Seattle Schools Community Forum

So the early Yes website was a placeholder and now there is this / http://yeson1240.com/ .  I tried some of the links but they do not work so it is not live yet.  I'll be interested to see what they come up with for the FAQs. Update:   the site appears to be live but I'm not sure it helps.  Let's look at it: - These schools will be subject to strict oversight and public accountability, including annual performance reviews to evaluate their success in improving student outcomes. Again, that "strict oversight" comes from either one of two authorizers.  Those are school boards that have applied to be authorizers and have been vetted through a process by the State Board of Education and the newly created Charter Commission .  The Commission does NOT have to be vetted by the Board of Education.  Now, keep in mind, these people do NOT have to have any kind of education background so you'd think they would need to go through the process.  ...

Looks like the School Board's manager, Erinn Bennett, is leaving as her job is being advertised.   Rumor has it she might be the next in line for Holly Ferguson's job in Governance. I haven't read it but the Washington Policy Center has put out a "Guide to Major Charter School Studies".  The brief is not inspiring.  Nowhere does it mention "peer-reviewed studies" which are the gold standard for any study.  They also, right from the top, try to discredit the widely-used CREDO study.   And they continue with the use of "ban" to say that Washington State "bans" charters.  Show me that law.  We don't allow them and that's because voters (remember us) have said - three times and we will a fourth - no . Let's read it and we can discuss it further. What's on your mind?

Update:  the final word? From Jennie Shanker, Albert Shanker's daughter; she passes her father's legacy NOT to neo-liberal ed reform but to Diane Ravitch: Your stance on this issue is diametrically opposed to his values and intent, and you are dead wrong to shame Diane Ravitch for her position. Indeed, if you consider your thinking to be in line with my father's, I recommend that you champion her work, as my family does.  If anyone can speak for my father in this day and age, the person who should be most trusted is Dr. Ravitch. It's unfortunate that many people who read your article will not see this comment. I would like to respectfully request that you reconsider further publicizing your characterization of my father's position on this topic. From what is in evidence in this article, despite your love for the man, you are in no position to speak for him.  Kind of a "I knew Jack Kennedy and worked with Jack Kennedy.  You sir, are no Jack Kenn...

Over at UW's Center for Reinventing Public Education, they wrote a one pager about "lessons for Washington State" on getting high-quality charter schools.  I have to laugh as I wonder if they even read I-1240. Highlights: • Strong authorizing is key to quality o Districts cannot be only authorizer, but authorizers need to build competency o Weak or negligent authorizing leads to many low-performing schools - Promote authorizer clarity/accountability in law, implementation  So the CRPE must be against I-1240 because: - the Charter Commission does NOT have to be pre-authorized in the same way School Boards do.  It seems odd that an elected board would have to go through a process that the members of the Charter Commission don't.  (This isn't explained in the initiative.) - also, CRPE doesn't like " weak or negligent " authorizing?  Well, unfortunately, the Charter Commission has no oversight, elected or otherwise AND there's no way to...

That would be about $2.1M , most of it going to a consulting company in California for "petition services."  That would be about $6 a signature.  Yes, all very grassroots. Nearly $2,000 was spent on "meeting services" at the Washington Athletic Club. Because, of course, you want to meet somewhere nice (but couldn't Gates have offered up space for free at the Gates Foundation?) Understand, all the money that Gates and his wealthy friends have given?  It's mostly gone but don't worry; there's more where that came from. In the 2004 charter referendum, it was defeated by a group - Protect our Public Schools - at just under $1.5M.  It mostly came from the NEA, WEA, AFL-CIO, and various ed associations. The other side supporting charters?  That would have been Bill Gates ($1M), John Walton of Wal-Mart ($1M), Donald G. Fisher of the Gap ($965k), Eli Broad ($200k) and Reed Hastings of Netflicks (4190k).  I note that only one of those people lives in ...

Well, this is disturbing. It appears that some of the media are going to subtly help the charter movement.  I thought it was a blip but it is happening more and more. #1 Brian Rosenthal at the Times wrote this on July 2nd: In the 41 states where they exist, charters have sometimes outperformed regular schools. That's the entire sentence.  Now Mr. Rosenthal says he "struggled" with that sentence but he felt the inference was there that some didn't outperform schools. Really?  When you stack the sentence with "41 states" and "outperformed", I think the inference is that they did perform well everywhere at a good rate.  And we all know that charters do NOT outperform traditional schools in any district, in any state in the union. #2 Then, in another story, he again uses bland language to make this same point (although he manages to stick in a counterpoint): While the schools sometimes have proved more effective than traditional schools ...

 That was an interesting exercise.  I just spent two hours meeting people and handing out the flyer on Decline to Sign.  There were two signature gatherers there (same two from the last time). They first tried to say I was with the teachers union and I told them - out of earshot of voters - to NOT say that.  They stopped.  I didn't hear a lot of what they were saying as it was outdoor and noisy. Did it help to be there?  Absolutely.   The majority of people just walk past the table.  Me just handing them a flyer was much easier as I could walk with them and then they had info.  The signature gathers only gave out their flyers (I didn't get a copy) IF a person signed the sheet.  (They were also gathering signatures for a separate tax initiative.  They also mentioned a "privacy" page so people couldn't look up who signed.  I thought the court said that was invalid.  Anyone?) Second, I did manage to give my flye...

Washington State Wire did some digging and found that if I-1240 does qualify for the ballot it would only be the second-fastest in Washington State history (not first).  I don't think that's anyone's biggest concern but there you are.  The photo of a table with petitions on it is priceless.  Click on it to read the signage.  Naturally, they are at Wal-Mart.