School Board Policies Being Updated/Changed

FYI from the School Board webpage:

WSSDA (Washington State School Directors Association) alignment work:
In consultation with WSSDA, the Board is reviewing and updating each section of policies. The revisions will happen a section at a time. The policies will be renumbered in order to follow the WSSDA model. For example, Section B, Board of Directors, will become Series 1000.
This website will post the proposed policies prior to their adoption in order to invite public input.
Other Policies:
  • New Policy D85.00, Student Fees & Charges, scheduled for Introduction on May 4 and Action May 18
  • Amended Policy G23.00 and New Procedure G23.01, Office of Internal Audit, scheduled for Introduction on May 4 and Action May 18
  • Amended Policy F08.00, Tobacco-Free Environment, scheduled for Introduction on May 18 and Action June 1
  • Amended Policy C11.00 and repeal of policies C12.00, C13.00 and C14.00, scheduled for Introduction on May 4 and Action May 18
  • Amended Policy D43.00 and repeal of policies D44.00, D45.00 and D46.00, scheduled for Introduction on May 4 and Action May 18
If you would like to comment on the policy work, please e-mail Schoolboard@seattleschools.org.

If you have any questions regarding policies, please contact the School Board Office at the email above or 206-252-0040. Thank you.

Comments

dan dempsey said…
The policy that is needed is the one that reflects the reality of Seattle Schools.

policy #1A:

The SPS is a top down autocratic system. No dissent from top down edicts will ever be permitted.

policy #1B: The SPS is an Ed Reform District

Example 1A... Mr. Martin Floe's firing

Example 1 B ... District Math direction.
5/12/11, 10:35 AM
dan dempsey said…
NWEA/MAP testing is a part of Ed Reform. MAP testing is useless for determining specific interventions needed by students.

Being a pure Ed Reform District the SPS will adopt a new promotion/ non-promotion policy that says nothing about providing interventions for struggling students.

The District puts Vendor's needs far above student needs..... just like Race to the Top.

The SPS is a top down autocratic system. No dissent from top down edicts will ever be permitted.
5/12/11, 10:41 AM
Charlie Mas said…
Governance is about making policy. It is not enough for the Board to write policy. If they do not enforce policy, then they have not made policy. If they cannot enforce policy then they cannot govern.

The Board, for all of their talk about governance, has no means for enforcing policy. Here, with this opportunity to set a process for them to enforce policy by writing a governance policy, this totally useless Board swings and misses. There is nothing - nothing at all - in this policy that will provide the Board with any means for enforcing policy. Consequently this policy fails as a governance policy because it neglects to provide the Board with a means to govern.
5/12/11, 10:53 AM
dan dempsey said…
The Board has no interest in governing.

Rubber Stamping is easy ... governing might be hard.
5/12/11, 10:57 AM
Charlie Mas said…
From the proposed Policy 1005, Responsibilities and Authority of the Board:

"It is the duty and responsibility of the Board to set policy for, and provide governance and oversight of, the Seattle School District."

From Proposed Policy 1010:
The School Board is responsible for governance and oversight of all departments and major program areas of the district, both academic and operational (referred to below collectively as 'Oversight Areas')."

and

"The goals of the oversight of management policy are to:

* Evaluate each Oversight Area's implementation plans, goals and objectives.

* Enable the Board to perform appropriate oversight of management of each Oversight Area by monitoring progress toward performance indicators.

* Ensure the district has qualified personnel overseeing its programs.

* Ensure compliance with state law and Board policies and procedures."

But, for all of the rest of the document and all of the rest of the other Board policies on governance, there is not another mention of ensuring compliance with Board policy, let alone state law.

This policy is inadequate for the task it sets for itself. It re-states the problem but it does not solve it.
5/12/11, 11:52 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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.)
Read more

Breaking It Down: Where the District Might Close Schools

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...
Read more

Education News Roundup

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.
Read more