Tuesday Open Thread

The Times is looking for answers to the question:

With housing instability on the rise, how do you pick the best school for your child?

Also, this didn't take long - an editorial from the Times about sharing the recently renewed Families and Education levy dollars...with charter schools.   So, to all the people who said they would fight to not have this happen? Let's see you put your effort in to tell the City Council to stop this during implementation. council@seattle.gov

I'm thinking that between the health services dollars and the K-12 dollars, each of the three charters in Seattle might get about $100,000 a year.  So, $300,000K.   Does anyone think this won't affect the existing health services and K-12 programs already in SPS?

The Times editorial board also weighed in on McCleary saying this:
Governor, call a special session for special education 

Now, of course, they are right - the Legislature sure did let Sped funding slide when fulfilling McCleary. 

Special education is clearly basic education and therefore must be funded by the state budget, not by local levies, as the Washington Supreme Court made very clear in its 2012 McCleary decision.

Already, 10 of the 14 enrichment levies approved by state officials for the February ballot mention special education in the school district’s plan.

But being the suspicious person that I am AND because the Times has said that districts like Seattle should just live with the McCleary funding for now, I think this is just the Times trying to get Sped funding done without addressing the complaints from many districts around the state.

Speaking of Special Education, the Seattle Special Education PTSA is having a Meet-and-Greet event on November 28th from 7-8:30 pm with members of the PTSA and SPS staff.

I also wanted to mention the great 10-part series from KING-5 tv's Susannah Frame, Back of the Class, on special education in our state. 

There was a great story from the Seattle Public Library Foundation's newsletter about an effort to help immigrants learn how to use computers. 

A group of Somali women and their instructor were celebrating the successful end of a ten-week computer and digital literacy class presented by SPL.  

By the end of the course, more than 80% of the women could check their kids' school records and more than 90% were comfortable using Microsoft Word!

This Sunday, at the Mount Baker Community Club from 2-5 pm, there will be a talk/discussion with Aisha Hauser.  The topic is Laying the Foundation for Talking to Kids about Race.  Tickets are free.

Conversations About Race and Equity (CARE) presents a 3-hour facilitated workshop to help participants lay a foundation for talking about race, particularly with teens.

After an introductory talk, participants will be invited to think about their identity through experiential exercises discussing, for example, where they grew up, what they understand about their identity growing up, and what they understand about it now.

The format will invite people to talk with each other, respectfully, in order to come to an understanding of the experiences have shaped our identity and how we are treated by society. Resources will be offered to attendees, including parents, educators, and grandparents, to help begin talking about race in an authentic way.

Aisha Hauser is an accomplished educator, curriculum developer, facilitator, author and anti-racism advocate. She has been in the Seattle area for the past five years and has offered workshops all over the country and several in the northwest. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from Hunter College in New York City.

What's on your mind?