Seattle Schools Community Forum

Why, what it is, how to make it work and methods of implementing it.  A reader requested this thread. Two items to note.  Most of the searches on inclusion and education are around Sped students.  But yes, there is a whole subset of research on inclusion and gifted education.  I found a very good article about inclusion and gifted education that could be a the blueprint for going forward in SPS.  But SPS has not revealed what they are doing or why so it's hard to know if there is planned change for HC or just change. Let's start the discussion .

From Mary Griffin of the Seattle Special Ed PTA:   SHB 2605 is a step backwards in Washington state’s efforts to make our education system more transparent and accessible for parents. That’s because this bill will make it harder, not easier, for parents to know and understand school district policies regarding restraint and isolation of students with disabilities. Right now, for students with IEPs and 504 plans, districts must provide parents with a written copy of their seclusion and restraint guidelines. This is a smart policy because it helps parents understand up front the limited circumstances under which seclusion or restraint may be used with their children. Yet under SHB 2605, school districts would only be required to share that information on their website; if parents wanted a copy or an explanation, they would have to ask for it. Common sense tells us it’s impossible to ask about a policy you don’t know exists, and yet that is precisely what SHB 2605 re...

From the Seattle Special Education PTSA: If you are having a problem with special education services and need immediate help troubleshooting your issue, write to specialed@seattleschools.org .  Or call the department at 206-252-0058. Circuits are busy so e-mail may be best. Ask for Special Education Supervisors Kelly Clevenger or Wayne Herzog or leave a message. If you or someone you know needs assistance with interpretation services at IEP meetings, inform your special education teacher/case manager in writing and copy the building principal. This service must be provided by law. Please cc Sped PTA president, Mary Griffin, so that she can document the issues raised at seattlespedptsa@gmail.com.

Oh for Pete's sake.  No good news here.  From the Seattle Times : The school district submitted a proposal to state officials by the June 30 deadline, but they have rejected it, saying it falls far short of what is required. The school district submitted a proposal to state officials by the June 30 deadline, but they have rejected it, saying it falls far short of what is required. The school district submitted a proposal to state officials by the June 30 deadline, but they have rejected it, saying it falls far short of what is required. Gill’s office also had asked the district to identify the root causes of the problems, but Gill didn’t see that either. So the proposal is inadequate and the district can't identify the real issues for the lack of compliance. For years the state has been urging Washington’s largest school district to address dozens of problems in its special-ed programs. The state says, for example, that too many of the learning plans that ...

Yet another KUOW report on the contract talks that makes it sound like they are pretty far apart.  There is still plenty of time to iron things out but yes, we are less than a month out from school. Seattle Education Association President Jonathan Knapp says while there's been progress on smaller issues over the past week, large issues remain unresolved. For Ballard High School science teacher and building union representative Noam Gundle, those big issues include smaller class sizes, especially for special education students. I note that what I predicted from the first KUOW report is now confirmed: District officials insist that bigger classes are a temporary solution to school capacity issues until new classrooms can be built. But the union says there are better alternatives. "Anybody who knows anything about education knows that more teacher attention means better progress for students, more support," Gundle said. Ah, so the district says the upped ...

This Work Session had a larger-than-normal audience which is a good thing because now there are other witnesses to what was discussed.   Charlie and I both went and came armed with ideas for the Board to consider.  (He outdid me, of course, with his sheet with 23(!) questions.  He checked them off as they went along.  At least five of them got asked but not necessarily answered.)  I gave them a sheet with comments copped from Charlie's previous thread.  And, with apologies to all other programs, somehow Advanced Learning/Highly Capable got the lion's share of discussion. Michael Tolley started the session, outlining the higher level thinking.  However, the presentation, on slide 3, says that one goal of the process is to " include access to services and programs as a key component in boundary revisions."   To which Charlie wrote in the margin "except Montessori."  And, he's right.  Montessori is in neighborhood schools but i...

Unbelievable.  Much those I wanted ALL our state legislators to get the budget done before the end of the Special Session next week, I did NOT want the Dems to give to the Reps and sure enough, they did.  And guess who is going to suffer?  Public schools. From Publicola : "At some point we had to make a move," state house finance chair Rep. Reuven Carlyle (D-36, Queen Anne) said today, explaining the compromise budget offer the state Democrats made to the Republican-controlled senate. Carlyle concluded: "Because that's how you govern. I hope there's a deal now. We'll see if they continue to be intransigent, but this is what you do to create movement."  So instead of asking for $1.3B for K-12, the Dems have scaled back to $700M.  That's $700M than is currently received so it falls in the "better than nothing" category but when you cut back to half of what you start with?  Not so much of a victory.  I have no idea how the Suprem...

I'll try to hit the major points I heard along with quotes (and color commentary). Just upfront, it was discouraging.  It's now 2013 and so many questions - Special Ed, Advanced Learning, K-8s and others - lack clarity and definition.  What was troubling is the number of "exceptions" to current policies that are out there.   There was also the issue of the so-called Program Placement Framework?  Where is this and should this be guiding the decisions made? As well, the presentation used excerpted quotes from various policies - Board or Superintendent or WAC - to justify their work.  But it seemed somewhat random. Growth Boundaries link .  To find it on your own, go to the district website.  Look for "enrollment" under the Schools tab.  Halfway down the menu on the right side is the Planning for the future: Growth Boundaries. 

  Friday is the deadline to file to run for any of the three Board positions on the ballot in November.  Director Patu has indicated she is going to run.  Director Smith-Blum seems to be on the fence.  Director DeBell, after eight hard years of service, is stepping down.  There is only one candidate registered so far and that is for DeBell's seat. I hope that every single seat has at least two candidates.  It is vital to have the important conversations that only competition for a seat can bring.  As well, I do not like the idea of anyone just walking into office, unfettered.  Over at Publicola , they are asking legislative leaders about their budgets.   Here's part of what would be cut using the Senate's budget: $9.5 million in health care savings (that includes cutting a federally mandated $8.7 million child autism care program); $166 million in supposed (this makes Hunter apoplectic) "Overspending?!? Really?!?" on K-12 school const...

The two items I took away from this Work Session on April 10th were these: The phrase "differentiating resource allocation" came up prominently.  I didn't really hear the Directors call it out but my own notes reflect "uh oh."  I say that because the Strategic Plan - in its early stages - seems to lean towards closing the achievement gap rather than supporting ALL students and their learning.  Differentiating resource allocation would tend to support that view.   And, with parents putting in more and more financial support to schools, I can see where some schools could become resentful of their efforts being taken for granted as the district guides money in certain directions. Director Patu called this one out and Michael Tolley said that it meant not necessarily "equal support" but to support students who need help. The other phrase was "academic assurances - basic education - for all students".   One of my first concerns...

In starting this discussion, I will make a point about transportation in SPS that was made at the Work Session on the Budget.  Overall, SPS transports many more students than the average district does.  My understanding of that meaning is that many other districts do not provide transportation to schools outside of your neighborhood and the amount of transportation available to middle/high school students is far less in other districts. I understand the concern about limiting transportation especially when so much has been provided in the past.  I also understand that it can be seen as a social justice issue when cutting off transportation makes it harder for some families to access programs.  But this is the way it is in most urban cities and students are still able to access schools via public transportation.  (I know in NYC that many students take the subway or bus - for an hour or more each way - in order to access speciality programs.) So what is to f...

From SPS Communications (bold mine): After six months as your Superintendent, it has been a pleasure to get to know our schools, staff, students and families. I know this has been a time of change, and I am looking forward to solidifying our team to ensure we are all working together in the best interest of our students.   Today I am pleased to announce several appointments in our District.   I will also be providing you with some additional information regarding specifically the Teaching & Learning Department, just prior to the holiday break.   The following are announcements regarding staff new to the central office and/or in new positions:   ·          Special Education :   I am appointing Stacey McCrath-Smith to the permanent position of Director of Special Education.   Stacey has served as the interim director and has done a great job stepping into the role and helping to bring sta...

KUOW is launching a series of stories about young adults/teens coming of age who have autism.   It debuts Tuesday, November 13 with a call-in at 9:30 am (543-5869) or e-mail comments, weekday@kuow.org. It's an inspiring series and one that hits close to home for me.  I think as the number of people who are on the autism spectrum grows that it's important to learn about their challenges and help them find acceptance in our society.  

Following up on the thread about the report in the Times on Special Ed, a scholarship just for students with ADHD.  It's called the Shire 2013 ADHA Scholarship Program: The Shire ADHD Scholarship recognizes and supports individuals with ADHD in the US who are seeking to obtain higher education. The Scholarship includes a $2,000 monetary award and a prepaid year of ADHD coaching from the Edge Foundation to assist in the transition to higher education. Fifty recipients will be selected in 2013, based on community service, volunteer and extracurricular activities, and a personal essay describing how ADHD has impacted their lives. Shire, a global specialty biopharmaceutical company, sponsors the Scholarship as part of its work to support patients who are diagnosed with ADHD, their families, and the professionals who help them. T