Schools First Release Press Release on 2013 Levies
From Schools First (the group that works to support SPS levies):
Seattle (December 17)
–Schools
First, the grassroots, volunteer-led campaign organization that convenes
every three
years to build support among Seattle voters for renewing the Seattle
Schools operating and capital levies, announced today that it has begun
its work to pass the 2013 levies, which will be on the ballot on
February 12.
The
Operations Levy provides more than a quarter of the funds needed to
operate the Seattle Public Schools, including funding for day-to-day
teaching and instructional programs such as a sixth period for high
school.
The Capital Levy (BEX IV) will provide essential funding to maintain
and improve Seattle’s aging existing schools, provide earthquake safety
upgrades at 37 schools, and build and renovate schools in growing
communities across the city.
These
levies replace the expiring operating and capital levies.
“It
is important to note that both of these critically important levies are
renewals of existing levies,” said Greg Wong, an attorney at Pacifica
Law Group and the current president of Schools First. “The operating
levy is essential to keep our schools functioning, and with over
one-third of Seattle’s school buildings more than 50 years old, the
capital levy renews our commitment to providing safe, quality schools
for our kids.”
Honorary
campaign co-chairs include King County Executive Dow Constantine and
Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, while Schools First’s Finance Committee is
chaired by Steve Mullin, president of the Washington Roundtable.
“You
can’t have a great city without vibrant and successful schools,” Mullin
said. “Now, as academic performance and graduation rates in our schools
have begun to show improvement, we need to step up to make sure
the progress continues by providing the necessary resources to educate
the growing number of children entering Seattle’s public schools.”
Enrollment
in Seattle Public Schools has begun to grow rapidly, and demographic
projections show that growth continuing. This year alone, 1,400
additional students enrolled in the Seattle schools, and that trend
is expected to continue.
“Increasingly parents with young children here in
Seattle are choosing to enroll their children in public schools. We all
have a lot of work to do to live up to that responsibility. To serve
all of
our families we need to ensure that there is a safe, secure, and modern
learning environment for every child who comes to our doors,” adds
Seattle Education Association president Jonathan Knapp.
I deeply appreciate and support the work of Schools First. But this press release does NOT convey the urgency of either levy or the dire situation of capital funds and facilities.
The State has not fully-funded our schools and is under court order to do so but you wouldn't know that from this press release.
Our schools are bursting at the seams in some areas but you wouldn't understand that from this press release.
Is this how they plan to sell two levies for over $1B? I'm not sure I get this strategy.
Comments
Did Michael DeBell write that handout? Because he's been the biggest whiner about SpEd students having their hand out; getting O&M money when they have "their OWN money" and besides the Feds should pay for their civil right, like black children and girl athletes, right?
Schools First needs to get their facts straight. They've already lost my vote.
-parent
Yep it's a mouthful, and an unpleasant one at that.
(See: Should the School District Be Allowed to Give Our Kids’ Phone numbers, Addresses and Photos to Every Tom, Dick and Pollster? Also see: Seattle School District hires staffer from Strategies 360 – the political marketing firm that misused private student contact info to push ed reform agenda)
Oh and the Alliance for Education was partner in these shenanigans too, likely paid Strategies 360/DMA for these questionable services, and admits that it created the "Our Schools Coalition."
Look for more such shenanigans as we head into the next round of teachers' contract negotiations next year. The Alliance has influencing the teachers' contract on its priority list.
Thanks to the shady efforts and push by this corp ed reform clique to tie teacher evaluations to student test scores, and the capitulation of union leadership, our kids have been burdened with increasingly more testing, misuse of the MAP test, and teachers are being pressured to focus on raising test scores instead of offering breadth and depth that true education requires.
I'll make up my own mind about the levies, and not rely on the judgment of Schools First.