tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post8520154089510134274..comments2024-03-28T23:38:22.511-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: City of Seattle Pre-K InitiativeMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-2150839834078511112014-09-13T22:19:38.964-07:002014-09-13T22:19:38.964-07:00My sister's kid is in free public preschool in...My sister's kid is in free public preschool in DC. All I can say is not a freaking chance I would ever send my kid there. Nor I would guess would most people in North Seattle who have any other reasonable options. I don't know how much of their day is totally academic, but they give homework. Homework?!? Her just turned 4 year old is coloring shapes and copying numbers and letters. Some kids can, but it not developmentally appropriate to expect during the school day, let alone at night.<br /><br />Seattle has a decent amount of fairly inexpensive options for parents who do not need child are for a 10hr +/- day. Co-op schools, parks & rec programs (which are inexpensive AND have 8:1 ratios - better than the 10:1 proposed. I think good programs should be available to all and would be willing to support a measure that actually seemed likely to maybe get quality (play based!) preschool to kids who really aren't getting it/cannot afford it (NATIONALLY even) but fail to see how funding a really long academic day at 4 (when we don't even fund all day K as it is) and subsidizing tons of people who already happily and fairly easily pay for high quality preschool makes any sense.<br /><br />NE parentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-35310215941483465932014-09-12T14:46:31.552-07:002014-09-12T14:46:31.552-07:00So, for the pre-K initiative to not make it onto t...So, for the pre-K initiative to not make it onto the list of staff priorities presented to the Board, it would seem that either:<br /><br />1. It was such a low priority that it wasn't worth mentioning.<br /><br />OR<br /><br />2. It was deemed a body of work that was outside of the governance/direction of the School Board.<br /><br />If they intend to dedicate an entire year to obtaining data and feedback in regard to the bell time shift analysis (as stated in the August 15th Friday memo)...then it is hard to imagine that the time and personnel required to conduct the proper research and feedback regarding a major initiative like pre-K (which would involve input from early childhood learning, teaching and learning, budget/finance, operations, facilities/capacity management, and communication/outreach) would be so insignificant as to have not made the list of staff priorities. This would seemingly rule out scenario #1.<br /><br />- North-end MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-62422928727385383132014-09-12T13:49:59.950-07:002014-09-12T13:49:59.950-07:00That's what EVERYONE in the JSCEE upper income...That's what EVERYONE in the JSCEE upper income bracket works on all day.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-79073385372680254392014-09-12T13:47:18.093-07:002014-09-12T13:47:18.093-07:00The city's pre-k initiative was not addressed ...The city's pre-k initiative was not addressed at the board retreat. <br /><br />As a matter of fact, the board was unaware of the city's pre-k project and staff have been working, for YEARS, with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on this project.Transparency Pleasenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-6985534219629239912014-09-12T12:50:34.370-07:002014-09-12T12:50:34.370-07:00oops - in the above post, it should read "pre...oops - in the above post, it should read "presented by staff," not presented to staff."<br /><br />I'm referring to the list staff came up to present to the Board at the retreat. I just don't remember pre-K being on that list.<br /><br />- North-end MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-7498966919383312302014-09-12T12:48:32.487-07:002014-09-12T12:48:32.487-07:00Sorry for not being as up to speed on this as I sh...Sorry for not being as up to speed on this as I should be, but was the City's pre-K initiative on the long list of priorities presented to staff at the Board Retreat last year, when staff were making their case for how much work/projects would have to be shifted in order for them to investigate the bell change shift?<br /><br />A related question- Was the investigation (apparently being conducted by Teaching and Learning) of how to manage enrollment/capacity by running high schools in shifts included in that long list of staff duties/priorities? I don't recall seeing it, but maybe it was there is some sort of edu-speak code?<br /><br />For that matter, was managing high school enrollment/capacity listed as a priority at all?<br /><br />- North-end MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-87198605672938210012014-09-11T21:19:33.354-07:002014-09-11T21:19:33.354-07:00BTW, I took note of the slick "Seattle's ...BTW, I took note of the slick "Seattle's PreK-3rd Partnership" brochure stamped "Revised Final: June 2011". If you want to see it, check <a href="http://newschoolfoundation.org/where-we-work/seattle-prek-3rd-partnership/" rel="nofollow">here.</a> Yes, although City suits made it out to be proof of SPS-COS marching lockstep in harmony for tha last four years, it appears to have been a New School endeavour during the MGJ era. <br /><br />I made a point to look at board agendas from 2010 and 2011 and found little to any reference to this project (during that period it was all TFA, MAP and test mania). No wonder the board members looked puzzled whenever Burgess pointed out how it's been a happy marriage for years.<br /><br />This "integrated, aligned" (and embedded, another favorite staff word yesterday) partnership is one of the many that go on at JSCEE when the rest of us are just trying to keep up with student fees, budget cuts, and the crisis du jour. <br /><br />I think that may be part of what Carr alluded to today. Namely, let's not go off half-cocked and find ourselves in a hole because staff did not do their homework and were off spending their time on working groups for the latest ed reform idea.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-23291701108357797712014-09-11T20:48:21.556-07:002014-09-11T20:48:21.556-07:00Gate's grant is just seed money. The grant wa...Gate's grant is just seed money. The grant wants SPS, not the city, to find a sustainable funding stream. We've heard this before.<br /><br />Gate's "agreement" also calls for principals to work with the city's Dept. of Ed. to align Prek-5. Since when do principals work for the city? This is just another tactic to divide staff and pit staff against board.<br /><br />The agreement would/should be changed and eliminate the K-5 alignment.. The agreement should be changed to fund K- that's all.<br /><br />First we see Prek-3 alignment, which makes sense. Then, the camel, in this case Murray and Burgess, stick their noses a little further under the educational tent and want prek-5 alignment.Transparency Pleasenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-74157177737899563562014-09-11T19:32:23.898-07:002014-09-11T19:32:23.898-07:00Their consultant called it a "6-hour academic...Their consultant called it a "6-hour academic day". That may include directed play but that a long academic day for little ones.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-73709355702710597292014-09-11T19:11:30.017-07:002014-09-11T19:11:30.017-07:00Yes Eden. Energy and moolah. I find out today tha...Yes Eden. Energy and moolah. I find out today that $1M in bribes, I mean, grants fell from the from BMGF for...any guesses?<br /><br />I applaud Sherry Carr when she told staff, and I paraphrase, "we expect that the district <i>(meaning staff and board, I believe)</i> will establish those responsibilities and costs that SPS will agree to take upon itself BEFORE agreeing to any partnership."<br /><br />I totally understand where this comment may come from. Through the many years I've tracked in this district, central staff has had no problem jumping onto the latest Gates or whomever wagon - leading to the explosive growth in central admin costs. What I (and I believe Carr) heard today was: if we get this grant and the initiative passes, then we'd use the grant money to fund existing or new central FTE to do...stuff. I was amazed to hear Herndon say "we could figure out what it really costs to run these preschool classrooms..." If you don't KNOW that already, then what business do you have signing onto ANY agreement or "partnership"?<br /><br />The "special interest" items on the A&F agenda were just positioning for staff to tell the board "we kept you informed!"mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-86953735131783315602014-09-11T17:28:49.019-07:002014-09-11T17:28:49.019-07:00Interestingly Karl Alexander
Sociology professor, ...Interestingly Karl Alexander<br />Sociology professor, Johns Hopkins University who wrote "The Long Shadow" wrote a blog post which reiterates:<br /><br />"Evidence shows that a high-quality preschool experience can dramatically enhance low-income children’s school readiness and eventual life outcomes.<br />But is access to quality preschool really a “sure path to the middle class”? Not by itself."<br /><br />http://qz.com/255900/universal-preschool-wont-help-poor-americans-enter-the-middle-class/<br /><br />While I'm personally very supportive of preschool efforts, they simply are not by themselves a magic bullet for narrowing the opportunity and achievement gap. <br /><br />When we still have pay for k in about 1/2 of our elementary schools and the legislature was just held in contempt for not funding education and parents and teachers have to rely on finding extra $'s (PTA's or grants) because basic education needs like classroom supplies and counselors and librarians and playground equipment and books and so on are not covered, I wonder why so much energy is focused on this one "solution."<br /><br />We actually have a serious overcrowding problem right now and the very real possibility that our high schools will be forced into "split shifts" within a few short years, and pre-k is the "blueprint for narrowing the opportunity and achievement gap?"<br /><br />What about focusing some political energy and funding on K-12 too? <br /> <br />Eden<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-90565765003518254532014-09-11T17:11:52.961-07:002014-09-11T17:11:52.961-07:00I agree! I like finger painting and circle time.I agree! I like finger painting and circle time.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-72349194847034375672014-09-11T16:34:17.951-07:002014-09-11T16:34:17.951-07:00@Mirmac, I'd feel a lot better about the curr...@Mirmac, I'd feel a lot better about the curriculum when I can see a copy. "Will develop" gives me no comfort at all. My biggest worry about this is that it will be 4+ hours of in-chair work that is totally inappropriate for kids that age, especially the active boys. Discipline/suspensions for preschool is messed up enough already without an overly rigorous curriculum. Eric Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89160510843802806332014-09-11T15:51:12.718-07:002014-09-11T15:51:12.718-07:00Here is the most absolute biggest joke (taken from...Here is the most absolute biggest joke (taken from Mirimac's document) :<br /><br /><br />This proposal will support initial costs of implementation, with the understanding that Seattle Public Schools will identify sustainable funding streams (City, State, and/or"<br /><br />First of all, SPS does not have a stable funding stream. Second, why does the city want SPS to find funds??Transparency Pleasenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-23351127609736521962014-09-11T15:39:08.620-07:002014-09-11T15:39:08.620-07:00Hold on and wait ONE minute! From Mirimac's at...Hold on and wait ONE minute! From Mirimac's attached document:<br /><br />"SPS Early Learning Department to develop a three year plan for P-5 schools, reinforcing principals’ P-5 pedagogy and leadership, collaboration with the City’s Office of Education to build a more robust PreK-5 working group, coordination with the Educare/White Center Heights P-5 campus in Highline Public Schools to benefit from their lessons learned, and improvement of regional communication systems regarding P-5 approaches."<br /><br />Why is the city partnering with principals for preK-5th grade!! What business does the city have sticking their noses in K-5?? This proposal is getting worse and worse.<br /><br />swk, I hear you regarding loss of quality private preschools. I've read the same to be true with models similar to city's plan.<br /><br />Neither of these proposals are acceptable, but will voters see through all the campaign rhetoric?Transparency Pleasenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-58266619974306526482014-09-11T15:29:15.231-07:002014-09-11T15:29:15.231-07:00Eric B. the City plans on adopting specific curric...Eric B. the City plans on adopting specific curricula.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-73092180456116492592014-09-11T15:20:49.581-07:002014-09-11T15:20:49.581-07:00@Meg, I think an 8-hour day is fine provided that ...@Meg, I think an 8-hour day is fine provided that only a couple of hours are "academic" (learning letters, basic math, etc.) and the rest is art, games, unstructured play, etc. I'm not holding out hope that this is the actual plan, though. Eric Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-2045494119120310792014-09-11T13:10:33.221-07:002014-09-11T13:10:33.221-07:00Transparency Please, I don't understand your q...Transparency Please, I don't understand your question: "Is it correct to say that the city does not pay unionized child care workers?"<br /><br />I don't think the city provides child care services at all. The initiative would provide a pot of money in which new or existing preschools could apply in order to serve 3 and 4 year olds in the "pilot." It is the preschools that pay the workers, not the city directly.<br /><br />--- swkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-26016754971796515992014-09-11T12:30:48.248-07:002014-09-11T12:30:48.248-07:00Pg 12 here.
S'funny, Burgess wanted to skip ...Pg 12 <a href="http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/1583136/File/Departmental%20Content/school%20board/14-15%20agendas/091014agenda/20140910_Presentation_PreK.pdf" rel="nofollow">here.</a> <br /><br />S'funny, Burgess wanted to skip Pg 24. Maybe because it presumes capturing $2.8M in Head Start and ECEAP funds by 2019.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78384929479828764942014-09-11T12:14:15.347-07:002014-09-11T12:14:15.347-07:00Even more per kid Meg because it's not 2K kids...Even more per kid Meg because it's not 2K kids for four years. It will roll out in phases.<br /><br />Yr 1 = 280 kids<br />Yr 2 = 780 kids<br />Yr 3 = 1400 kids<br />Yr 4 = 2000 kids<br /><br />At $58M, that's over $16K per kid.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78467275532833616922014-09-11T11:55:05.781-07:002014-09-11T11:55:05.781-07:00swk,
Is it correct to say that the city does not ...swk,<br /><br />Is it correct to say that the city does not pay unionized child care workers?<br /><br />The city absolutely has good intentions. <br /><br />Now, the city wants 42 administrators for 2000 students. So, we're looking at approximately 1 administrator for every 50 students. Excessive? Any chance the city is using these dollars to lay a foundation for an administrative structure that would allow for mayoral control of public ed? Was it a coincidence that Murray announced the formation of an educational branch of the city government?<br /><br />Say what you like, but there is a good chance Burgess/ Murray are laying the structure for more administrative structure within our school district. When it comes to incrementalism- Murray is a genius. Will Murray take-up Peaslee and publicly deny an effort for mayoral control?Transparency Pleasenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-44250597865149202942014-09-11T11:30:16.786-07:002014-09-11T11:30:16.786-07:00I'm going to assume that the city means well. ...I'm going to assume that the city means well. Because I do think that city-wide pre-K would be great.<br /><br />BUT.<br /><br />Consider that the city is proposing $14.5M per year for 2,000 students. It works out to a per student budget of $7,200-ish a year, more than Garfield, more than WMS, more, in fact, than most schools in the district. So... just based on the cost, it looks to me like they city is planning on full day pre-K. Is it reasonable to expect 4-year-olds to be in full day school? Is it reasonable to expect Seattle taxpayers to fund full-day pre-K when full day kindergarten isn't funded? On the flip side: for most working families, without a program that spans the working day, even free pre-K would be out of reach.<br /><br />SPS administration is, at best, both inefficient and ineffective. I can understand why the city might not want to entrust SPS with pre-K. BUT. The city is proposing having taxpayers pay for an additional education administration... which, what? No. No, no, no. <br /><br />And putting any pre-Ks in the public schools is wrong. There isn't adequate space for the students SPS is required to serve, and there's not enough money to build enough space.<br /><br />Ultimately, I agree with Melissa: the city should work to help SPS get K-12 right before hurtling forward with a half-baked idea that they're calling a plan.Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12795753563127975720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-16373769345124021462014-09-11T10:32:58.388-07:002014-09-11T10:32:58.388-07:00Pre-K is a great idea with broad popularity. But t...Pre-K is a great idea with broad popularity. But the plan before us is flawed and threatens K-12 priorities, which shouldn't happen. If we reject both initiatives, this issue will come back and we can help get it right.<br /><br />I am also concerned about the possibility of standardized testing being given to small kids.Greenwoodynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-15506499643443742612014-09-11T08:59:29.825-07:002014-09-11T08:59:29.825-07:00Interesting. Why does this "grant" memo,...Interesting. Why does this "grant" memo, fail to describe who is behind this largesse?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/1583136/File/Departmental%20Content/Business%20&%20Finance/P-5_Aligned.pdf" rel="nofollow">possible funding for PreKindergarten classrooms aligned with the Seattle Preschool Program</a> <br /><br />I'll bet it's Gates. It follows their "carrot and stick" approach.<br /><br />For discussion at A&F today. Won't be there. Somebody please go and scowl for me.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-1320117488561059252014-09-11T08:56:47.220-07:002014-09-11T08:56:47.220-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.com