 2009. Rainier Beach's math pass rates declined from 37.4% in 2007 to 17.6% in 2009. While some measures improved, many others remained more or less the same. In 2010, about four fifths of students living in Rainier Beach's enrollment area continue to enroll at other high schools, often in far away districts in the city. International Baccalaureate The school district, in the fall of 2010, discussed starting an International Baccalaureate program at Rainier Beach, in addition to the IB programs at Ingraham High School and Chief Sealth International High School. The plan was approved and classes began the fall of 2013. The IB Diploma program has been instituted and students and invested. State designation as low achieving, eligibility for federal grant On January 13, 2011, Washington State designated Rainier Beach High School as persistently low achieving. On the same day, Seattle Public Schools announced that the designation qualifies the school for remedial federal funds and that it intends to apply for a federal school improvement grant for Rainier Beach. To receive the improvement grant, the district must either close the school, replace the principal and at least half the faculty, or "transform" the school in several prescribed ways. Superintendent Goodloe-Johnson has announced that she will reassign the current co-principals and appoint a new principal at Rainier Beach. Notable alumni Ryan Anderson, current professional basketball player Michael Berry, sprinter Nissim Black, rapper Doug Christie, former NBA basketball player (Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers) Ginnie Crawford (née Powell), professional track and