Seattle Schools Community Forum

Some interesting and important issues being discussed this week. Monday, April 4th Curriculum and Instruction meeting , 4:30-6:30 pm, JSCEE. Agenda Highlights (partial) -  Resolution to Consider Alternative Summative Assessments and Reaffirm Student Opt-Out Rights (Burke)  Brave and ground-breaking resolution (see page 16): Under Resolution No, 2014/15-33 on Use of Smarter Balanced Assessment , The Board of Directors of Seattle Public Schools: -  Asked Congress to support the Elementary and Secondary Education Act -  Supported the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn’s efforts to suspend the use of the Smarter Balanced 2015 assessment scores for any consequential judgment or purpose such as federal school evaluations (Adequate Yearly Progress)   - Called upon the Washington Legislature to reconsider high stakes graduation requirements until we may ensure assessment scores are interpreted and applied appropriately. - Calle...

I'll let Representative Gerry Pollet - who worked his ass off to make sure this law was fair to Sped students - tell you about it (written on March 12th): Earlier today we did something terrific for our children and schools. We were faced with a punitive Senate bill to require every student to finish 24 credits to graduate from high school even if they were sick or homeless for some period of time, or had special education needs that were not met, and couldn't complete courses.  We would drive up the dr opout rate when students who are behind discover there is no way to make up and graduate with their classmates. As I pointed out repeatedly, the state and districts (like Seattle) don't even provide for free make-up, summer and remedial courses. This would have kicked in with students becoming freshmen a year from now - before we added guidance counselors, lowered class sizes, or provided students with options for career and technical education courses.  ...