Seattle Schools Community Forum

A recent round of public disclosure documents tells me that I'm not wrong about the tsunami effect of ed reform that is likely headed our way.  Frankly, I think that the state-supported Center for Reinventing Education is really nothing but a think-tank for ed reform.  They likely get at least half their grant money from the Gates Foundation.  I see almost no research on anything else but charters, CMOs, TFA starting a principal TFA (a number of you saw that coming), etc.  I don't mind it so much when it's a privately-funded right-wing think tank but it is depressing to see your tax dollars at work for a one-sided effort.  The current push on ed reform: something called a " fiscal analytics center" that Paul Hill at CRPE was pushing before he left there recently.  It appears to be a souped-up benefit-cost ratio idea. using CRPE as a "lead" for any state-driven research so that the research looks more nationally-based.  This was discussed in an e...

The charter schools bill is dead.  At least for this session as lawmakers finally got a budget passed early this morning (like 5 am). From the AP: Sen. Ed Murray, Senate Democrats' lead budget writer, lauded the fact that lawmakers didn't make cuts to K-12 or higher education, as they have in past budgets. "That's key," he said following the vote. Good news for all of us. Now do I think that's the end of charter legislation?  Of course not.  There is money to be made and chits to be cashed in and so we will see the Son of Charter Legislation in the next session. Will it be a smarter bill?  I doubt it.  For example, I have seen a lot of disingenuous talk both from legislators as well as ed reform groups over how charter schools can ONLY be non-profit when the bill specifies that the non-profit can then go out and contract services to for-profit companies including operating and managing the school.  And, it may have to come down to a vote of...

A message from Ramona Hattendorf, Washington State PTA Government Relations Coordinator: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= There seems to be confusion about WSPTA’s position on charter public schools. There has been no change in the WSPTA position on charters. The association has qualified support. Please note "qualified." On this blog and others individuals have been posting assumptions and outright fabrications about what I personally am doing and supporting and actions that WSPTA is taking. I know you value clarity, and while you like to inspire debate it is not your intention to spread misinformation. To clarify various posts on your blog:

After pondering the events of my Yogi Berra thread where we learned that something is afoot about the charter school legislation AND that a better kind of "pilot program" bill has been reintroduced, I think there may be an opening here to get a push going this weekend. My belief is that the original charter bill is dead. I can't find a listing for it to come before the Legislature under any agenda for the next couple of days. But I also think there may be a truncated version somewhere just waiting to be tucked into a budget bill. I can't find it (and neither could the legislative help desk staff yesterday when I called) but it just might not have made it in yet. If you do not think charter schools are a good idea for Washington State, I urge you to contact the following legislators this weekend: rosemary.mcauliffe@leg.wa.gov frank.chopp@leg.wa.gov edward.murray@leg.wa.gov kathy.haigh@leg.wa.gov ross.hunter@leg.wa.gov Also, consider contacting your own legislator...

Last night, the 43rd LD Democrats passed a resolution against charter schools.  It passed overwhelmingly with just a couple of nays.  The 43rd, the district that Michelle Buetow and I both live in, is the district that Speaker Frank Chopp, Senator Ed Murray and Rep. Jamie Pedersen represent.  I'm sure the leadership in the 43rd will let them know about passage of this resolution.  I do hope they will take into consideration in these last weeks of the legislative session.

Things are heating up in the charter school bill race. To bring you up-to-date, both the House and the Senate bills failed to make it out of committee.  The heads of those committees, Sharon Tomiko Santos and Rosemary McAuliffe, held them back.  (Tomiko Santos said on KUOW the House bill did not have the votes to make it out of committee.)  This, of course, did not sit well with its sponsors (and, of course, the Times, LEV, Stand, etc.) Now, reportedly, what has happened is some back-door dealing over the various teacher assessment bills and the charter bills.  Publicola puts it all together in their report .  From the Tacoma News Tribune:

From Dora Taylor over at the Seattle Education blog , word about what happened (or didn't happen) yesterday at the Legislature.  Neither the House charter bill (2428) or the teacher/principal evaluation bill (HB 2334) made it out of committee.   As Dora says: In the House, Friday marks the day for bills with a fiscal impact to pass out of one of the three appropriations committees, with next Tuesday as the deadline for fiscal bills to pass from the Ways & Means Committee. The Senate charter bill (6202) is still in the hopper.  However, the final deadline the Senate K-12 education committee has set is tomorrow.  The Senate deadline for policy bills to pass out of committee is Friday, February 3. Like House Ways & Means, fiscal bills must be out of committee by Tuesday, February 7. Of course, nothing is ever really “dead” until the legislature goes home, and several of the bills are expected to stay part of the “end game” mix for at least ...

The next couple of days are very important to get bills out of committee in the State Legislature.  If you believe charters would be wrong for our state, please contact the following members of the Legislature: Hotline number - 800-562-6000 to leave a message for any legislator or committee House Education Committee: House Bill 2428 santos.sharontomiko@leg.wa.gov ;  She is the Chair and could be the most valuable to contact. kristine.lytton@leg.wa.gov ; fred.finn@leg.wa.gov ; andy.billig@leg.wa.gov ; sam.hunt@leg.wa.gov ; connie.ladenburg@leg.wa.gov ; maxwell.marcie@leg.wa.gov ; john.mccoy@leg.wa.gov ; probst.tim@leg.wa.gov bruce.dammeier@leg.wa.gov glenn.anderson@leg.wa.gov cathy.dahlquist@leg.wa.gov john.ahern@leg.wa.gov susan.fagan@leg.wa.gov mark.hargrove@leg.wa.gov brad.klippert@leg.wa.gov kevin.parker@leg.wa.gov jt.wilcox@leg.wa.gov Senate Committee: Senate bill 6202 Chair Rosemary.McAuliffe@leg.wa.gov ; Vice Chair Christine.Rolfes@leg.wa.g...

Braving the snow day, the president of WSSDA (Washington State School Directors' Association), Mary Fertakis , testified today before the Senate committee hearing testimony about SB 6202, the charter schools bill. Here's a link to the story at the Seattle Education blog .  It is clear from her testimony that she has read this bill thoroughly and spotted several of the issues I saw as well.  From the SE blog story: In her testimony, Fertakis pointed out the association’s concerns that the bill may fall short of its stated objective to serve students who struggle to achieve due to poverty, racial and ethnic diversity, and special needs. She referenced Section 105 of the bill, which allows charter schools to be set up for educationally disadvantaged students, but noted that the bill also allows charter schools to be set up around a special emphasis, theme, or concept that do not have to serve educationally disadvantaged students, which is the stated purpose of the bi...

I still have to write a thread on the entire charter bill (the Senate and House bills are identical, SB 6202 and HB 2428) and a thread on why charters I think charters are a bad idea for our state.   But let's catch up on what others are saying. First, the Times .  Oh Times, you always slay me.  Always out the gate with that bad "teachers union."  Seriously, first thing.  Then, they always get something factually wrong (and I ask them to cite the page and line for this): Each would be required to adopt a specific plan to serve educationally disadvantaged children. I've read the bill twice and I'm going to read it again but I do not see that statement anywhere but it sure looks good in print.   Then they have their funniest line (but I give them credit for printing it):  Nationally, about 20 percent of charter schools have been found to do a better job of educating students than public schools. Part and parcel of bringing charters to t...