Friday Open Thread
In our house there's a bit of a rush to complete summer assignments. School is starting VERY SOON.
What's on your mind?
What's on your mind?
Tuesday Open Thread
The speaker list is up for the Board meeting tomorrow; not as packed as I thought with just four people on the waitlist. The majority of the speakers are speaking on high school boundaries (with several wanting to talk about Ballard High). There are only three of us speaking about the Green Dot resolution asking the City to not grant the zoning departures that Green Dot has requested. It's me, long-time watchdog, Chris Jackins, and the head of the Washington State Charter Schools Association, Patrick D'Amelio. (I knew Mr. D'Amelio when he headed the Alliance for Education and Big Brothers and Big Sisters; he's a stand-up guy.)
Comments
SPS staffer
The ancients thought that democracy was the second worst form of government--tyranny being the worst. They thought the people too vulnerable to be manipulated by demagogues who whip them into a mob which surrenders its democracy to the demagogue. That is always a danger in democracy--that the people can choose to give it away. We take it for granted but it's fragile.
The market has its place. I am not anti-market or anti-capital, but this idea that the market equals democracy and that a healthy public sphere is somehow anti-democratic has become dangerously widespread. It's sincerely believed by a lot of people, and it is a bit of demagoguery that will lead to the destruction of real democracy if it is not resisted.
-School Math Curious
This week's New York Times debate topic: "Is Teach for America Working?
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/08/30/is-teach-for-america-working
--Old School Music
Funny, haven't heard the term alignment in a long time...
My child is attending private school,
how does one notify SPS w/o losing SPS services for speech?
-NEDad
HIMS mom
What, pray tell, is a "West-B in Special education"?! The West-B is:
"Basic Skills Test Requirement (WEST-B)
Washington Educator Skills Test – Basic (WEST-B). Must successfully complete each subtest for reading, writing and mathematics. Use report code #399 to have your test score sent to OSPI electronically. Test information and registration is available online. OSPI website
The West-E is the test for subject area mastery. Passing the West-E does not, in and of itself, produce an "endorsement" of any kind. So this statement in the SBAR is poppycock:
"Special education teachers teaching multiple subjects must have a bachelor’s degree, a special education endorsement (WEST B), be highly qualified in at least one substantive subject area taught (WEST E)..."
The TFA novice on the SBAR was slated to get hired last fall at Hamilton but hadn't bothered to take the required tests. So now they're trying again.
The SBAR's statement that "five of six" TFA teachers remain on assignment. It is my understanding that:
Aki let one go,
Washington's (actually certificated) SpEd teacher didn't want to teach SpEd, and
RBHS's non-HQT Spanish teacher will lose his spot because the previous teacher is returning from leave.
So is this another instance of staff doing some "creative writing" of SBARs?
As for the two that were slated for TFA Alum's Kristina Bellamy-McClain's Emerson, I've been informed that, due to enrollment adjustments, hiring at Emerson is on hold. I see there is a waitlist for Emerson so not sure what that's about.
-OhTFA
-sped Parent
You can always request special ed services on a part-time basis if your child is home schooled or in private school. You can ask for the services to be provided at the SPS school closest to your home or the private school. If your child just needs SLP services, call SPS and talk to Pat Whitmore.
SWWS
Sped services can be accessed no matter what school your child attends. However, those services are NOT provided at private school sites, or necessarily at the public school closest to your private school or home. There are designated therapy sites and services are only provided during the actual academic day. Also, bus or taxi transportation can be arranged but I would not recommend that. Spotty service, long transport time. Do contact Ms. Whitmore who is the secretary for the SLPs.
Been there, done that
The WEST E is required to get a teaching certificate...even for regular special education teachers.
-OhTFA
fyi
2 kids @ 2 different schools
A3t
Is Seattle - or Renton - really going to try to use a Teach for America corps member as a Special Education teacher?
It says, in part:
[Some p]arents .... also described a disconnect between the concept of choice, which most of them wholeheartedly embrace, and the execution of it. Information on schools provided by the city in printed directories is often outdated (the city’s Web site is more current). And the constant churning of schools, and a school grading system that can result in large swings in a few years, has left them wondering which schools are truly successful.
A comparison of the average MSP pass rates - across 6th, 7th, and 8th grades - vs FRL rates, ranked in order from highest to lowest pass rate (2011-2012):
SCHOOL: Avg MATH pass rate (%FRL)
HIMS: 83.3 (19)
Mercer: 78.4 (75.2)
Eckstein: 77.4 (24.8)
Whitman: 70.9 (30.1)
McClure: 70.7 (32.7)
District: 67.2 (43.2)
Washington: 66.0 (51.7)
Madison: 65.2 (43.4)
Denny: 63.1 (67.1)
Aki: 44.1 (86.5)
Mercer's pass rates on the math MSP rival those of Hamilton (home of North APP) and Eckstein. It is the only traditional middle school in the south end to surpass the district average. A graph of the results is even more compelling. Results for K-8s are not included in the list.