KUOW Interviews Seattle School Board Candidates in D6, 2023

KUOW is interviewing candidates by district in the races for Seattle School Board. They are getting some illuminating answers that might be of interest to voters.

This round is for candidates in the District 6 race, Rosie McCarter, Maryanne Wood and Gina Topp.

McCarter did not submit answers to KUOW's questionnaire. NOTE: These responses have been minimally edited to improve clarity and style.

Editor's note: I am going to pick out highlights for each question. Please go to the KUOW site for full answers. As well, kudos to KUOW for questions that don't exactly speak well of the current Board.

1) If you’re elected to the school board, what would be one of your top priorities and why is it important to you?

Topp said four things; improved equity, safe, inclusive and welcoming environments, empowering education with growth and professional development, and engaging parents and communities "to create a collaborative educational system that restores confidence in the governance of our district, and reflects the diverse needs and perspectives of our city."

Wood stated, "Halt and dial back huge capitol expenditures for what I call "mega schools." These schools are going to be placed in parts of the city that do not have the infrastructure to accommodate the district's vision of consolidating smaller, community schools in to them in order to save on operating costs."

 

2) Seattle school officials estimate they’ll save about $28 million by consolidating schools for the 2024-25 school year. How do you view this solution to the district’s continued financial woes? What other solutions should the district explore? 

Topp's answer is one you should remember: "Nobody wants to see schools close, and while I acknowledge that there may be instances where it becomes necessary, and it is a policy that has been employed in the past, I am not ready to commit to the idea. If school consolidation does become a reality, it is crucial to ensure that the remaining schools offer enhanced resources for students. This means allocating resources that smaller schools may have struggled to afford, such as dedicated counselors, nurses, and programs such as arts, music, etc."

If she is elected, I want to hear her publicly say from the dais that she's "not ready to commit to the idea." Getting elected shouldn't do that. Also, if school do close, then those bigger schools had better get all that she lists. 

Wood stated the deficit numbers for the coming school year, plus the deficit numbers for the next school year and said it would still leave $195M in deficit. "With so much ground to make up on test scores, it's hard to imagine that consolidated schools along with the carrying of this debt will improve things much."

Between Topp's and Wood's answers, I hope parents who attend the upcoming "community meetings on well-resourced schools" will ask if making those schools well-resourced will have to wait until the district gets the budget under control because, even with closing schools, there will still be a deficit. Remember this.

 

3) Declining enrollment has fueled SPS’ budget issues in recent years. What should the district do to attract and retain students?

Topp says yet another interesting thing that you aren't hearing from the two incumbents:

To address declining enrollment and budget issues at SPS, we must implement strategies to attract and retain students. The factors causing the decline are Seattle’s affordability crisis, declining birth rates, and dissatisfaction with the school district. (bold mine)

To restore confidence in our school district, we must engage with the community, actively listening to concerns and involving them in decision-making.

Wood pointed out that the district is getting fewer dollars from the state because of declining enrollment and that should change at the state level ("changing the way schools are funded"). 

There is not much the district can do until they seriously address the test scores. 

 

4) Some students and educators have been pushing SPS to require ethnic studies and Black history classes. How should the district address these concerns?

Topp said those topics should be part of basic education and not "one-off topics." 

Wood states, "The district has been attempting to implement these courses into curriculums but needs to be more responsive to meeting the needs. The school board may have to become more involved in making sure these changes are made."

That's another great statement because you can ask, what WILL the Board do when the district drags its feet on ethnic studies curriculum?"

 

5) In the wake of the shooting at Ingraham High School last fall, concerns about safety in and around school buildings have grown. How should the district improve safety, and what role, if any, should police play?

Topp again is clear on more needing to be done than is by the Board. "The school board's response to these concerns has been inadequate. In 2020, the school board rightfully implemented a moratorium on armed police officers stationed in schools. Instead, non-uniformed security specialists collaborate with school principals to address safety matters. These specialists should contribute to creating a welcoming environment and possess an understanding of the student body, staff, and families as well as state and local laws, and resources for intervention. It is crucial that these safety specialists are members of the communities they serve." 

She also stressed mental health needs. 

Wood made a simple statement: "Police have no place in school, period. Mental health resources and counselors have proven to be much more effective ways of handling safety concerns."

 

6) District officials project only about 19% of Black boys in 7th grade are proficient or higher in math, and roughly a third of Black boys are proficient or higher in reading — meaning the district is not on track to deliver on its academic goals for the student group they say is “furthest from educational justice.” What specific strategies should SPS use to improve educational outcomes for Black boys and all students?

Topp put forth this: "I won’t claim to be an expert in education policy already — what I have is expertise in budget negotiations, policy formation, and community outreach. I will leverage this experience to advocate for the allocation of resources toward evidence-based strategies that cater to the needs of students who face the greatest obstacles in attaining educational justice." 

She also advocates for "community input" into the process. It might be good for new Board members to go to community and ask, "Why do you think this isn't working?"

Wood goes right to it: "The district must follow its own SOFG guidelines [Student Outcomes Focused Governance] and guard rails and must hold the superintendent responsible for results and, if the superintendent doesn't deliver on implementation, then the school board must look at policy work to make sure the district delivers. Specific strategies might include increased parental involvement alongside school administrators."

She, too, is saying that community, in the form of parents, might need to be part of this effort.

 

7) More students than ever are grappling with mental health challenges stemming from the pandemic. Should the district expand or in any way change its mental health service offerings?

Topp says this is the number one issue she is hearing about as she campaigns. " One of my top priorities will be ensuring mental health counselors are available in every school, and that students not only know they are there, but our staff are working collaboratively to proactively connect them with our students."

Wood puts forth:  "These services should be expanded, but not at the expense of closing smaller schools which is what the district would like to do. There is no reason to believe that 400-600 student schools will do a better job of tracking individual students that need help; in fact it's more likely that students will "fall through the cracks" the larger a school is."

 

 

8) What do you think Seattle Public Schools is doing particularly well right now? 

Topp mentions: "exceptional educators, engaged parents and an electorate that supports bonds and levies."

Wood states:  "I think we have a very strong superintendent in Dr. Brent Jones, if he stays long enough, I feel he can create the culture needed to take on the difficult problems."

 

Analysis

Thoughtful answers from both candidates. I am surprised at Wood's support of the Superintendent given he's the one that is putting forth the "mega-schools." Hoping that Topp, if elected, will be the strong-minded person that she sounds like she is.