Highline's In-School Suspension Program
Good story from KOMO news about Highline's in-school suspension program. Sounds to me like they have covered their bases well but to have this kind of in-school suspension program you need resources and space. SPS would probably have the resources if they devoted some McCleary dollars but space? Kind of at a premium. Oh wait, maybe those City pre-K classrooms.
I note that Highline's superintendent is former Seattle Schools super Susan Enfield. I went to Highline's home page and found this in her first-of-the-year message to parents:
To start off, we have a new web-based tool called ThoughtExchange that will allow you to share your ideas and feedback about anything you want us to know. You will be invited to go to our ThoughtExhange website and share your thoughts in early October.
We will be engaging our families and community on two very important topics this year: ensuring that all our high school students have access to the challenging coursework they need to be prepared for success, and providing facilities that address our growing enrollment and meet our students’ learning needs. We will be hosting a year-long series of community meetings on both topics.
Year-long? Like really doing authentic engagement and not some pro forma meetings? Son of gun. But on the other hand:
To ensure we have deep community participation in planning our future school facilities, we are convening a Capital Facilities Advisory Committee that will make recommendations for a long-term facilities plan and a future bond. Fifteen members will be appointed by outside organizations (our cities, employee associations, and community organizations) and the remaining 25 will be selected by lottery.
Forty people for a district Highline's size (19,000 students)?
I note that Highline's superintendent is former Seattle Schools super Susan Enfield. I went to Highline's home page and found this in her first-of-the-year message to parents:
To start off, we have a new web-based tool called ThoughtExchange that will allow you to share your ideas and feedback about anything you want us to know. You will be invited to go to our ThoughtExhange website and share your thoughts in early October.
We will be engaging our families and community on two very important topics this year: ensuring that all our high school students have access to the challenging coursework they need to be prepared for success, and providing facilities that address our growing enrollment and meet our students’ learning needs. We will be hosting a year-long series of community meetings on both topics.
Year-long? Like really doing authentic engagement and not some pro forma meetings? Son of gun. But on the other hand:
To ensure we have deep community participation in planning our future school facilities, we are convening a Capital Facilities Advisory Committee that will make recommendations for a long-term facilities plan and a future bond. Fifteen members will be appointed by outside organizations (our cities, employee associations, and community organizations) and the remaining 25 will be selected by lottery.
Forty people for a district Highline's size (19,000 students)?
Comments
Math MSP 2013
33% well below standard
2014 no testing
Math SBAC 2015
38% well below standard
-- Dan Dempsey
Rare Commenter
Rare is right; I put this up as an example of how in-house suspensions can be handled well.
The Highline out-of-school suspension rate looks great on paper, but the overall suspension rate has not dropped a bit. I have attended Highline school board meetings where teachers have spoken in tears begging the District to help with out of control students. Enfield has stated she want teachers to ,"act like adults," and handle these kids. Parent has spoken of pulling their kids out of schools because class time gets derailed by wild kids who are sent back into the classroom.
Aviation is a gem of a school, but currently only 30% of Highline kids are admitted to the school. Highline has low income and minority kids, but more district kids need rigorous and fulfilling secondary educational opportunities.
Capacity drivers are complex and facilities programming is very technical. To pick random looky-lous who may bail after 3 meetings seems like the antithesis of good planning. It is just plain weird. Makes it like a spectator sport. Not sure how value add this exercise will be. Maybe it is just a stunt to showcase how dire the situation is and how critical passing the levy will be. Basically, all theater and political, but not real or productive.
Facilities Planning?
Highline is implementing a new discipline policy but it comes with a cost. Keeping students in school is ideal but if they don't graduate, what is the difference? A 62.9% grad rate is unacceptable. I wish all of Highline schools are like Raisbeck Aviation, but they are not. RAHS is a applicant only school. The rest are open to all students. As Sarah said, only 30% of RAHS students come from Highline. Let Seattle take a lesson as to what we need to be successful with this new discipline policy. Here is what is needed
1. Small classes with highly experienced and skilled teachers. Highine is losing experienced teachers.
2. Safe and modern schools. Three out of four of our high schools need to be replaced.
3. Highly paid and trained reengagement specialists that are well staffed in each and every school. We are way understaffed.
4. Leadership that carries some sensitivity of this issue to the parents, staff and community. At a Regional Law Safety and Justice committee meeting in May 2015, our Superintendent explained her response to the reactions of the community. "Dr. Enfield believes that while there should be consequences, in some cases adults overreact and we must take a step back and realize that we’re grownups. " This is not helpful.
To properly tackle this problem, our schools need to be fully funded. It is the only way this will work.
-- feeling kind