Tuesday Open Thread
Not on the district's homepage but of note:
The Enrollment Service Center will be closed to the public from July 13 through Aug. 7, 2015, allowing for necessary new school year system transitions. During this time, students and families will be unable to access or submit online choice or admission forms. Additionally, the Enrollment front counter, Enrollment Service and Customer Service mailboxes, faxes, and Enrollment phone lines will be closed.
These services are closed during the transition to reduce significant backlog, including incomplete documents received during this shutdown period, which would delay the timely enrollment of new students once the updated system is online. The Customer Service phone lines and receptionist desk will remain open to the public to serve those who need to contact other JSCEE internal personnel or departments. Enrollment will re-open its doors again on Aug. 10 at 8:30 a.m.
I'm a bit perplexed as to why Enrollment phone lines/counter/mailboxes have to be closed. I mean they can still answer basic questions on enrollment issues, no? Or is the website supposed to suffice (unless, of course, you don't have a computer)?
NCLB is coming back up as a topic when the House reconvenes in July. Apparently there are several amendments that are coming from conservatives. One is pretty funny - it would allow schools to keep federal money but opt out of the federal regulations that come with it.
As the movement towards getting rid of the use of the Confederate flag gains momentum, a good question from the Washington Post's Answer Sheet? What about the nearly 200 schools named for Confederate leaders? What about Confederacy-themed school mascots?
School systems are becoming more sensitive to the potential for controversy over names, according to a 2007 study by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, which found that it has become much less common for schools to be named after people, as school districts opt instead for names that are more generic, such as geographic features or patriotic themes.
One perspective on why the City's Department of Education and Early Learning backed down on revoking the Families and Education grants to Emerson and Sand Point might be that Councilman Tim Burgess is in a tight race with Jon Grant and John Roderick in the at-large race in District 8. Burgess got asked at a recent forum about this issue and apparently it was a spirited discussion. Maybe he didn't realize that his advocacy about what he thinks best for Seattle public education would be something he would be challenged on during the election season. Between the Mayor's huge $900M+ transportation levy (which includes some dollars for transportation issues at schools) and the City's new preschool levy, I think we might hear more about this during the coming campaign season.
What's on your mind?
The Enrollment Service Center will be closed to the public from July 13 through Aug. 7, 2015, allowing for necessary new school year system transitions. During this time, students and families will be unable to access or submit online choice or admission forms. Additionally, the Enrollment front counter, Enrollment Service and Customer Service mailboxes, faxes, and Enrollment phone lines will be closed.
These services are closed during the transition to reduce significant backlog, including incomplete documents received during this shutdown period, which would delay the timely enrollment of new students once the updated system is online. The Customer Service phone lines and receptionist desk will remain open to the public to serve those who need to contact other JSCEE internal personnel or departments. Enrollment will re-open its doors again on Aug. 10 at 8:30 a.m.
I'm a bit perplexed as to why Enrollment phone lines/counter/mailboxes have to be closed. I mean they can still answer basic questions on enrollment issues, no? Or is the website supposed to suffice (unless, of course, you don't have a computer)?
NCLB is coming back up as a topic when the House reconvenes in July. Apparently there are several amendments that are coming from conservatives. One is pretty funny - it would allow schools to keep federal money but opt out of the federal regulations that come with it.
As the movement towards getting rid of the use of the Confederate flag gains momentum, a good question from the Washington Post's Answer Sheet? What about the nearly 200 schools named for Confederate leaders? What about Confederacy-themed school mascots?
School systems are becoming more sensitive to the potential for controversy over names, according to a 2007 study by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, which found that it has become much less common for schools to be named after people, as school districts opt instead for names that are more generic, such as geographic features or patriotic themes.
One perspective on why the City's Department of Education and Early Learning backed down on revoking the Families and Education grants to Emerson and Sand Point might be that Councilman Tim Burgess is in a tight race with Jon Grant and John Roderick in the at-large race in District 8. Burgess got asked at a recent forum about this issue and apparently it was a spirited discussion. Maybe he didn't realize that his advocacy about what he thinks best for Seattle public education would be something he would be challenged on during the election season. Between the Mayor's huge $900M+ transportation levy (which includes some dollars for transportation issues at schools) and the City's new preschool levy, I think we might hear more about this during the coming campaign season.
What's on your mind?
Comments
Is there ANY consequence whatsoever for unbelievable BAD customer service?
(Rhetorical question)
The arrogance.
Not even a manned customer service desk at the glass palace for enrollment?
CLOSED ENROLLMENT? FAIL THE LEVY.
Spank them. Failing a levy is the ONLY way to spank them.
They are like petulant children, running amok. Who even thinks up this stuff? They just went through a major computer transition (remember the power schools migration?) without closing enrollment in this way, and now this? They didn't pull people off the enrollment desk at JSCEE during that massive transition.
Voting for different Board director will do nothing. The JSCEE machinery has grown insensitive to rebuke. They seem to thumb their noses at Board directors who dare to question them (remember the post-math adoption vote - staff sent an email telling schools to feel free to adopt the other material nonetheless? Remember Charles Wright's performance about bell times at the retreat years ago??) SPS's ever rotating Supers seems to have no affect anyway. Only spanking them this way will get their attention. We can all pass it 6 months later, but failing it first will be a shot across the bow. Wake them up.
They are 'planning' BTA in the dark anyway. This will help provide guidance to help them understand that their customers are mad. Really mad. Not putting up with their BS anymore.
No doubt about 70% of readers will disagree; I can respect that. That is democracy in motion. But, I feel a sense of hopelessness, unless and until a levy fails, the glass palace gang are going to keep on keepin' on. Something has got to shock them into paying attention and losing the attitude.
Frustrated Liberal.
Curious
I get not enrolling students - but not even pick up the phone for nearly a month.
And just NOW posting this information?
Unacceptable.
EdVoter
"Unfortunately, the State budget that has been adopted is $1.3 million lower than very conservatively forecasted, so no new State resources. (The PPI factor was lowered from 5% to 4%, costing the District $ 1.1 million in local levy revenues. Year 2's PPI factor of 0% will cost the district almost $11 million.)"
Interpret this for me. Are we in fact worse off than we were before? Or is this just the usual spin to keep the Board and every one off balance.
Will you please provide entire document?
I noticed that the entire state budget is $19B per year. SPS's operational and capital budget is over $1B per year. Essentially, SPS's expenditures equal 1/19th of the entire state budget. Astonishing.
With the levy swap and levy funding caps...I was afraid this was going to happen. Essentially, the district should get used to the fact that they need to be fiscally responsible and not waste dollars on useless/non-sustainable endeavors. I'm glad that the board would not allow the district to expand Amplify.
The teachers got a raise. Shall we expect our highly paid administrators to ask for a raise, too?
Too late, Watching. They already did. I'll post the latest doc.
This leaves room for questions like what do you call conservatively forecasted?
-NNNCr
I don't think it's an enormous burden for people to not be able to call in with a question that can't be answered or to have to refer to the website for the answers to basic questions for a few weeks. I ended up enrolling my kid at the beginning of the summer last year and we had to wait all the way until August to talk to a counselor about choosing classes. Mildly annoying, but it was a consequence of enrolling in the summer, and everything turned out perfectly in the end.
If they don't close, it may lead to a mess that won't be sorted out before the start of school, which would be worse. I just can't get worked up about it and I definitely don't see incompetence, arrogance, or lack of concern for families in this action. That's just too knee-jerk for me to swallow.
Please have interested students/ guardians contact Kerrie Murphy at 206-543-1646.
IT is FREE.
Starts next week on the 6th.
The program is aimed at empowering Native youth in self advocacy & encouraging STEAM( science, technology, engineering, art & math) education & career goals.
Our theme this year is ENERGY. The first week will be the more formal curriculum using e-textiles & robotics.
It will include some computer programming, as well as the math & science behind electricity.we weave indigenous traditional knowledge and culturally relevant activities throughout all the curriculum.
The legislature gave more money this past school year to lower class sizes in kindergarten (20:1 in title I schools only), but did that actually happen in SPS? Does the state make/ensure SPS lowers class size if they are given additional funding, or can SPS use all of that extra cash for whatever they want?
My son had 29 in his K class this year. My daughter had 31/32 in her 1st/2nd grade classes. Their teachers need relief.
TS
NE Parent
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5027. FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Distressed Schools (91000404)
The appropriation in this section is subject to the following conditions and limitations:
(1) $10,000,000 of the appropriation in this section is provided solely for renovations of Magnolia elementary school and E.C. Hughes elementary school.
(2) $5,000,000 of the appropriation is provided solely for the replacement of the Marysville Pilchuck high school cafeteria.
Appropriation:
State Building Construction Account—State. . . .$15,000,000
Prior Biennia (Expenditures). . . .$0
Future Biennia (Projected Costs). . . .$0
TOTAL. . . .$15,000,000
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5028. FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
K-3 Class-Size Reduction Grants (92000039)
The appropriation in this section is subject to the following conditions and limitations:
(1) $10,000,000 of this appropriation is provided solely for Seattle public schools to provide additional state assistance for public school facilities necessary to support all-day kindergarten and class size reduction in kindergarten through third grade.
(2) The remaining appropriation is for the K-3 class size reduction construction pilot grant program specified in section 201, chapter . . . (Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 6080), Laws of 2015, 3rd sp. sess. to provide additional state assistance for public school facilities necessary to support all-day kindergarten and class size reduction in kindergarten through third grade.
(3) Within the remaining appropriation, a maximum of $750,000 is provided for the office of superintendent of public instruction to administer the K-3 class size reduction construction grant pilot program. The office may not use these funds for indirect costs.
(4) Should Seattle public schools have received additional state funds, in excess of the block grant provided in subsection (1) of this section, through the K-3 class size reduction construction grant pilot program, Seattle public schools may receive the amount provided by the calculated grant in the pilot program in excess of the block grant.
(5) The funding provided in subsection (1) of this section may not constitute local funding available to the Seattle public schools in order to be eligible for state funding assistance through the school construction assistance program pursuant to RCW 28A.525.166.
Appropriation:
State Building Construction Account—State. . . .$200,000,000
Prior Biennia (Expenditures). . . .$0
Future Biennia (Projected Costs). . . .$0
TOTAL. . . .$200,000,000
Link: http://app.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2015-16/Htm/Bills/House%20Bills/1115.E2.htm
That sounds promising.
Writing this up in case others are interested. The state budget proposed class size allocations for the next two years. High poverty schools are defined as schools with >50% FRL.
Kinder class size- 2015/2016 is 22:1 and 19:1 in high poverty schools
Kinder class size- 2016/2017 is 18:1 and 17:1 in high poverty schools
1st grade class size 2015/2016 is 23:1 and 19:1 in high poverty schools
1st grade class size 2016/2017 is 21:1 and 17:1 in high poverty schools
2nd grade class size 2015/2016 is 24:1 and 22:1 in high poverty schools
2nd grade class size 2016/2017 is 22:1 and 18:1 in high poverty schools
3rd grade class size 2015/2016 is 25:1 and 22:1 in high poverty schools
3rd grade class size 2016/2017 is 24:1 and 21:1 in high poverty schools
Maybe the union can use this additional funding during bargaining to demand SPS actually use the extra funding to reduce class size. If the state was smart, they'd only offer the additional funding to districts who use the money to lower class size. In the short term it would save the state money, while also nudging districts along to find space.
TS
"The budget proposal, budget narrative, and Service Agreement are currently in development between
the City of Seattle and Seattle Public Schools. Drafts of these documents are attached. Final
documents will be completed for School Board Introduction."
However, the BAR indicates that many documents are still in development.
Again, Seattle Public Schools is complaining that they don't have enough administrative staff, and the city wants to hold-back 25% prek funding; this funding is considered "performance pay framework". The district needs administrative staff to carry-out the prek initiative and the board needs to insist that the city provide full funding- upfront.
Board policies that could be impacted by the Partnership and proposed Service Agreements.
Staff are currently working on this review. The timeline for the development of this policy is for
District staff to bring this work forward to the August 10th Curriculum and Instruction committee
meeting and also to the August 12 Executive Committee meeting.
Will the city reimburse the district for staff time? Where is the framework?
NE Parent
http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Woman-s-parking-citation-tossed-because-of-6360260.php
An appeals court has agreed with an Ohio woman who said her parking citation should be tossed because the village law was missing a comma. (more)
Perhaps it's time to stop harassing teachers who try to teach grammar...?
-McClureWatcher
Senate Dems are holding out for HB 2214. This bill speeds up the requirement for passing the SBA to graduate. I don't like this.