Tuesday Open Thread
From Lowell Elementary PTA:
There will be a rally at Franklin High for librarians this Friday, March 29th, at intersection of MLK and Rainier (the corner of the athletic field) around 4.
From Washington's Paramount Duty:
Betsy is at it again, this time testifying about Trump's budget:
I would find it hard to donate money to a complete stranger who won't give his entire name.
On that note, bump stocks are now illegal across the entire country.
What's on your mind?
Though we know you receive a lot of outraged emails about staffing cuts, Lowell is a Title I school with one of the highest populations of homeless students in the city. As of this writing, one-hundred-and-seventy-eight (178) students have come or gone from our community after the start of school. Last year our official student mobility rate was 48%, and it may be higher this year.There is a Facebook page, AC/DC against the proposed cuts to schools.
As a result of Mary’s Place returning to downtown Seattle in the 2019/20 school year, we know that we can expect between 30-50 additional students experiencing homelessness to enroll mid-year. Because Mary’s place will be returning to our boundaries mid-year, these students are not reflected in our projected enrollment numbers.
There will be a rally at Franklin High for librarians this Friday, March 29th, at intersection of MLK and Rainier (the corner of the athletic field) around 4.
From Washington's Paramount Duty:
First, the good news. The House budget includes a capital gains tax for the first time, and some of its proceeds would fund public schools. It includes a progressive real estate excise tax, and it closes some corporate tax loopholes. They also include some flexibility for local levies, and some new funds for special education. This is something we should all applaud.Speaking of Special Education, one mom's journey (from Seattle's Child).
Here's the bad news: none of this is anywhere close to enough for our schools.
On special education, the House budget proposes to add $70 million over the next two years. That's $35 million a year for the entire state. This is wholly inadequate. Recently, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction estimated school districts spent over $235 million beyond what the state funded last year to provide legally and morally required special education. (In Seattle alone, the school district estimates their annual unfunded need for special education is $70 million per year.)
Betsy is at it again, this time testifying about Trump's budget:
House Democrats on Tuesday blasted the latest budget proposed by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos that would cut nearly $7 billion or 10 percent of spending from the department.There's a teacher in the Seattle area who has a GoFundMe page for a bulletproof vest. Or so says the Stranger.
They focused in part on zeroing out the Special Olympics program and special education grants to states, but also pressed DeVos on her proposed rule changes on campus sexual misconduct and her decision to rescind discipline guidance to schools meant to protect students of color.
I would find it hard to donate money to a complete stranger who won't give his entire name.
On that note, bump stocks are now illegal across the entire country.
What's on your mind?
Comments
WSParent
Olympia seeks to increase state spending by $8B. The House now proposes a budget of $52B.
Some argue the state must recover from the Great Recession. Here are the numbers:
"While HB 2157 sponsor Rep. Gael Tarleton (D-36) argued that the state’s economy is “not generating the revenue we need,” annual reports by the state Department of Revenue show that revenue has increased from $16.9 billion in fiscal year 2009 – the height before the Great Recession – to $23.9 billion in the most recent fiscal year, a $7 billion increase. For state coffers, the bottom of the recession was fiscal year 2010, when the state received only $15.1 billion in revenue. Revenue later returned to pre-recession levels in the 2013 fiscal year with $17 billion."
https://thelens.news/2019/03/26/state-house-budget-proposal-includes-new-taxes/?fbclid=IwAR1D2n6dLYFfIFlqZePilRNtZwggcxQCbDS7GoEouSpOJ3C8ngGq0FlmW4o
DeVos has managed to excel once again in cementing her Clueless+Cruella reputation.
DistrictWatcher
https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2019/03/26/39720578/surprise-house-dems-propose-incrementalist-budget?fbclid=IwAR2f3_4wgKnCbNYl3Y6ZlF6cNud1L98Mm9yJ7ny3yj-zpbdac8AI8O3qEr4
Fed up!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/magazine/wp/2019/03/20/feature/the-lottery-thats-revolutionizing-d-c-schools/?utm_term=.6bc87dde7a68
This article is quite ironic because this great innovation is what Seattle Schools are already doing and has used that same algorithm. By creating a unified and TRANSPARENT enrollment system, Washington DC has effectively caused the wide variety of charter schools to be managed in the same manner that SPS is theoretically supposed to manage SPS's option schools.
With regards to SPS's assignment plan, SPS is ahead of the nation in how to provide some choice while still protecting public education.
The result of this big change in DC. It's better for parents as they now has one stop shopping. It's better for charters because the transparency protects them from criticism about not serving public students and back room enrollment deals. its better for DC public schools because they have access to the entire enrollment picture and know who is going where so they can be more responsive.
Magnolia Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 29, 10:30 a.m.
Ingraham High School addition: Thursday, Aug. 29, 2 p.m.
Queen Anne Elementary addition: Tuesday, Sept. 3, 10:30 a.m.
Lincoln High School: Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2 p.m.
parent
-SDD
On the levy cap
The house proposal allows districts to choose either 20% of state and federal monies (similar to old system) or 1.50 per 1000 assessed or 3k per student (the lesser of).
Olympia school district testified this would cut their deficit in half, I've also seen this could mean 3.7 billion dollars in local taxes.
SB 5313 (currently in the senate) points to the fact that the senate is also interested in raising levy authority.
It seems more money is indeed coming.
Signed,
-Parent
Yes, you were deleted for posting anonymously.
NoCharters
-Parent
Maui bound
Kanaka
Maui Bound
Local levy rates would increase. Some districts would receive increased Levy equalization dollars.
OSPI assumes local effort assistance (LEA) expenditures associated with maintenance level impacts to the levy base and Department of Revenue 2018 Assessed Valuation projections. OSPI estimates that equalizing to 14% on a 28% levy rate using these basis would increase LEA $72.7 million in FY 2020 and $140.3 in FY 2021 over current law. Legislative policy decisions for other K12 investments will directly impact the per pupil inflator used for levy base assumptions which will change LEA estimates.
According to testimony, increasing levy capacity would increase local responsibility ($800M) and decrease state responsibility ($17M?)
There are emails between several boards members referring to having private meetings where at least 4 members were present and these emails were sent through non district email accounts for the purpose of avoiding public disclosure. The emails between Harris and SEA president are very interesting.
Is this type of backdoor dealing legal? or if legal is it ethical?
--Any ideas
Nothing you mention is illegal or unethical. BTW collusion is not a crime.
2cents
They can be together as more than two but only at public events with notification and cannot discuss Board business. I have to be honest; those people are honest people and know the rules and would not have been together as more than two without notification.
I'm not sure seeing emails between the head of SEA and the head of the Board are any big deal. I'd be surprised if there weren't.
-Emily Hanford, "Hard Words: Why aren't kids being taught to read?"
https://www.apmreports.org/story/2018/09/10/hard-words-why-american-kids-arent-being-taught-to-read
Whole language vs phonics vs balanced literacy. What is SPS using with their newest K-5 literacy materials?
I am so thankful for the rogue teachers who intentionally taught phonics (and also for a secondhand Leapfrog that served the same purpose), despite the SPS focus on whole language.
almost out
Principals have union representation. There is a long process to follow in order to evaluate and remove a principal (which usually avoids outright firing). Keep up the pressure parents, teachers, and students. And document, document, document! Testimony directly from students should be pretty compelling.
appalled
https://www1.nsd.org/n/~board/district-news/post/michael-tolley-selected-as-new-east-region-assistant-superintendent
no comment
On another note, although I didn't always agree with how you voted on the school board, I think you are smart and well-reasoned. You should run for City Council. You'd at least get paid to help fix crazy.
—SE Mom
Franklin principal
Your lack of faith in Pritchett is well placed.
Denise must be fitting in well though.
Mark
- Outraged
We agree. Thanks for acknowledging.
The school I volunteer at also has homeless children but not in the numbers as Lowell. It saddens me that any cuts are even contemplated.
Again, why isn't more being cut centrally?