Seattle Schools Community Forum

The National PTA is currently conducting a survey of members.   It asks a few early questions about how members use PTA and then asks about what members know about "advocacy" work.

I ask this question as two large parent issues are looming large right now.  Those issues are Building Leadership Teams (BLTs) and PTA.

We've had discussions here about the role of PTA in public education in our district.  There are several schools that are now PTOs (parent-teacher organizations) that operate solely at their schools.  Being a PTO is more work in some ways but in another way, it's better as your school gets to keep all your fund-raising dollars (without dollars going to state and national PTA.) We've talked about trying to figure out if it would be possible to share PTA wealth from some more empowered schools since other schools have small PTAs.  (I was doing a random check and so far I haven't found a school without a PTA/PTO.)  As I previously reported, the district says that PTA grants are now well over $3M a year and that's now above some other grant providers. Seattle PTAs have certainly taken on more and more. But it's not just the money but how PTA at all levels seems to be different to me.

Update: this is amazing to me (from today at the Facebook Soup for Teachers): Hey Souper Troopers. We have officially checked in with EVERY SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT!! ! Last night I got a message from Pam Klein-Farrow with a contact at Seattle World , the last school I had absolutely no word on. They didn't have support this week, so I'm thrilled to say that they're getting coffee, fruit, muffins, and sandwiches today, thanks to Pam, Tully's on Aloha, and Jody Rachelle and her family, who are making sandwiches as we speak. We are here for the teachers because they're here for our students. We will continue to work to support the educators, from within their own communities and communities all across the city, to get them the resources they need to make their schools the places our kids deserve. end of update. I have not heard back from the Soup for Teachers group about what they will do next with their incredibly effective group.  I would love to see...

The Board is having a multi-topic Work Session today with an update on the Families and Education levy, more Board policies and a  presentation to the Board on the 2025-2016 Budget.  I don't know if it's because I don't read many budgets but I am finding this presentation documentation hard to understand.  It appears - on page 10 - that the district is trying to pay for "strategic initiatives/grant backfill " to about $5M.  Seems like a lot given that's money that is NOT going to the classroom.  What is also troubling on that same page - if I am reading it correctly - is that the district says the "materials, supplies, operating costs" are at $20.3M .  And yet, they will get $16.5M from the Operations levy.  Obviously the two numbers are not equal but the problem for me is that the district gets money from the state for operations.  If there is state money plus local levy money, how are they not able to corral the $20M? They ...

Kind of late but okay.  Cast your vote .  Currently it's 89% against (38K+ votes) and 11% for (4600+votes).  PTA tweeted this yesterday: Have your voice heard on # CCSS ! Poll in advance of Sept @ IQ2US debate wants to know if u "Embrace the # CommonCore " http:// ow.ly/AveEH   1:20 PM - 4 Sep 2014 The link in the tweet takes you to a poll which is tied to an upcoming debate. The event will be live streamed here on September 9th at 6:45pm EST. Where Do You Stand?

The AP is reporting that the State Supreme Court will announced on Friday that it would consider if the charter law of Washington State violates our state's constitution. I would say that's a rather large piece of news as I have been repeatedly told that it was "highly unlikely" this would happen.  Oral arguments are scheduled for Oct. 28th.  I just might have to go and listen. A King County judge had earlier ruled that parts of the law were unconstitutional and both sides asked to skip the appeals and go straight to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court issue centers around our Constitution's wording about "common schools" and whether charters meet that specific definition (and therefore are entitled to be funded in that manner). NCLB letters are reaching mailboxes soon.  (SPS is holding back to see if their individual district waiver comes thru based on the district's belief that the CBA covers using test scores for teacher evaluation.)  Her...

I would guess if you are a PTA member and on Facebook, these PTA-sponsored ads will pop up on your Facebook page. Would be nice if someone had proofread it first.  Disappointing that National PTA is going this direction rather than having a real conversation about the issue and parents' concerns.

WA State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn has sent a letter to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan asking that Washington be waived from the NCLB requirement that public schools send out letters about how they are all failing under NCLB (about 96% of schools would have to send out these letters).   Naturally, 96% of Washington schools are not failing; it's just the failure of Congress to act on this (dying) law.   Sending these letters would cause undue confusion to parents and be a cost to districts.  (Over at Washington Policy Center, they bemoan that parents won't get their choice, under NCLB, to move their kids to another school and/or access tutoring if their child is at a failing school.  What they fail to understand is that most parents, currently at "failing" schools neither access the movement of their child nor tutoring even when they are notified of this option.) Speaking of Arne Duncan, apparently he made a speech at the rec...

Well, that was interesting.  I'm sorry there were so few people there (but my experience is that many people never go to SCPTSA meetings anyway, choosing to go to their school PTA meeting). As usual, they had food (so no one goes hungry) and welcoming faces.  I note that the Board is a multi-racial one.  (SCPTSA President Katherine Schomer later mentioned that they have been unable to find a rep from either the NW or NE.  So much for that theory that the NE runs SCPTSA.) Much of the entire senior staff was in attendance including Superintendent Banda. President Schomer started the meeting by acknowledging their contact list has problems and they have been struggling with it since fall.  Apparently the state PTA has had issues of sending SCPTSA updated information on what PTAs are members and who their contacts are. As well, the SCPTSA is working on a new website . They did talk about the state PTA convention coming up from April 25-27th over in Belle...

I wanted to pull this issue out from the Seattle Schools This Week thread because I believe this could affect many, many schools and their after-school programs. Amending School Board Policy #4260,   Use of School Facilities.  It has come to my attention that the district wants to create a change in usage of facilities.  The district says it is "working with SCPTSA" over using facilities and there is a rent waiver process for groups wishing to use facilities for "youth enrichment that meet requirements."  This is a change from type of organization to type of use. The issue is that the district now wants the group - not the district - to pay for aides or support for any special needs child. With respect to all non-District uses of school facilities, the organization conducting t he activity shall be responsible for assuring that youth are able to participate consistent with these requirements.  This includes providing appropriate services and accommodations and...

This new webpage at SPS is a welcome addition.  It has an FAQ page (chock-full of info), Building Rentals page and a Contacts page.  The main page, called PTSA/PTO Resources, also has links for forms/documents, policies and procedures and info for various groups/individuals.  I am also glad to see PTOs given the same rank and recognition as PTA/PTSAs.  It's the right thing to do. 

I have been a PTA parent.  I have served on Boards in nearly every postion and, I was co-president of a PTA at a large high school.  I've been to Legislative Assembly and conventions.  I have seen, firsthand, many, many hard-working parents - at several schools - and heard amazing stories of effort at others.  (Sad to say, not every school has a vibrant PTA.) But, just like the seeming disconnect between our schools and our district headquarters, there seems to be an ever-growing disconnect between school PTAs and their needs and our city/state/national PTAs' goals. What has always troubled me is that local PTA leaders are always there for the meetings with the Superintendents or Mayor or other officials.  They rise to endorse Board agendas for work at the Legislature.  All this is great but it's high-level.  It feels like the city/state/national operates at that 10,000 foot level and yet, there are real concerns at the district and school level ...

 UPDATE : SPS let me know that this workshop has been cancelled due to lack of participants. From SPS: Seattle Public Schools has teamed with the Washington Association of School Business Officials (WASBO) to bring to you a workshop specifically crafted for booster club members, parent group members, athletic and activity directors, principals and school administrators. The PTSAs and booster clubs that make up our support groups are an integral component of our students’ academic and extracurricular success. They are needed, helpful and necessary. In this workshop, you will gain a better understanding of: • the differences between Associated Student Body (ASB) groups and parent groups; • parent group structures and legal obligations; • legal risks to parents; and • how fund-raisers and activities of a booster club, PTSA/PTA or parent group differ from those of the ASB. Click here for the flier. Registration and additional information is available on the WAS...

Yes, I know. It's quite early in the year but this rather fascinating op-ed just appeared in the NY Times about fundraising.  What's interesting is that it is not about PTAs per se but about foundations that are created to support schools.  (Most of our comprehensive high schools have them.  Not sure about any others except I know Laurelhurst Elementary has one as well.) The op-ed, entitled "Not Very Giving" is by Rob Reich, a professor of political science at Stanford and co-director of the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society.   (I'm linking the website but I haven't looked at it myself.) He starts off in his own backyard with a bang: Hillsborough is one of the wealthiest towns in the United States. Median family income is over $250,000, and residents enjoy one of the best school districts in the state. It’s not hard for Hillsborough families to donate to their own children’s school. These funds supplement the annual public spending of $13,500...

Via Survey Monkey, the WSPTA is looking for input on these issues.  Of course, considering they got rid of the legislative lobbyist post, we'll have to see if they are any more effective without a point person in Olympia.  Survey closes on September 30, 2013.

I attended the Executive Committee meeting last week. The minutes from the previous meeting on June 12th were somewhat telling.  They reflect some discussion of the new Seattle Teacher Residency program.  Michael Tolley noted that it had been assigned to the Audit and Finance Committee and not the Curriculum and Instruction Committee.  That's interesting because I would think training teachers would be C&I but there was not an explanation in the minutes. As well, Duggan Harman said that "costs have not been finalized."  Remember that for the future because the STR program may well cost much more than we suspect and the money has to come from somewhere.  As well, this item WAS to be on the August 21st Board agenda and the Superintendent pulled it.  I suspect it is because the Board was not going to vote for a program with no budget attached.  Rightly so. I note that Directors were updated on conditional certifications for TFA teachers and ...

The district sent out this e-mail to families: The Seattle Education Association (SEA), which represents teachers, rejected the district’s latest contract proposal. They plan to meet again on September 3 to vote on whatever the proposal is at that time. With the start of school on September 4, we are encouraging families to develop back=up plans should Seattle Public Schools not open on time.  We realize the impact a labor strike would have on our families. We are working with child care providers and the City of Seattle to develop options for your students in the event school is not in session on September 4. Those resources, along with other information, will be posted tomorrow at www.seattleschools.org. We will send you additional messages as new information is available.  Again, we are working to reach an agreement with teachers, but it is possible that school will not start on September 4. Please visit www.seattleschools.org for additional informati...

Not completely (more on that at the end) but better.  (Notes in red are mine.) From SCPTSA; Why the sudden change in policy of the new 10% fee for fundraising on school grounds by the district? It not really a new policy, but more accurately a policy the district should have been following but was not. In a workshop sponsored by WASBO (Washington Association of School Business Officials) the district learned they were not in compliance with State laws around Associated Student Body (ASB) activities and funds (WAC 392-138-010, RCW 28A.325.020 and RCW 28A.325.030). The rules indicated the following activities turn a parent group fundraiser into an ASB activity: *    A majority of the work is performed by the students. *    The parent group uses the school name. *    The use of district facilities is not followed per district policy. *    School district personnel are involved during staff time (during ...

I did speak with Teresa Wippel, SPS Communications.  Our conversation helped clear up some issues but my reading of the RCWs cited now muddies it.  I will follow up with Teresa and the SCPTSA President to try to get more clarification but here is what I was told.  (Also, I hope the SCPTA president sends out a detailed explanation of what school PTAs can and cannot do with these types of funds and how to handle them.) The district had been working with the SCPTSA last year on this issue as the Washington Association of School Business Officers (WASBO) told the district they were not collecting the funds from on-site, school-hours fundraising properly.  They cited two RCWs - 28A.325.010 and 28A.325.030 .  What the district is saying those RCWs say is that students should partially benefit from any proceeds of these events, not the PTA.  The money - 10% or $1500 - should go into the school's ASB fund.  I was surprised as I hadn't really given muc...