tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post6969511820638122863..comments2024-03-28T23:38:22.511-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Friday Open ThreadMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-54188866070902110132014-04-01T15:18:09.351-07:002014-04-01T15:18:09.351-07:00CCA,
I would second the comment to call the OEO a...CCA,<br /><br />I would second the comment to call the OEO at 1-866-297-2597. Also, they have a very hand booklet about the rights of students with disabilities available for download at <a href="http://1.usa.gov/1pFZdjH" rel="nofollow">http://1.usa.gov/1pFZdjH</a>.<br /><br />If your friend wants to contact me, please have them send me an email at maryvgriffin@gmail.com .Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542105149501352547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-85088308446264665942014-03-31T20:06:03.933-07:002014-03-31T20:06:03.933-07:00I'm guessing they'll be used to justify in...I'm guessing they'll be used to justify increasing ratios of students to guidance counselors, now that new web tools by for-profits (ConnectEDU) now give the appearance of "counseling". What is so disconcerting is how so many secondary counselors are so very excited when SPS and CCER push these things. It looks to me that district would love to foist this service onto CBOs.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-54992115449050008122014-03-31T19:23:24.990-07:002014-03-31T19:23:24.990-07:00
The Seattle Times EduLab is collecting data from...<br /><br />The Seattle Times EduLab is collecting data from high school students related to guidance counselors. High Schools are putting this link to PTA newsletters:<br /><br />http://blogs.seattletimes.com/educationlab/2014/03/26/students-how-have-guidance-counselors-helped-you/<br /><br />More data for Gates, but how will the data be utilized??More Datanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-87919841721759776012014-03-31T09:00:51.321-07:002014-03-31T09:00:51.321-07:00It should be noted that the $15/hr campaign and AF...It should be noted that the $15/hr campaign and AFT has entered into the pre-K campaign.<br /><br />Articles indicate that Burgess might not be happy, but $15/hr would make teaching positions attractive.Watchingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-91361852874899154182014-03-30T20:43:09.878-07:002014-03-30T20:43:09.878-07:00Your friend can also take a look at WAC 392-172A-0...Your friend can also take a look at WAC 392-172A-02050: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=392-172A-02050<br /><br />-SpecialEd ParentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-51733126090645946452014-03-30T18:16:49.307-07:002014-03-30T18:16:49.307-07:00CCA, I am not a Special Education teacher, but I t...CCA, I am not a Special Education teacher, but I teach general ed. From what I know about the law, what's going on with your child would not be legal (as you describe it.)<br />Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) means that your child should be evaluated for her needs (which they already have, since you identify her as Special Ed) then they must provide her the LRE, in other words, as close to the experience of a gen ed student as is possible, given her particular needs. If a decision was made to move her from a Resource Room setting to a general ed setting (for any amount of time) then the expectation is that a) her experience there would be made, with the effort of the teacher (and an IA or accompanying Special Ed teacher, if called for given her situation), as close to the general ed experience as possible.<br />While "accommodations" (legal term for different ways to address curriculum: longer for tests, modified readings, etc) might be made, she should still be generally participating, as well as she is able, with the general class.<br />If she is not getting any instruction at all (under the table; reading a non-curricular book) then she is not getting what she is legally entitled to.<br />LRE means as close to gen-ed as is possible. Just putting her in the same room with gen-ed students doesn't cut it.seattle citizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724175257161649500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-92201783846676485662014-03-30T17:52:23.999-07:002014-03-30T17:52:23.999-07:00CCA, has your friend tried calling the Office of t...CCA, has your friend tried calling the Office of the Education Ombudsman? Number is 866-297-2597.<br /><br />Here is some information about the right to the least restrictive environment (to be educated with children without disabilities to the "maximum extent appropriate") : http://nichcy.org/schoolage/placement/placement-lre<br /><br />As you can see from that website (or by looking on Wrightslaw), preschool students and secondary transition students also have this right.<br /><br />SpecialEd ParentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-36948429406026419802014-03-30T16:58:20.048-07:002014-03-30T16:58:20.048-07:00Hi mirmac1 & Mary Griffin. I have a friend who...Hi mirmac1 & Mary Griffin. I have a friend whose child is kept in the Sped room all day long this year. Last year she was in the gen ed class some of the time where they either let her crouch under a table or sit in the back of the class with a book.No attempts to teach. Is this legal?<br /><br />CCA Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-91776717985159765872014-03-30T16:21:43.376-07:002014-03-30T16:21:43.376-07:00If it is true that Jesse Hagopian was disqualified...If it is true that Jesse Hagopian was disqualified from the upcoming vote on SEA leadership, I have a question and a point based on this document:<br /><a href="http://www.seattlewea.org/images/static_content/VOTING/ELECTION_RESULTS/NEAWEA%20ELECTION%20RESULTS%20-%201-31-14.pdf" rel="nofollow">2014 NEA and WEA Delegate Ballot (SEA division)choosing delegates</a><br />These results, votes of SEA members, were certified by the SEA Board.<br /><br />Question: If Jesse was certified as a delegate by the board at the end of January, how come he is now ineligible to be a candidate in this race?<br /><br />Point: Note that in both NEA and WEA categories by SEA rank and file, Jesse is second, and a close second, in votes garnered in this delegate vote. Jonathan Knapp is barely first. That explains, perhaps, why Jesse is now (purportedly) disqualified....seattle citizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724175257161649500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-49452124611373386082014-03-30T15:53:41.620-07:002014-03-30T15:53:41.620-07:00Josh, I"m looking into that. If true, not go...Josh, I"m looking into that. If true, not good and that will be a real issue with a lot of people.<br /><br />And, it needs to be outed that this is what happens when those in power don't want to run fair elections.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-18877806449566275282014-03-30T14:38:40.613-07:002014-03-30T14:38:40.613-07:00I am reading (Sunday afternoon) that Jesse Hagopia...I am reading (Sunday afternoon) that Jesse Hagopian has been disqualified from running for SEA president because he's on paternity leave. Can anyone confirm this?<br /><br />If this is true, I don't know whether to be angry because of it, or pleased that the reform slate has got people so scared that they have to pull stupid crap like this.Josh Hayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17242600011474990770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-49544319289339445982014-03-30T13:44:46.924-07:002014-03-30T13:44:46.924-07:00I should mention, the state has counted early lear...I should mention, the state has counted early learning dollars as fulfilling McCleary mandate.Another Pointnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-29745567672040001332014-03-30T13:43:53.502-07:002014-03-30T13:43:53.502-07:00To be clear, there are attempts to turn the K-12 s...To be clear, there are attempts to turn the K-12 system into a pre-K-12 system. Is the city attempting to place infra-structure for pre-K-12 system?<br /><br />The state is under a court order to fund K-12, and the state has allocated dollars for early learning.<br /><br />LEV/city want SPS buy in. Where are we headed? <br /><br />If the city is successful in incorporating Pre-K- 12, will the state be willing to fund pre-K in addition to mandated K-12 as required by the courts? I don't think so.What's happening?noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-75572119306611838492014-03-30T13:21:30.972-07:002014-03-30T13:21:30.972-07:00Burgess and LEV have always showed a complete disr...Burgess and LEV have always showed a complete disregard for the board and process They prefer the tactic of bullying.<br /><br />Pitifulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-76225420294068322292014-03-28T18:35:47.727-07:002014-03-28T18:35:47.727-07:00EdVoter, yup, saw it. We'll see more of this ...EdVoter, yup, saw it. We'll see more of this as we go on, I'll wager.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-5887198053096010762014-03-28T17:11:36.473-07:002014-03-28T17:11:36.473-07:00On the subject of universal preschool in Seattle: ...On the subject of universal preschool in Seattle: Did anyone read the Washington Post letter and subsequent comments on the kindergarten teacher quitting because it's all about data and not about her kids anymore? She's drawn a heap of attention, including an appearance on the Today show. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/03/23/kindergarten-teacher-my-job-is-now-about-tests-and-data-not-children-i-quit/?hpid=z7" rel="nofollow">Here is the link.</a><br /><br />EdVoterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-30905370834998141112014-03-28T15:36:12.880-07:002014-03-28T15:36:12.880-07:00Thanks so much, Mary. Only 22 percent of the pulle...Thanks so much, Mary. Only 22 percent of the pulled IEPs were compliant?? That is shocking. <br /><br />Is there anything parents can do to push the district to comply in this area other than appear at the open microphone night on April 8? <br /><br />-concerned parentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-22671711727737610022014-03-28T15:32:35.195-07:002014-03-28T15:32:35.195-07:00Sorry for my typos on the first post. : (
But a...Sorry for my typos on the first post. : ( <br /><br />But apparently there is friction between SPS and their CBOs (community-based organizations), with respect to data-grabbing. With the introduction of ConnectEDU, CBOs came out of the woodwork, excited to have access to students' GPA, career goals, survey results. I guess the Source and SPS' nightly automated data reports aren't enough to meet <i>their</i> needs. And I see that students are directed to use their email address for their username because it will be<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B46r0jyeOUuNdElScW9zN2I0bUE/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow"> their "login for life"</a>mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-67914039855598303082014-03-28T14:43:00.904-07:002014-03-28T14:43:00.904-07:00Regarding the SpEd PTSA meeting where it was annou...Regarding the SpEd PTSA meeting where it was announced that the district would be developing two hubs for the 18-21 transitional services, what has been reported seems accurate. <br /><br />We have asked the district for official communication on this matter and expect to have it by Monday. <br /><br />No one in SpEd PTSA had heard of this change at this meeting. We were expecting to hear how the district was making progress on their transition portion of the Comprehensive Corrective Action Plan. I reviewed this data the other day and found that in February of this year, the most recent report indicates that the district was only achieving a 22% compliance rate with the six components of a compliant IEP. Sherry said that this compliance responsibility is being shifted to the principals. She has educated all of them on the use of a checklist to ensure compliance. I am not sure that this approach is working, as the most recent CCAP report indicates that only 22% of pulled IEP's were compliant with these standards.<br /><br />Getting back to the actual families, we will distribute what we know as soon as we know it. <br /><br />Families should also know that there will be an open microphone night with the external consultants on April 8, from 5-8pm at John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence. We are encouraging as many families as can make it to come and make comments on SpEd services for a few minutes each. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542105149501352547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78484345122210773332014-03-28T13:44:21.739-07:002014-03-28T13:44:21.739-07:00Thanks, Eric. Can someone who was at the SpEd PTSA...Thanks, Eric. Can someone who was at the SpEd PTSA meeting on Monday please post more information about this plan to move the transition program to single sites in the north and south end starting in Fall 2014? This seems like a really big change for the students and families involved.<br /><br />I have heard the students would be moved out of all the high schools and into a "hub" that would not be a high school building. Someone at the meeting was reporting that the Lincoln building was mentioned. How do parents in the transition program or the transition students feel about this? <br /><br />Regardless of any move, the Special Olympics Unified program absolutely needs to be maintained. <br /><br />-a parent<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-23023424978228258932014-03-28T12:48:20.275-07:002014-03-28T12:48:20.275-07:00Curious: I was at the Ballard meeting, but had to ...Curious: I was at the Ballard meeting, but had to leave before Q&A. I have heard that at the SpEdPTSA meeting this week, parents were told that the transition program in the north end would be moved to a single site from the three schools it's at now (Ingraham, Hale, and Ballard). This is (IMHO) a terrible idea on many levels, from serving students to capacity management. <br /><br />I wasn't at the meeting, but one person who was there said that when asked about how this would affect the Special Olympics Unified sports teams, district staff said that the Unified program was a leisure activity. Regardless of whether that's a word-for-word quote, the Unified teams would probably disappear under the change. This illustrates the terrible equity issues that SpEd faces--would staff say that football at Ballard (or basketball at Garfield, or...) was a leisure activity?<br /><br />Ingraham had a parade with the marching band and cheerleaders for their Unified team champions. Ironically, the NW's executive Director's presentation listed the Ballard Unified team's success as a NW Region success. The program they basically said they would kill and wasn't important. <br /><br />This program is about so much more than sports. It's just a simple example of the inequity in the system. Eric Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-52301390766066737602014-03-28T12:28:58.959-07:002014-03-28T12:28:58.959-07:00Okay Mary, I'm putting that up as a thread.
I...Okay Mary, I'm putting that up as a thread.<br /><br />I will also say that yes, data, its collection, its safeguards, its destruction after use (by outside contractors) AND its analysis are hugely important.<br /><br />This is now the second time this week I have heard this story. The first was Transportation saying that the transfer from one technology system to another caused them to have to do a lot of work by hand. <br /><br />That's just crazy talk in this day and age AND given how much the district has spent. (or not spent).<br /><br />That parents/teachers struggle with The Source/Fusion, the public with the website and staff with using the technology is so wrong. <br /><br />But, as I like to say to the Board, priorities, kids.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-73090291077865015302014-03-28T11:50:40.146-07:002014-03-28T11:50:40.146-07:00Warning- RANT alert and Warning
YDEKC is just an...Warning- RANT alert and Warning <br /><br />YDEKC is just another Gates funded youth education nonprofit offshoot arising out of the morass of other Gates funded youth education nonprofits. <br /><br />I am not a fan of data sharing, but I am a fan of useful data collection and accessibility within the district. <br /><br />The district right now is suffering greatly from the lack of usable, easily accessible data. Not having good data means that the Director of Special Education needs to spend two weeks going through all the student records identifying which students receive Special Education services. Not having good data means they can't get their ducks in a row to even fill out the forms to request $12 million dollars to fund Special Education. Not having good data interferes with enrollment predictions for next year and hampers communication about the location of classrooms. Not having good data means even though they have a federal investigation staring down their throats, SPS can not produce good data statistics around discipline. Particularly galling to me is that even though I spent several weeks of my life writing a position paper on the the disproportionate discipline that has been dished out on students with disabilities and tried to hammer out the point that the collection and dis-aggregation of these statistics to include students with disabilities was one of the most important things that the district needs to do, they aren't going to do it at all for the 2012-2013 school year. Why? BECAUSE IT ISN'T A PRIORITY! There is good evidence that providing principals about the use of exclusionary discipline in their buildings will help drive down the use of exclusionary discipline. By not being able to provide them and the public with data, the district is dis-serving students. <br /><br />Additionally, the Special Education department's new external consultant's plan to improve the delivery of special education services to the district relies heavily on providing data to principals. If the districts infrastructure can not provide the data, I have little hope that the consultant's plan will be effective.<br /><br />The district needs to make the collection and disaggregration of civil rights and special education data a top priority. It is hampering them and more importantly, it is hampering students. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542105149501352547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-50392731325302873472014-03-28T11:50:06.730-07:002014-03-28T11:50:06.730-07:00Curious, I was not in attendance at Ballard last n...Curious, I was not in attendance at Ballard last night. I don't know the Transitions program. I would ask Sped PTA president Mary Griffin on this one. It's odd that something would be said by staff at the SPED meeting and then the Sped director)(?) tells you something else.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78371636268913012452014-03-28T11:28:20.891-07:002014-03-28T11:28:20.891-07:00You bring up excellent points Eric B. Unfortunatel...You bring up excellent points Eric B. Unfortunately, SPS does not have a strong history of PD within its K12 system. Whether this is a funding or competency issue I don't know. And then there is the SPS ability to roll out core programming at multiple sites which has not had a stellar track record (see advanced learning, special education, arts enrichment, general ed expectations, languages or pick your own pet topic)<br /><br />So then a thinking person says: right: just let the city and its partners like Gates and LEV handle the preK training and curriculum. Major pitfalls there: suddenly you've got an initiative unlikely to dovetail into SPS kindergarten not to mention the overlap of the SPS mandate to be involved with preK services for special education. And petty infighting over whether city noneducators have any right to tell educators how to set up preK.<br /><br />I'm not saying it couldn't work. Boy, I sure wish and hope it can work. But I am exceedingly skeptical, looking at the divergent interests, knowledge bases and motivations of the city, SPS and ed "players"/nonprofits in this city. They don't play well together. Neither are any of them (and I include Gates here, despite its world reputation) especially educationally strong on their own. <br /><br />I see mediocrity, politics and a money-suck as the leaders in a preschool initiative outcome. If any of the big players (SPS, city, nonprofits) can convince me that helping kids love learning, getting a strong start for kids in education, and partnering with families to teach them how to help their kids learn would be the primary outcomes then I'll be helping to pass a levy. But I want concrete plans not platitudes and vision. Murray and Banda and City Council and SPS Board and LEV and Gates together supplying a coherent plan? Hmmmmmmmm. <br /><br />DistrictWatcher Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com