GAP+ Guarantees Whitworth Admission for Hundreds of Spokane Public Schools Students
Whitworth and SPS signed a GAP+ agreement last week that will provide hundreds of students at Ferris, Lewis & Clark, North Central, Rogers, Shadle Park, The Community School, On Track Academy, The Enrichment Cooperative at Bryant and Spokane Virtual Learning high schools with a 3.6 grade point average or higher with a direct pathway to guaranteed admission and substantial scholarship support.
Spokane Public Schools Chief of Student Success Scott Kerwien ’02 says SPS is excited to be a part of this partnership and watch it open doors for hundreds of its students.
"Our hope is that all students pursue their post-high school goals with streamlined support and advocacy from an amazing partner like Whitworth,” Kerwien says. “I happened to find my ‘fit’ at Whitworth University, and I hope this collaborative effort raises awareness for students and families that might also find their fit at Whitworth. It’s exciting to see Whitworth's transparency in their guaranteed admissions criteria as well as their long list of financial aid opportunities for students."
Thanks to Whitworth’s new cost clarity tuition, students can expect a simplified tuition price of $26,900 for the 2026-27 academic year and will receive the following academic scholarships based on their grade point average:
• 3.9 GPA and above = $9,000 per year ($36,000 total over four years)
• 3.6-3.89 GPA = $6,000 per year ($24,000 total over four years)
• 3.3-3.59 GPA = $3,000 per year ($12,000 total over four years)
The schools in SPS join Mead High School, Mt. Spokane High School, East Valley High School, Gonzaga Preparatory School, Saint George’s School and Marantha High School in Pasadena, Calif., as members of the GAP+ program. Northwest Christian Schools and Lakeside High School (9 mile) are expected to sign an agreement soon.
“Whitworth and Spokane Public Schools share a common purpose: preparing students for lives of meaning and impact,” says Josh Hibbard, Whitworth vice president of enrollment management. “Through GAP+, we are making admission and scholarship support transparent and predictable, so students can focus less on uncertainty and more on their future. This is an investment in Spokane and in the students who will shape its future.”
To learn more about GAP+ or if you represent a school looking to join the program, please click
here.
About Whitworth University:
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private Christian liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
About Spokane Public Schools:
Spokane Public Schools (SPS) serves approximately 29,000 PreK-12 grade students in 58 schools, including 34 elementary schools, nine middle schools, five comprehensive high schools and multiple option schools and programs to meet the needs of all students.
Contacts:
Trisha Coder, associate director of media relations, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu.
Ryan Lancaster, executive director of communications, Spokane Public Schools, (509) 354-7363, ryanla@spokaneschools.org.
