The Mayoral Candidates Weigh in on SPS

From today's debate between candidates for mayor, Mike McGinn and Joe Mallahan, on the subject of schools (this via Publicola):

"The candidates also diverged on the question of how to fix Seattle’s faltering public schools. McGinn said that if the schools didn’t improve in his first couple of years as mayor, he would consider taking them over, but added, “We would have to make the case to the public and let them evaluate that [idea] themselves.” Mallahan said he would not take over the schools, but would lobby the legislature to “have the state meet its [financial] obligations” to pay for public education in Seattle."

From the Times coverage:

"McGinn reiterated the portion of his campaign platform about Seattle Public Schools, which he says should show greater results or face a city-government takeover.

Voters in Seattle consistently support school levies, but the district still has inconsistent school quality and too high a dropout rate, he said.

Mallahan says the mayor has plenty to do without taking over the district. He thinks the city government should work with the district and use the funding in the Families and Education Levy to pay for changes."

I don't know that I would want any mayor to take over the schools. However, if this district cannot right itself in a couple of years with the Strategic Plan, a new SAP and a curriculum alignment, than maybe it will take something major. Yes, the mayor does have plenty to do but how long can we be a great city without overall good schools (with some weighing in as great schools)? And I love Mallahan saying the Legislature should fund education properly. Really Joe? Where have you been all these years? And then, having the Families and Education levy pay for changes? What changes, Joe and what happens to the programs it currently funds?

Both candidates have children enrolled in SPS.

I did already interview Mike McGinn so I'll see if I can get Joe Mallahan to sit down with me as well.

Comments

dan dempsey said…
If Thomas Ahearne and the NEWS lawsuit prevail, then the state will be funding education adequately.

A huge problem in SPS schools are the decision makers who ignore what works in favor of fads and failed ideology. To think that the high school drop out problem can be fixed without a k-4 fix is absurd.

10th Grade Math
Pass rates
Year White ALL Black
1999 41.30% 24.80% 5.40%
2000 48.50% 32.20% 8.30%
2001 52.70% 33.70% 6.10%
2002 53.80% 35.30% 8.10%
2003 52.50% 34.90% 7.00%
2004 58.70% 38.60% 11.30%
2005 57.10% 40.80% 12.90%
2006 72.20% 55.70% 21.70%
2007 70.80% 50.20% 19.60%
2008 68.30% 50.40% 16.00%
2009 69.80% 48.50% 16.30%

Any question as to why Black students might not be staying in high school.

"Discovery/Inquiry" math does not work, if a student has no outside help Forget It.

Somebody ought to take over this SPS mess who actually has a viable plan based on what works.
reader said…
The only thing that McGinn knows about "public schools" is that he doesn't want any. Should we all just go to UCDS like his kids do? Has he ever even been in a public school? Pernaps that's his answer? Everyone should just go to UCDS. How does he even know that they're bad.. from that vantage point. And... oh yeah... we should all just bike to work too.
Patrick said…
I am a bit mystified. We have an elected school board, which for better or for worse has the mandate to run the school district. How can the head of an unrelated government body set aside that mandate?

Even if they did, what could the mayor do that the board can't? There would still be major differences between neighborhoods of the school district, an entrenched and protected bureaucracy at the district office, and limited amounts of money with which to solve these problems. The mayor would still have a full-time job running the city government, where would he find time to run the schools too?
Mr. Mallahan's children are in Seattle public schools unless he lied to me. Reader, how did you find out his children are at UCDS?

Mayor Nickels and Senator Murray had been for this idea of a takeover a couple of years back. I think it is more the idea of the Mayor either hiring the Super him/herself, appointing some of the Board and then leaving it in their hands. Meaning, that the Board would do oversight but the Superintendent choice would be out of their hands and in the hands of city government who, presumably, has more hiring and firing experience.

NYC and LA's mayors are in charge of their schools for better or worse. Those are just two examples of cities that are trying this method. If you go back to my thread of my interview with McGinn, you can see his thinking.
bf said…
Melissa, Reader said McGinn, not Mallahan.
Sorry, McGINN told me and it says at his website that his kids are in Seattle public schools. Again, I ask, what is the source of your information?
reader said…
Ooops. Sorry, wrong Mike. Thanks for the correction. I retract my dis on Mike McGinn. It's Mike O'Brien running for ciy council, who is hot and heavy about "fixing our public schools" that are so horrible. And he knows they're horrible, how exactly? His kids are the ones at UCDS. Oh yeah... lets not build a tunnel, let's all just bike to work. Hey, I'm green, by golly. I'm president of the Sierra Club.

Funny how all these liberals run on platforms like "good schools for all" (they don't want to go to school with the "all", of course) The fact that there's not one thing he can do about the horrible schools attended by the masses... well, that's doesn't seem to matter when making a platform. Why not throw in "I will end the Iraq war, Afghanistan too"... for a few extra PC points?

I hate seeing our schools discredited, dubbed horrible and in need of vague "fixes", esp by people who would never dream of attending them; and then used as a platform, when there's really not a thing the office of "city council" can do about them. (Mayor can't do much either.)

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