tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post3961412600301746753..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: A View from LaRueMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-77280674165834780462016-06-25T07:13:01.583-07:002016-06-25T07:13:01.583-07:00Good point Kellie. I wish the district could devel...Good point Kellie. I wish the district could develop an institutional memory, and people like Traci Libros would have the opportunity to write down some of their wisdom before departing.<br /><br />Irene<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-86468892620620608022016-06-24T10:59:28.140-07:002016-06-24T10:59:28.140-07:00This thread makes me miss Traci Libros even more. ...This thread makes me miss Traci Libros even more. <br /><br />When Traci was accountable for the enrollment projections, she was tireless in her protection of high FRL schools that had variable enrollment. <br />kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-4618403864448373092016-06-23T17:09:23.403-07:002016-06-23T17:09:23.403-07:00I hope we can use the money to offset the decrease...I hope we can use the money to offset the decrease in PTA funds I fear is coming do to the 10 - 16% property tax increases that are hitting Seattle home owners. <br /><br />It all adds up !<br /><br />Taxed poorAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-74107380596572119752016-06-23T16:45:33.190-07:002016-06-23T16:45:33.190-07:00@ West,
I concur. One of the reasons I wrote the...@ West, <br /><br />I concur. One of the reasons I wrote the board about this recommendation is that it has a direct impact on every school AND a profound impact on the most fragile schools. <br /><br />There is a small risk that 1-2 schools may wind up with 1 FTE above the WSS allocation. However, the only schools that would have that risk are high FRL schools with wide variations in enrollment. This staffing stability would do the most for the schools with the least. <br /><br />kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78645210043001716102016-06-23T14:25:22.499-07:002016-06-23T14:25:22.499-07:00I only say it helps fiscally disadvantaged student...I only say it helps fiscally disadvantaged students because wealthy schools have been privately fundraising to protect their students from such harmful cuts recently- by paying teachers salaries when our district won't.<br /><br />WestAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-8027161886085614012016-06-23T12:59:03.411-07:002016-06-23T12:59:03.411-07:00And again, this solution is so simple and elegant ...And again, this solution is so simple and elegant and not sexy, that is most likely to be dismissed as irrelevant and foolish or pollyanna-like. <br /><br />It is not simplistic. It is just rigorous financial discipline. kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-38470675878324699142016-06-23T12:57:19.226-07:002016-06-23T12:57:19.226-07:00Thanks everyone for the feedback and clarification...Thanks everyone for the feedback and clarifications. Here are few additional ways to address this. <br /><br />UNDERSPEND is a really good thing. It means that things are within budget and the budget folks are doing a great job. Everyone on the finance team should be commended. (The opposite is overspend and well ... overspend gets ugly) <br /><br />The ART of managing underspend is a different thing entirely. The way this underspend is being presented is as if it was money to be carved up as Eric so aptly noted. However, underspend is NOT money to be carved up. Underspend is money that should go back into the pot to protect the budget. <br /><br />This is a good reason why the budget folks are so conservative in the Spring. What the good reason is, doesn't really matter, just that the budget folks are under extreme pressure to be as conservative as possible every spring. <br /><br />The CONSEQUENCES of this appropriate overly-conservative budget practice is another matter entirely. The Consequences are dreadful and EXPENSIVE to both finance and to students. <br /><br />Unnecessary staff turn over from RIFs and rehires impacts every single building in the district. <br /><br />Another way to say this is is to take the underspend and use that "win" to STOP doing Spring cuts. <br /><br />kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-59357972273395753892016-06-23T12:14:27.476-07:002016-06-23T12:14:27.476-07:00I doubt it would stretch quite that far... but the...I doubt it would stretch quite that far... but the list is solid. Avoiding October cuts would most help our fiscally disadvantaged and black kids, so it should make our PC contingent happy. This should be a no-brainer. Why in the world would staff propose anything else?<br /><br />WestAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-40703929815418602222016-06-23T11:43:56.903-07:002016-06-23T11:43:56.903-07:00The reason I asked is that 30 teachers is relative...The reason I asked is that 30 teachers is relatively small potatoes if there's $11M waiting to be carved up. 30 teachers is ~$3M, maybe round up to $4M to cover October headcount losses. Bilingual IAs would be somewhere around $2M (based on JSIS raising $400K for this). A good chunk of IB would be $1M, which would also save the wood shop at Sealth. That leaves $4M for curricular materials, maybe LA or a middle school math adoption. <br /><br />Done.Eric Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-43594474652892226662016-06-23T11:31:30.519-07:002016-06-23T11:31:30.519-07:00People are always talking about putting the money ...People are always talking about putting the money to work in the classrooms. This is how.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-70800750159771311992016-06-23T11:11:40.866-07:002016-06-23T11:11:40.866-07:00Yes, keeping our professional teachers should be t...Yes, keeping our professional teachers should be the priority. Our rapid cut then hire then cut system is traumatic for thousands of students every year. It ends up preventing many students from having a basic education for weeks, months or semesters. We should have a buffer. Simple. Love it.<br /><br />WestAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-1657505657753241712016-06-23T10:59:51.096-07:002016-06-23T10:59:51.096-07:00Eric B, I remember 15 at elementary, then about 6 ...Eric B, I remember 15 at elementary, then about 6 at middle and a few more at high school. So something like 30, and that did not include non classroom teacher staff(pcp, specialists, etc). With some adds, but not very many(and not necessarily the same subjects). Can't go do the full accounting right now, but way too big of a number. I desperately hope they listen to Kellie.<br /><br />-sleeperAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-23023007401850463942016-06-23T10:52:09.559-07:002016-06-23T10:52:09.559-07:00Eric B, this is the post you are thinking of.
ht...Eric B, this is the post you are thinking of. <br /><br />https://saveseattleschools.blogspot.com/2016/06/seattle-schools-this-week.html?showComment=1466446167512#c3505712921310453907<br /><br />The same poster, Frustrated, linked to an article from WS Blog as a source, but that article doesn't spell out the FTE gains/losses. It references a letter that included the info but the full letter isn't posted. Would really like to see that letter. <br /><br />It also links to the enrollment projections posted this week: <br /><br />http://www.seattleschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_543/File/District/Departments/Enrollment%20Planning/Projections/2016-17%20School%20Enrollment%20Projections.pdf<br /><br />good fitAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-80338826656472257462016-06-23T09:33:42.986-07:002016-06-23T09:33:42.986-07:00One north-end school is loosing 13 teachers. The l...One north-end school is loosing 13 teachers. The loss is not related to district cuts. Teachers are retiring, moving out of state etc.<br /><br />I only say this to call attention to many issues within the district and because I am concerned about the upcoming teacher shortage.Many Problemsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-30108817290626461422016-06-23T07:58:43.609-07:002016-06-23T07:58:43.609-07:00Can someone remind me how many teachers are on the...Can someone remind me how many teachers are on the chopping block due to reduced numbers this spring? It helps to know if this is 10 or 50. I know it was in a thread a little ways back, but I'm not sure which one. Thanks!Eric Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-87860936528352725622016-06-22T19:11:37.322-07:002016-06-22T19:11:37.322-07:00What stands out for me is how clearly Kellie under...What stands out for me is how clearly Kellie understands the issues and is able to articulate them with clarity to the rest of us. Do you ever get the feeling our administrative people just aren't that smart? I'm sorry to be so blunt but her ability to clarify so any topics should be a wake-up call to our district officials and board. Nnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-49539820434928096922016-06-22T17:18:11.214-07:002016-06-22T17:18:11.214-07:00Thank you Mel.
@ Watching, this recommendation i...Thank you Mel. <br /><br />@ Watching, this recommendation is not to the exclusion of IB, deaf and hard of hearing etc. <br /><br />One time budget items should be used for a one time purpose. <br /><br />Ongoing budget items need to be addressed in the WSS. IB, deaf and hard of hearing, etc. These issues NEED to be built into the WSS. As a side note, the IB funding is built into the state funding formula and as such it is inexcusable that it is not built into the WSS. <br /><br />Finally, while staff has not identified the SOURCE of the surprise funds, starting in 2008, with the adoption of the WSF, there have been MILLIONS in underspend in the Teaching and Learning budget every year. Based on the draconian and unnecessary cuts last October, I am very suspicious that the the bulk of the $11M was generated by UNDERSPEND on teachers. As such, IMHO, the money should be used as a budget buffer to prevent cuts in a budget category that has left over money .... every year. <br /><br />In other words, if we have money left over EVERY YEAR in the teaching budget, then it is reasonable to assume that if we just take that money ONE TIME and front load it into the teaching budget, we can then create a positive cycle of using the prior year underspend to create staffing stability and then use the subsequent year's underspend to repeat that stability going forward. <br /><br />Here is one last way to say this. If I were in charge, I would be requesting a comparison of the October staffing reductions and the subsequent June underspend. If the June underspend is the same or more than the October cuts, then it is clear the cuts were excessive. <br /><br />So use the underspend to not keep repeating this practice. <br /><br /><br /><br />kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-60218733285095915712016-06-22T12:48:04.316-07:002016-06-22T12:48:04.316-07:00Thank you, Eric; I will do just that.Thank you, Eric; I will do just that.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-58620320797502166632016-06-22T10:45:47.653-07:002016-06-22T10:45:47.653-07:00I must leave funding for IB, deaf and hard of hear...I must leave funding for IB, deaf and hard of hearing, trauma informed instruction and teacher/administrative supports to deal with decreased suspension rates on my wish list.Watchingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-26797553342415149462016-06-22T10:06:20.430-07:002016-06-22T10:06:20.430-07:00The naysayers could show up at the budget hearing ...The naysayers could show up at the budget hearing tomorrow and advocate for this change...Eric Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-53528757450073326162016-06-22T09:50:53.046-07:002016-06-22T09:50:53.046-07:00Well, logical decisions are not the SPS Admin stro...Well, logical decisions are not the SPS Admin strong suit, but one could hope. It such a simple elegant way of solving a very disruptive issue - it puts, ultimately, kids first. But simple and elegant and solving are sadly, nowhere in the SPS admin vocabulary, if past behavior is any indicator. Sigh....<br /><br />reader47Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-8426180239848090532016-06-22T09:02:23.178-07:002016-06-22T09:02:23.178-07:00Reprinting for anonymous - no anonymous comments, ...Reprinting for anonymous - no anonymous comments, please:<br /><br />Love that idea - send it to the School Board and Mr. Nyland!!!!!!!Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-64939081232206758792016-06-22T09:00:58.804-07:002016-06-22T09:00:58.804-07:00Imagine, no staff churn, district-wide. What a gif...Imagine, no staff churn, district-wide. What a gift!<br /><br />They will never do it, simply because the idea came from a parent.<br /><br />Po3noreply@blogger.com