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Well, There's Always Mercer Island
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This from the Times today. Looks like Mercer Island district doesn't have enough students and will take kids from the "mainland". I wonder what percentage of MI kids go to private school?
I don't think there is a higher percentage of kids attending private school on Mercer Island, than in any other neighborhood.
Just going by the addresses of the parents at my kids "private" schools anyway. ;)
I think for Mercer Island- just from my unprofessional opinion- there are a couple things going on. Always has been small under 18 population- never has had more than one high school as far as I know, even during the 60s when even city schools were packed.
"Neighborhoods" are not really set up for ease of family life. Great houses, but do you want your kids to ride their bikes along side the road?
Higher end than many communities, which also tend to have smaller families. I don't know anyone personally, who has ever lived on the Island, who has more than two kids.
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.)
Update 2: an absolutely fabulous interactive map made by parent Beth Day (@thebethocracy on Twitter - she covers Board meetings and is fun to read). end of update Update 1: Mea culpa, I did indeed get Decatur and Thornton Creek mixed up. Thanks to all for the correction. end of update I suspect some who read this post will be irate. Why do this? Because the district seems very hellbent on this effort with no oversight skid marks from the Board. To clearly state - I do not believe that closing 20 schools is a good idea. I think they hit on 20 because they thought it might bring in the most savings. But the jury is still out on the savings because the district has not shown its work nor its data. I suspect closing schools and THEN leasing/renting them is the big plan but that means the district really has to keep the buildings up. But this district, with its happy talk about "well-resourced schools" is NOT acknowledging the pain and yes, gr...
From the ever-amusing Washington Policy Center : Vouchers are Pell Grants for students under 18. Vouchers are no different than Pell Grants or GI benefits, except the money goes to the families of students younger than age 18. Except they are. Pell Grants were created to help needy students and that's not really the goal of the voucher program. The Pell grant website does have a couple of great studies on why low-income students drop out before finishing their higher ed and what makes a difference.
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Just going by the addresses of the parents at my kids "private" schools anyway. ;)
I think for Mercer Island- just from my unprofessional opinion- there are a couple things going on.
Always has been small under 18 population- never has had more than one high school as far as I know, even during the 60s when even city schools were packed.
"Neighborhoods" are not really set up for ease of family life.
Great houses, but do you want your kids to ride their bikes along side the road?
Higher end than many communities, which also tend to have smaller families. I don't know anyone personally, who has ever lived on the Island, who has more than two kids.
Perhaps there is something in the water.