Nathan Hale Community Meeting on Well-Resourced Schools
To preface, here is what I think the district's thinking/planning is for well-resourced schools/closing schools.
First, you explain to parents how having this many schools, some of which are terribly underenrolled, is not only costly but is also diluting the pot of money to support all schools.
You do this in a backwards progression, meaning, first dally around with "what are well-resourced schools?" You, as a district, offer no definition yourself but rather, ask parents and community for input. (This does seem to fly in the face of the touted "student voice.") In the district's thoughts, they are VERY careful to use the word "may" everywhere. "A well-resourced school "may" have a full-time librarian" for example.
At these community meetings, you ask about what parents experience at their own schools and what might enhance the school experience for their children. You make it very personal to the parents' and their families . Because later on, you need those parents to shrug when schools start getting closed.
"Well, it's for the best; the district doesn't have the money for all these schools."
"If we close some small schools, all schools benefit so it's the greater good."
"Sorry your school is so small but people probably left because they didn't like it."
The district is trying to disconnect the theme of the meeting from what the real purpose of these meetings is - to justify closing some schools.
This pits parents against parents which is NEVER good.
What is also not good is the district not making crystal clear what CAN be done for the remaining schools. The district is is dire straits and will have a deficit again next year. The amount of money saved from closing schools truly isn't that large.
However, the shifts for both the closing schools AND the receiving schools WILL BE huge. Closing schools is hugely disruptive.
As well, the contracts for all the employees at each school will dictate who stays and who may go. (Unless "well-sourced" means two teachers in each class. Dream on.)
I'm putting that out on your radar now - if your child is in a school that is going to take in another school, the staff will definitely shift at your school, right on up to the principal.
Also, a lesson learned from the last closures (and I was right on the front lines) is that students losing their school building need to see some familiar faces like custodians and lunchroom personnel. It helps the transition quite a bit. That, too, is another reason personnel at receiving schools will shift.
I believe the district - to a slight degree - means well and truly would like to give more schools what they want. But will it be like a "choose your own adventure" book? Are they eventually going to put out a menu of sorts and say, "Pick two." And what if school needs/tastes change over time - do you decide you really don't want a librarian and the library becomes a Maker Space? Could the district afford to put comparable arts at ALL schools? A nurse AND a counselor at most schools?
The bottom line question that the district will probably never answer clearly is - what will change for all the remaining schools after closures?
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say not much.
To the Hale High community meeting. Like the first meeting, it was the same group of presenters - Bev Redmond, Superintendent Brent Jones and Dr. Rocky Torres. They used the cafeteria for the event and good thing as it was a full house of at least 100 people.
This included 5 directors (Harris, Hampson, Rankin, Song Maritz and Smith Rivera). I still haven't seen President Hersey at a meeting but maybe he went to the South Shore Pre-K-8 in his region. Sarju went to the meeting held at Garfield HS. There were also Board candidates Ben Gitenstein, Debbie Carlsen, Maryanne Wood and Christina Posten.
Same topics were used as at the other meetings - buildings and facilities, support services/resources and academics/extra curriculars.
I walked the room several times, listening in. I heard some great discussions at every time - people truly went to be engaged.
I also went to the white boards where participants were putting up their sticky notes with ideas.
Facilities and Buildings
The quiet places you can go to think. The space, the arcitechture, the feel, the art, the safety.
Natural outdoor spaces/4 season spaces, gathering spaces where families are welcome to engage in the building, truly neighborhood schools.
Would like to see multi-generational use of our buildings.
Healthy buildings - don't put in harmful materials when building or renovating.
Walkable/bikeable, artistics expression of teachers and students, older schools have great theater/auditoriums that newer buildings don't,
Fully accessible buildings
More security in buildings, books in several student languages (I note this person stated they were in a new building so if they want more security there, clearly they don't see safety measures they would like).
Doors that all staff can unlock, neighborhood-oriented, space to move for all students who need it, turf fields or safer outdoor surfaces
Space for music, arts, gardens, connections to community resources (loaner science equipment), murals on walls, skateboard park
Workable PA system, auditoriums, safety measures for open campuses, upkeep on playground equipment, HVAC systems that work, verifying that schools have tech access
Support Services/Resources
Counselors! Nurses! Assistant principals,! IAs! Special Education!, smaller classes, diverse teachers. This person also wrote, "After COVID especially, our kids need help. All ages, All kinds. All kids. Our teachers are over-burdened."
Universal mental health screening and services for every child, proactively, rather than waiting for a problem. Universal free school meals for every child. Do not treat kids like widgets. Meet them where they are at, give them options and choices. Maintain advanced learning/HCC in some form.
The roll-out of Extended Resources (combining Access & SEL) has been shockingly bad. The info from the district to SPED teachers/staff and parents has been truly inept. It's heartbreaking.
Get rid of rote formulas like the WSS and instead provide what schools need. Some smaller or some larger classes, depending on individual situations.
Full-time library and access to books. More IA help. Need Advanced Learning.
Every school needs a nurse. Every school needs counselors as appropriate. A consistent baseline of support services for all Special Education. All middle and high schools offer art, music and foreign language.
Transparency around what is provided by SPS and what is being funded by PTAs. Steady baseline for resources and services.
Academics/extra curriculars
Advanced Learning in neighborhood schools - doesn't exist now. (Editor's note: interesting because the district would tell you otherwise.) Publish a directory of services - I wish I knew about speech therapy earlier! ESL support. Social worker/nurse/counselor.
Important to allow students to take the math class thtat they are best suited for. Don't be like Florida; offer APS at all schools (Editor's note - there are AP courses at all comprehensive high schools but the number of topics does differ.) Music, art and science classes.
HCC helps thrive, it's a lifeline, not a privilege!, class sizes, art/music.
All Band program, every school with visual arts and music, "We have the most incredible Arts Dept and leaders in SPS - use them fully - they are so forward thinking and impactful."
Access to advanced learning through highly capable program. Meeting students where they are - allow advanced classes and groups to gather in concentrated programs or cohorts to allow district to provide specific advanced programs that meet kids' needs. More music programs.
Maintain historically important music programs.
Arts and music, languages (exposure to other cultures, travel, etc.), culinary (life skills, health, community)
The Arts! All the Arts!, SEL for good mental health, library "because literacy," STEM, garden programs, PE/sports (on campus for MS/HS), AP/Honors for any student who wants it, instrumental music programs, world languages
Multiple foreign languages offered, field trlips related to arts and science, PE, Arts, Clubs with equitable access
Science at kindergarten level (Editor's note - I have always done at least two science presentations a year for the 5 years I have been tutoring in kindergarten classrooms. My teachers were grateful because they have no time to plan or enact this kind of program. Seems sad that it might only happen if you have a volunteer or parent who can organize it.)Access to Advanced Learning/HCC (student self-select), HCC program (AL isn't challenging), programs that meet the needs of all students at their level. Fix the entrance problems with HCC; don't dismantle it (lazy solution)
Camp, field trips, tech education, geography and world history as stand-alone classes to promote global citizenship.
After-school programs, on-site daycare, drama program
Bring back JumpStart! North end schools have well-funded PTAs who can step in and pay for it. Where is the equity for south end schools who need it the most but don't have well-funded PTAs?
Comments
What I didn’t like was how the district called out a couple “themes” that were universally panned in my discussion group. Everyone agreed that “consistency” of programs does not equal equity. And no families want more tech. Tech is ruining our students’ lives.
But you’re right, this exercise is a LOT of disruption for a relatively small amount of money. I do think they are obligated to show their work on the effort to right finances and stave off state receivership as long as possible. Because that is a whole ‘nother level of disruption I do not want my kids to see.
Pain Menu
It was an interesting meeting. I wish I had faith that it will change anything.
-Listen better
SPS has the unenviable job of trying to hide that fact, but you don't have to deny it, Melissa.
SP
Split it
Amen to that.
I'm not trying to deny that parents will be pitted against each other in the thinking around closures. And, clearly, the district is unable to keep students in the fold. I accept the closures. What I am hoping is that parents who are not seeing their school fold into another OR are in a receiving building, will advocate/vocalize for the district to take all the measures it can to support both communities.
I will say that while yes, the system, as created, will pit parents against each other, the district is NOT blameless in this deficit situation. Both this Board and this Superintendent made choices, some of which greatly increased that deficit.
So the district wringing their hands is not altogether believable.
Deep community engagement is the best practice for SPS, as it pays dividends beyond school closures. Increased parent and student engagement lead to better academic achievement and attendance, which in Washington State leads to more funding for schools and the decreased likelihood of future school closures.
SPS should also conduct an equity impact assessment before implementing school closures to protect its students and communities from inequality and injustice, and provide the public with the set of metrics or criteria proposed for closure decisions so that the public can provide input.
One of the biggest decisions SPS will face is which schools to close. And while some of that may be geographic and predetermined by where enrollment is dropping, it‘s possible to also consider school performance and student achievement. One thing that SPS does and struggles with is how much it factors in how effective the school is. SPS is going to take students and reassign them to a new school. Hopefully the effects are positive that the students are assigned to a better-performing school than the one they went to. If they do it well, SPS can make sure kids are not harmed in the process.
I've noticed that you have been a frequent commenter wherever there are school related articles. Based on your alias, I can only surmise that you are in fact a retired OSPI employee. My observation is that you have much guidance and "shoulds" but honestly where has the OSPI actually been during the last 10 years when SPS blatantly ignored rules, engagement, shut down programs, lied about the services being delivered, etc? Seriously, I had hoped that the OSPI had some level of oversight but I have sadly been mistaken. Can you help me and other parents understand what the role of the OSPI is actually in support of student learning?
-skeptical parent
Stick around for a while.
Punitive Measures
I wish OSPI had a role too, but I don't think changing its position in an Olympia that is dominated by one party will do much.
NEA/WEA/SEA provide the campaign dollars for the Democrats who control the state.
Those Democrats can't really hold teachers accountable for anything, including the school consolidation process.
SP
P.S. I want to underscore Melissa's point about support staff from closing schools being folded into the intake school's staff. We teachers love to act like we're the main source of care in a building, but lunch staff, school registrars, and assistant librarians are often the people who save kids.
Sped Watcher
And yes, I am an OSPI retired professional (2021), WASBO retired associate member, and Certified School Business Official (CSBO). Having publicly served consecutively across five decades under five superintendents at OSPI, my professional career spanned 35 years. As the former Washington Management Service School District (SD) and Educational Service District (ESD) Budgeting Supervisor, I was tasked by OSPI with being a strategic systems-thinker and ensuring educational equity - responsible for administering the statewide program for managing, directing, and approving the statewide budgeting policies and budgets for SDs and ESDs; and in charge of maintaining and updating budget policy manuals for SDs and ESDs to assure compliance with state and federal financial regulations and with professional reporting standards; and developing, writing, and recommending modifications to rules prescribed in various Washington Administrative Code by OSPI and the State Auditor’s Office.
Because of how Washington’s system of common schools is structured, with governance largely decentralized across 295 school districts, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that oversight is primarily a state matter, especially given districts’ authority to set their own budgets.
What is surprising is just how unprepared many districts (including SPS) were for this economic downturn, calling it the ‘result of a perfect storm.’ Through a lack of analysis, oversight, and foresight, many district leaders have shown they WERE prepared to use the soon to expire federal relief funding, and the statutory local levy cap, and the continuous decline observed in student enrollments—all adverse pressures—as an ill-founded claim for their financial instability. School budgets, including labor and pension costs, should be built to withstand all these pressures that come with recessions and inflation. Asking the state budget to take on more school funding responsibility to keep up with the costs of high inflation will create its own fiscal squeeze if the economy is in a prolonged recession. Rather than relying on federal relief funds and rosy forecasts, state and local policymakers involved in public education need to prioritize long-term budget sustainability over short-term cost pressures.
And so in retirement, my responses are no longer official OSPI guidance. For that you need to reach out to the appropriate OSPI staff member(s). Even while enjoying my retirement, I also continue as both a WASBO retired associate member and CSBO to offer my knowledge, experience, and level of advocacy to the world of school business providing thorough and detailed feedback and input to build up our school districts, affiliations, and individual school business professionals across our state. As a friend to education my comments are strictly for educational insight and do not amount to professional advice. The opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily represent the official stance, or strategies, or views of any association or organization.
Although limited upward adjustments (i.e., percent funding caps) are not illegal, voters must persuade the Legislature to step up to their legal obligation to fully fund special education—a major disregarded component of the McCleary lawsuit. During the last legislative session most legislators immediately balked at providing $800+ million for special education. Skeptics included Gov. Inslee, who said he was “hopeful we can increase funding for special education”—then suggested $121.6 million was an appropriate investment. Legislators focused on a specific policy issue of an arbitrary 13.5 percent enrollment funding cap. State Superintendent Reykdal requested the enrollment cap be eliminated, while Inslee requested the cap simply be increased to 15.0 percent. Senator Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island), Chair of the Senate Early Learning & K–12 Education Committee, introduced a stand-alone bill to increase the cap to 14.5 percent. Her argument was that the national average of special education students was 14.5 percent—and that was an appropriate limit. Educational associations argued that by maintaining ANY cap, regardless of the number, the Legislature was admitting it would never fully fund special education. Setting the policy issues aside, the big fight came down to funding. In open debate, two members straight-up admitted they were not willing to cover the full special education need because they didn’t believe school districts were appropriately spending the funds provided. Many held onto this bold conspiracy theory—but now we know it’s real.
Sped Watcher
Washington was one of just 11 states that met federal requirements for educating students with disabilities this year. This stamp of approval marks a first for the state in recent memory.
Washington has trailed the national average historically on outcomes for students who qualify for special education services, which until this year meant the state had to undergo additional scrutiny from U.S. Department of Education officials. Nearly 167,000 public school students qualify for special education services, around 15% of total enrollment.
State officials credit new spending on special education, including more money baked into the student funding formula, and programs that maximize the amount of time students with disabilities spend in general education classrooms, which research shows is tied to increasing their academic success. They say advocates, including students and families, have been critical to pushing the state in a better direction.
In 2022, Washington was 34th in the nation when it comes to how much time students spend in general education classrooms. That’s an improvement from 2017, when Washington was 43rd. Federal officials account for this data when grading states’ special education programs.
State officials acknowledged this federal designation doesn’t address everything.
“That’s the first step,” said Tania May, assistant superintendent of special education services at OSPI. “[The students] can be in the room and not being served well.”
In the end, the designation doesn’t change much for the state. May says the state won’t see any financial boon from it, but it does remove the risk of the state losing federal funding.
Both OSPI and advocates will seek more funding for special education services. A bill that would have removed an enrollment cap on how much school districts receive for special education services failed to pass the Legislature this year. It is expected to return next session.
For elected officials (a.k.a. politicians), it's a hybrid calculation -- the incremental social benefit of one more dollar spent, crossed with the incremental political benefit (measured as votes for themselves). For whatever reason, it seems that Washington state Democrats don't see any political benefit from increasing special ed funding. (Don't bother asking them why -- you will just get word salad spin and misdirection designed to make you forget what your question was. These are successful politicians, and you are dealing with their core skill set.) It might seem odd, but it's not an isolated phenomenon. Democrats have absolute control over state government, but also never address the severe shortage of mental health services in the state, despite talking a good game. They are experts. They know which expenditures move votes, and which don't.
“State officials credit new spending on special education, including more money baked into the student funding formula, and programs that maximize the amount of time students with disabilities spend in general education classrooms, which research shows is tied to increasing their academic success. They say advocates, including students and families, have been critical to pushing the state in a better direction.”
So. Anonymous “state officials” credited with a nondescript paper-pushing federal good? We’re not buying it.
Funding doesn’t maximize “time spent in general education”. That’s what the IEP does, and that’s what OSPI enforces. Why haven’t they? Why do they instead allow gargantuan expenditures on NPAs that are maximally expensive, maximally restrictive all while producing nothing but abuse? (Like NW Soil) Advocates have been railing against these places for decades. Heck, the Seattle Times has done more for students with one article than OSPI and that’s pitiful. How can we cry about funding and then have plenty (as in $100k/per student) for NPAs?
15% of total enrollment have disabilities? Well, that figure includes a bunch of preschoolers and transition 18-21 as extras. Preschoolers with disabilities are fully funded in special education, Eg the district is paid for 100% of them. There are no general education preschoolers or adult transition general education students. That 15% includes the preschoolers and transition students. So clearly a disability rate for k-12 is far less than 15%. Districts do their very best to identify disability all the way up to the cap. Of course! The strong preference for segregated settings is a key reason NOT to increase that cap… unless general education is commensurately decreased. Funding (driven by arbitrary disability identification) is not unlimited, nor should it be. That is the opposite of inclusion. The cap rate is simply the requirement how to allocate the funds IT HAS. It directs districts to maximize resources on a neediest percentage. If there were no cap, then funding would essentially be equalized for everyone… which is the opposite of what is needed.
To be clear. There is no enrollment cap, only a funding cap. Every student with a slight reading or math problem doesn’t get to charge the state double for their educations. That would be irresponsible. Students are not piggy banks. Just because a student has a disability, doesn’t mean they cost more. It means existing staff has to do something differently to meet those needs. Districts need to figure out these economies of scale.
Sped Watcher
In addition, my younger sister has been a state special education teacher, her daughter (my niece) is a special education student, and our daughter has a 504 that we continually have to meet and argue with her school about. You are not the only “sped watcher.”
Moreover, I do know the “anonymous state officials” and indeed have insight on how special education numbers work, and what districts do. So, I am not clueless.
If by sharing information that I agree with and support is “unprofessional” then guilty as charged.
Finally, it was Melissa who reached out to me, and I responded who I was and my current status. There was no, and never has been any “impersonation” by me. But it’s getting pretty old when I have to continuously spend my time defending my intentions and character after every post I make on this blog.
So, I’m done.
Also, you are making some statements that show you are somewhat naive. Here's why:
1) It was a PUBLIC meeting by a municipal entity. That right there takes away some of your privacy expectations.
2) SPS was filming every single meeting. You may have appeared on tv. Are you going to contact SPS about that? They made it clear that this was happening.
3) I have been considered media by SPS for probably more than 15 years. And yes, I did check in with senior staffers including the Superintendent.
4) I thought I introduced myself at every table but whether I or any other reporter did an introduction, we were allowed to listen in. It's called reporting. I was not intruding.
5) I did not identify the sticky notes (and I couldn't of course because I didn't know who wrote them or the names of most of the attendees). I did not post a single photo of the notes because yes, I realized that someone might recognize someone else's handwriting. But quoting what someone said or wrote out loud (to be included in the public record) is, again, reporting.
6) You were okay with other parents and staff and board members hearing your thoughts but not reporters? Again, it's a public meeting.
7) Not a single other person raised any issue with me at the meeting and I was there for the whole thing so anyone could have come to me.
Thanks for trying to shed light on a process that will lead to school closures.
Community members have articulated a desire for advanced learning opportunities. It is highly unlikely that the district will ever elevate these voices.
spit it
You cut and pasted a Seattle Times Education Lab article and presented as your own post without attribution. That is impersonation or plagiarism, and it isn’t informative. The ST “Education Lab” is a Gates funded organization with their own agenda. It would appear that it is yours too. Btw. A 504 plan is not special education.
SW