tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post6830657297769014227..comments2024-03-29T02:41:52.718-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Olympia: McCleary, Charters and UpdatesMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-22484430628540767422016-01-17T12:56:42.239-08:002016-01-17T12:56:42.239-08:00This isn't a pro/con charter comment. It make...This isn't a pro/con charter comment. It makes sense to me from a practical money management standpoint for tiny, poor school districts to use a county entity to help disburse or hold funds. It's not like SPS where we have so many, highly paid central staff to do excellent accounting work and update our web page and to make it user friendly. This district figures it can get more state money to augment its operational budget by offering charter service which OSPI seems open to. <br /><br />It's expensive to have 295 school districts. Part of figuring out McCleary funding can be finding ways to save/reduce cost along with finding ways to fund. I think this combo is this state's best bet to push through the political log jam to find compromises. <br /><br />voter<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-14374096706493807482016-01-17T00:07:13.393-08:002016-01-17T00:07:13.393-08:00Consider Mary Walker's financials, I'm not...Consider Mary Walker's financials, I'm not surprised that they haven't updated their budget information on their web page, since 2014-2015. Strange things happening in the small school district which is located 50 miles north of Spokane!No 1240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-43370032629032072482016-01-17T00:00:27.139-08:002016-01-17T00:00:27.139-08:00Thanks for the audit link, Ryan. Interesting info...Thanks for the audit link, Ryan. Interesting information regarding the Mary Walker School District:<br /><br />The District’s General Fund ending fund balance since fiscal year 2011 is shown<br />below:<br />Fiscal<br />Year<br />General Fund Ending<br />Fund Balance<br />2011<br />$ 216,988<br />2012<br />$ 372,690<br />2013<br />$ 303,736<br />2014<br />$ 84,293<br />The 2014 general fund ending fund balance includes approximately $65,000<br />committed for specific purposes that is not available to spend on general<br />operations.<br />The general fund ending balance as of March 31, 2015, was a deficit of<br />approximately $189,800. In addition, in fiscal year 2015 the General Fund<br />borrowed $170,000 from the Capital Projects fund in order to meet immediate<br />cash needs.<br /><br />and:<br /><br />'The District’s informal strategy has<br />not been effective in improving the District’s financial condition"<br /><br />#####<br /><br />Considering Mary Walker's financials, I'm not comfortable with the Mary Walker School district over seeing charter schools. Wow.NO 1240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-27920344468423149662016-01-16T23:46:59.557-08:002016-01-16T23:46:59.557-08:00Ryan,
What do you mean by:
"--Mary Walker h...Ryan,<br /><br />What do you mean by:<br /><br />"--Mary Walker has been under binding conditions from OSPI for quite a few years running"...<br /><br />In 2014, the Mary Walker School District discussed getting a loan from the Stevens County Treasurer. I'd imagine the MWSD was having financial troubles. OSPI distributes checks to Mary Walker School District through the Stevens County Treasurer, which seems odd. No 1240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-15997955517341890292016-01-16T21:09:25.948-08:002016-01-16T21:09:25.948-08:00Of course Jacka is playing games--Mary Walker has ...Of course Jacka is playing games--Mary Walker has been under binding conditions from OSPI for quite a few years running, and that $2m bribe from the Gates Foundation is going to save his bacon:<br /><br />http://portal.sao.wa.gov/ReportSearch/Home/ViewReportFile?arn=1014225&isFinding=false&sp=true#search=%22Mary%20Walker%22<br /><br />All this nonsense about best for kids and saving the system is puff; he wanted to cash out, and he's doing it.<br /><br />--Ryan--Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-23153011434412511072016-01-15T20:09:08.878-08:002016-01-15T20:09:08.878-08:00SB 6194 will have a Public Hearing in the Senate W...SB 6194 will have a Public Hearing in the Senate Ways & Means Committee on Monday, Jan. 18 at 3:30.<br /><br />CatherineAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-4019088890526681142016-01-15T17:36:18.976-08:002016-01-15T17:36:18.976-08:00"It is the intent of the legislature to allow..."It is the intent of the legislature to allow school district boards of directors to authorize district charter schools that will be able to operate with greater flexibility in order to meet their students' needs. "<br /><br />It should be noted that a charter school operator in Florida is filing a lawsuit against a school board for not authorizing a contract. Charter schools are a disaster and unconstitutional in Washington state. Very important for these bills to die in Olympia.<br /><br />I'm not surprised about Pettigrews comment about charter schools. I always believed that once charter schools are open...they will be difficult to close.No 1240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-7313004322044425852016-01-15T17:23:51.276-08:002016-01-15T17:23:51.276-08:00Kevin Jacka served on the Washington State Charter...Kevin Jacka served on the Washington State Charter Commission and he is the superintendent of Mary Walker School District. Jacka wears many hats. He is also in charge of Public Record Requests.<br /><br />I'm having a hard time getting documents from Mary Walker School District. I've been told that documents might not be sent until March 11th. I find this interesting because the legislative period ends on March 10th.<br /><br />If anyone has information about FOIA laws...please let me know. I have a feeling Jacka is playing games.No 1240noreply@blogger.com