Friday Open Thread
Not sure what to make of this story in the Seattle Times this morning about a new group in our region created to incubate new types of schools. Apparently the entire system of public education is "broken" and needs to be "blown up." (Just to note, I think in this day and age, we might not ever use the term "blown up" about schools).
I have to smile. This is the same ed reform party line that's been going on for years. So what's this, a repackaging?
Who's fronting this? This group. It's a non-profit chartered by the U.S. Department of Education to oversee student loan processes. They have assets of about $1B and their top staff each make $800K a year. Who says there's no profit in non-profits?
What's on your mind?
I have to smile. This is the same ed reform party line that's been going on for years. So what's this, a repackaging?
That’s part of the vision she shared on the first day of training last month with other principals and principals-to-be who are part of a new school leadership “incubator” in Seattle. Dubbed the School Foundry, the yearlong program has an inaugural class of five fellows: one each from the Renton and Seattle school districts, two from a new charter campus opening next year in Tukwila and another from an alternative high school in the rural Methow Valley Schools.
The fellows will spend the next year helping each other design schools that will focus on raising the performance of student groups that, on average, often lag behind their peers. Each fellow has committed to opening a new or transformed school in 2018-19.The article doesn't say who the principal is in SPS; I'll have to ask.
Who's fronting this? This group. It's a non-profit chartered by the U.S. Department of Education to oversee student loan processes. They have assets of about $1B and their top staff each make $800K a year. Who says there's no profit in non-profits?
The training is financially supported by the Los Angeles-based ECMC Foundation, the philanthropic arm of a nonprofit that handles student-loan collection.We all know how good-hearted these student loan groups are so I'm sure great things will come from this "School Foundry."
What's on your mind?
Comments
These included Angela Bogan, the planning principal of Sartori Elementary in the Renton School District; Sara Mounsey, teacher leader at the Methow Valley Independent Learning Center; and Marcus Harden, a principal intern at Seattle Public Schools’ Interagency Academy. Also participating in the cohort are Jen Wickens who, along with Baionne Coleman, share one fellowship between them. Jen is Impact Public School's founding director, while Baionne is a new administrator at Impact Public Schools.
http://blog.eaglerockschool.org/school-foundry-incubator-launches-with-eagle-rocks-support/
http://csr.honda.com/community/eagle-rock-school/
"...a mission to help the most disengaged students find their way back to an appreciation of education.
So what's the problem?
Toyota
Not to mention everything discussed daily on this blog! Overcrowding, not enough classes in high school, boundary changes/problems, not enough rigor, poor communication, RESMS should have been a high school etc etc.
I'd take a voucher or well run charter in an instant. I'm tired of fighting with SPS. I'm tired of them saying one thing yet pretty much doing the opposite. I'm tired of no accountability and everything falling on the parents. Why can't schools just run well?!?! Why why why???
So annoyed
Well, how come the district didn't announce this?
And, as I reported, this kind of thing has been done before and, in fact, is the REAL basis for charter schools, not what we see today.
I have a hard time with wealthy people and non-profits deciding the vision/road for public education.
So annoyed, I'm a little surprised at the size of that class; it should be smaller. I would ask the principal.
I'm not sure I would call all that "a broken system" but for SPS, it's dysfunctional.
You are welcome to advocate for vouchers (which have not proven their worth in any state that has them) and, as for charters, well, they are opening up in Seattle. You can go try it. But you will not get the accountability that you think you might; charter schools do things their way and if you don't like it, there's the door. You have NO one to complain to especially on the types of issues you covered.
But yes, your last sentence is exactly what I've been saying for years.
Now, I can't be sure that that's the case at whatever school you're talking about; maybe they pulled some random from a ska band on the corner. I freely admit I'm hung up on this because this is my area. Still, unless we've gone back in time and the hottest composer is Haydn, I'd recommend taking a breath and waiting longer than a week to assess this new teacher. The days of first violin as conductor are long past. ;)
-Pragmatic Xennial
NEVER KNEW
The Fauntleroy ferry waiting area is insane both morning and late afternoon with parents dropping off and picking up kids who commute by ferry. Tue traffic is crazy and I often see kids getting off the feeeey with backpacks being picked up as late as 6pm. It's crazy! Why are so many kids going to Vashon?
-what does Vashon have?
What it DOESN'T have is SPS...
(and is still public).
commute compute
Kran
Yes, but you can vote with your feet, unlike being trapped at a neighborhood school in Seattle.
No Options
-NP
Have hope
Seeking advice. What do you do if a new, inexperienced teacher has a total freak-out in class to the extent that your student never wants to return to class again?
I'm not looking for advice on how to exit this newbie teacher (who has no experience teaching the subject matter), but rather best way to approach this new teacher for best outcomes for all. This is middle school and a dangerous environment for all.
-StepJ
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/06/magazine/the-resegregation-of-jefferson-county.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=photo-spot-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
-NP
Teacher
http://methowvalleynews.com/2016/06/15/changes-coming-to-mv-school-district-this-fall/
This happened to a child of mine when they were a middle schooler, though, and with emotions hot and my child very scared, I end up disagreeing with Teacher. I don't think me going in to meet with them would have been seen as anything but a hostile confrontation at that point. But only because as she says I knew going to the principal was not going to get the teacher in trouble (indeed the teacher is still there and is doing fine; another child of mine has them, and they aren't my favorite, but it's fine), but rather get them mentoring and support, which I knew they were already receiving for other incidents. They were a second year teacher, clearly in over their head. My kid felt ok about going back into the classroom after having the principal validate for them that the story they relayed was a freak out, not a normal reaction to what was going on in the classroom.
-sleeper
As for the founders of this proposition, the Times blithely reports they are part of a non-profit that does student loans. THey have $1B in assets and their top officers make $800K a year. Who says there's no money in being a non-profit? There is when you are working for the government gouging young adults on their student loans.
And what makes this group know what to do anymore than the Gates Foundation? Funny thing about wealthy groups and people - they all seem to know what is best for other people's children.
As for Mr. Petty who is leading this effort - no, sir, our system is not broken. If it is, why are the numbers of students taking the ACT/SAT going up? Why is the graduation rate going up, across all groups?
And any reasonable person would NEVER use the term "blown up" in this day and age when talking about public education.
Lastly, this is exactly the same nonsense that the ed reform crowd has been pushing for years but apparently they are now trying to repackage it.
Garbage in, garbage out.
This is a middle school strings only orchestra and part of the job is teaching beginning students how to play and proper technique. The new teacher has already joked about how he doesn't know how to play violin and has instructed students incorrectly. Now the school/PTA is asking for parent volunteers who know how to play to come assist teaching beginning and intermediate orchestra. This is not right. SPS hired the wrong person for this job and once again parents have to pick up the slack.
Travesty,
Of course I'm taking my child to the closet bus stop, but the bus/stop has to be officially changed which is proving very hard to do. 3+ phone calls and ignored emails later the change has not been made. This is elementary. You can't get on and off at any stop willynilly. Not to mention transportation assigned my kid to the wrong stop in the first place.
So annoyed
When my child was in elementary, I drove her six miles one way because her assigned transportatiin was a taxi.
( she had an iep)
She did not like to ride with her father, let alone strange random people.
I was seriously concerned that she would bolt into traffic.
https://www.nysut.org/news/nysut-united/issues/2013/december-2013-january-2014/district-control-over-bus-services-better-for-students-and-community
Our child said they did a paper folding activity. I suggested doing homework next week in silent protest.
annoyed
Whether or not the phantom private school(s) they are threatening to attend would accept them is another matter.
The point I am making is this: The animus that is driving this blog's readers to make the threat is often the same as southern parents in the NYTimes article who are trying to secede, using the same coded language to avoid the "undesirables" from being in their children's classes.
No Options
As well, who are these people "threatening"? To state what someone may do in certain circumstances is not necessarily a threat. People don't go private to hurt someone else or to make a point or get back at the district. They go for a more fitting education.
All types
No Options, you left out, "in my opinion." You have no basis in evidence of why parents make the choices that they do and so to smear their decision is unfair and wrong. Next time, say it in the proprer manner.
In most cases, whenever someone on this blog (or at a board meeting, etc,) THREATENS to "go private," the context is clear: it is response to Honors for All, a Spectrum discussion, or about some change or threat to a perceived benefit that is already largely excluding historically oppressed populations AND may start including these excluded students. That is factual and can searched and validated.
Why people ACTUALLY do go to private schools is another matter. I am not talking about that. There are many reasons for people to choose private schools.
The THREAT is a tactic used by parents to keep and maintain privileges in this district. The code words and animus mirror those in the NYTimes article.
No Options
No Options
Girl Power
Long Road
To clarify, I'm aware of the achievement gap, that we need to do better in identifying kids from a broader base, etc, and this isn't meant to excuse the disproportionate demographics. I just notice that there are a lot of assumptions being made about the intent of these families.
-Pragmatic Xennial
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201504/why-do-rich-kids-have-higher-standardized-test-scores
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/us/affirmative-action-battle-has-a-new-focus-asian-americans.html?mcubz=0&_r=0
- bulldog
Most Unequal U.S. Big Cities:
1. Miami
2. Atlanta
3. New Orleans
4. New York
5. Dallas
6. Boston
7. Tampa
8. Cincinnati
9. Pittsburgh
10. Washington DC
That's actually great news.
"Its not racism to be aware that socioeconomic status is often the biggest factor with academic testing."
That is ridiculous. To be "aware" is form in one's mind cause and effect, gut feelings, past experiences, etc.
So one could easily be aware in a racist way.
If you don't think you're racist, great, that's everybody's own struggle along with all our other personal shortcomings.
It's this constant battle of parents trying to get an education for their children that is competitive in today's college market that makes people try to cover their decisions. I mean it's not so hard to defend public inclusive schools if your kids are say at Ballard as opposed to Sealth.
Every college advisor will say kids need to take the hardest classes at their school, so by extension kids should go the hardest high school they can. I find it hard to fault parents for giving their kids the best shot at success. If people who do it are racist, they would still be racist if they had to stay at Sealth, and if Vashon was diverse and still substantially better than Sealth, it would still be popular.
SPS needs to make every school inclusive and able to meet the needs of all students.
Work Harder!
BT
I believe college admissions officers do try to assess kids within the contexts of their own high schools. A student at a struggling urban high school, unable to access AP or other advanced classes, will not be evaluated the same way as a student who attends a private school such as Lakeside, Seattle Prep, etc., with a group of high-achieving peers, small classes, a team of college advisors, and a slew of high-level course offerings. They will not "fault" the public school student for not having that same kind of environment, and may even (slightly) favor a high-achieving public school student, who may have had to struggle against greater odds in order to succeed (large class sizes, less access to teachers, lack of adequate college advising, etc.).
That being said, I think it *is* important for students to try to take the most rigorous classes possible at their own high school - but not necessarily change schools altogether.
-parent
Some schools may just go by numbers for admissions. Have a cuttoff for SAT scores and GPA for example, but many consider the entire student.
Not just their test scores and grades, but the school profile, what courses were offered, what FRL rate is, even what jobs and education their parents have.
You might have SAT scores of 1300, but that could put you in the top 20%in one school and the top 5% in another school.
If a school rarely offers much financial aid, the admissions and financial aid depts may be completely separate.
But at schools which attempt to meet full need, it is more practical to be aware what the financial need will be when admitting, as large as their endowments may be, they are still limited in how generous they can be.
Certainly people have threatened to "go private" here but no one has said what you are saying, No OPtion. They have said that the district has NOT made clear what is happening, Garfield never clearly explained Honors for All and, if they get no answers, they might leave. Again, it is your opinion on their reasons for being in the program and why they may leave.
Pragmatic Xennial seems to be echoing my thought - a lot of assumptions being made.
These feels like an economic straw that breaks the camels back for SPS - wouldn't be surprised to see another wave of families out of the city just like the 70s and 80s.
-Invisible Hand
Seems like you have a double standard regards students' need for a challenging environment.
HCC kids will suffer in any non-HCC environment while for the other kids it makes no difference the academic level at their school?
Huh?
BT
I'm saying that this district is, in many ways, worse than most other districts because it has no options.
A big reason it has no options is because most parents with power are just fine with the SAP. They are also mostly fine with the HCC demographics.
The district listens to those in power...period. Threatening to pull out your PTA funds at Garfield, saying to the district, "I need my way or else", etc. It goes on and on.
If you can get out of Sealth for Vashon, get out if you can. Most students who don't even know they can get out are the same ones who are most vulnerable to start with.
The only good point with this overcrowding is that, like Long Road makes clear, the district really could care less about your private threats.
No Options
It is not multiple people expressing racist reasons for parent decisions. It is just one person who thinks anyone other than her making educational decisions for their children outside of their neighborhood school is due to racist reasons.
No Options (see above) - You suggest that the current neighborhood SAP, proposed and enacted by Maria Goodloe Johnson, our first female African American Female Superintendent, was done to intentionally segregate schools? You didn't do your homework.
Game Over
Sounds so good, doesn't it? Clarence Thomas also plays that that colorblind game, too. Until you read the Brown v. Board opinion and look at the contined intersection between poverty and being African America.
When MGJ started closing schools, parents rebelled. When she started the SAP, parents in power said (and still say) amen.
That was then, this is now. Research OVERWHELMINGLY proves that highly impacted schools have worse outcomes for students compared to the same student profiles in lesser impacted schools.
Where is the pushback? Oh, yeah, blame the deceased former, former superintendent. Much simpler and easier on the privilege.
No Options
Bottom Line
-StopTheTroll
No Options, you have made your point about going private. Move on.
I think we are done now.