Important Curriculum & Instruction Meeting Coming Up about HCC

Update: fyi, I will not be at this meeting.  But if you go, take notes, take video (upload to YouTube) and let us know your thoughts.  I’m thinking they will likely move the meeting to the auditorium as the Board conference room can fill up fast.

End of update

At next Tuesday’s Curriculum&Instruction committee meeting, a policy change around HCC is going to be introduced (and likely pushed by) Chair Jill Geary.  The meeting is in the Board conference room, starting at 4:00pm, instead of the usual 4:30 pm.  Agenda here.   Looking at the agenda, I would say the topic would come up around 4:30 pm; however, sometimes items get pushed to the top for various reasons.

The Advanced Learning Taskforce hasn’t even made its recommendations and word is that members of color do want to keep the cohort model.

If HCC parents are able, I would suggest showing up to this committee meeting. To understand, this is a public meeting but not one where the public can comment.  However, if you wanted to show up and hand committee members a sheet with your thoughts, you can do that.

I predict that this will be one meeting that Director DeWolf actually shows up for.

The agenda also has an “anti-racism” policy update by Director Geary as well as an update on Ethnics Studies.

Last week, I sat down with Wyeth Jessee, at his request,  to talk about HCC.  We covered a lot of ground.  From that discussion, here’s how I would sum up what is likely that staff wants to see happen; how much of this will follow the Taskforce’s recommendations is unknown. (Editor’s note: my apologies to Mr. Jessee for misspelling his last name.)


 - He said he is committed to providing HCC services.

 - Basically, the HCC cohort system would remain except it will be smaller by virtue of the percentile going up.  Meaning, students in the HCC program would have to score in the 1% rather than 2%.

So, they would keep separate classes at some schools.  (We were not able to go into, say,what would happen at Washington Middle School but perhaps they would move HCC out altogether since STEM by TAF does not support separate programing.)

 - But, of course, many more HCC students would return to their attendance schools with no separate classrooms.  But he was quite clear that this would take time because principals and teachers need to be given a framework to work with and would need PD following that framework. He said the district would need to do all that in order to have accountabililty for the HCC services those students were receiving.

 - In speaking about the AL Taskforce he said that there area “complexities in structure and services provided that the Taskforce was tackling.  He said there is “a technical piece” and “a community piece.”  And that “the policy should be moved to reflect where the principles and norms they want to follow are.”

Other Issues and Updates

• SPS is not using the same test as they had in the past.  They are now using the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test which, according to the National Organization for Gifted Children, may be more effective for students from culturally and linguistically different or low-income backgrounds to eliminate barriers.

Clearly that is a step in the right direction to increase diversity in the program.  It would also be interesting to look at who goes into the Rainier Scholars program. 

• MAP test results used to be weighted more.
• The district is doing more outreach to Title One Schools. 

• The district is offering more translated materials about the program.
• The Taskforce was absolutely looking at serving twice-exceptional students.
• He said that, especially for math in elementary school,they would look at bringing back Walk to Math to service those students.
• He said he was aware and did encourage a minority report from the Taskforce if those members felt it important.