Seattle Schools Community Forum

On the heels of Seattle public school parents pushback of a new transportation plan (pushed without input or announcement from/to parents), we have some other winning strategies. The Alabama Legislature, fighting back against a far-reaching charter school bill, defeated it today with just one day left in their regular session.    Alabama is one of the mighty nine states to say no to charters. From AL.com: Dr. Henry Mabry, executive secretary of the Alabama Education Association, consistently told lawmakers during the session that the state didn’t need a dual system of schools when it couldn’t afford to adequately fund the single system it has. “We don’t need to dilute even further the precious little funding for our elementary and secondary students to gamble on the unproven model of charter schools.” Well, that sounds familiar. Interestingly, the only education group supporting the bill was their state association of school boards.  (Washington State's c...

I have been reaching out to a number of national media.  I was able to make my case to The Washington Post and wrote this column for Valerie Strauss' The Answer Sheet , their education column.  It's entitled " A State that Just Says 'No" to charters, other reforms ." It is important that other states, other cities and other districts know that ed reform is NOT inevitable.  And, that it is possible to fight back and win. I honestly believe if we stay the course with what our Legislature has started - innovation schools laws, lighthouse school laws, and other ed reform of our own making - plus the start of flexible thinking from our teachers union, the WEA, we CAN do better. In 5-10 years, we will look like the smart state while others will look at their educational landscape and ask why they chose to embrace ed reform mantra that is just that...words.

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 Washington State PTA holds its annual convention on May 4th, 5th, and 6th in SeaTac.   I've attended a couple in the past and, as a former PTA Board member, I found them energizing (if not overwhelming).  You kind of get the sense of being at a poker game and that there are major players holding the cards and you are there just to watch. Your unit has to send a delegate to vote at the Convention.  The Convention costs $190 per delegate.  The Legislative Session in October is $140.  (You can request a scholarship or work as a volunteer to waive this fee.)  That's a lot of money for a PTA to give up and yet decisions are being made in the name of PTA and that name carries a lot of weight with legislators. Region 6 that includes Seattle as well as Shoreline, Northshore, and Vashon Island has a large WSPTA membership (about 75 PTAs) and yet a fraction of eligible delegates attend. What this means is that it is possible for the Convention to be co...

Looking around it seems that there is some forward motion but our legislators still haven't gotten enough done. The gimmicks around waiting one day for a payment to K-12 districts to save some money seem to be off the table. Here's what the Governor said: “They have a lot of work to do. I don’t think at this point … they have … made sufficient progress for me to open the doors to bill signing. So I will sign no bills on Monday. I had planned to, and I will not,” Gregoire said. The last day that any bills passed that need the Governor's signature is next Saturday, March 31st. I'm thinking that the charter school bill is still in flux but my gut tells me Lisa Macfarlane's  idea/challenge about passing a referendum to send this issue to the voters is a lot of semi-wishful thinking.  It would get charters on the ballot but the issue would be how to win that vote.

The lure to legislators, well, I'll let Lisa Macfarlane of DFER tell you: Speaking of choice, why don't we let the voters decide this fall about whether they'd support a small pilot program for public charter schools? Lawmakers could pass a bill with a referendum clause adding the issue to the November ballot - making the Governor's opposition irrelevant. Earlier this session, House Democrats insisted that they couldn't even let a charter school bill come to a vote, let alone pass one, because the issue was too important and had to be decided on by voters. So let's see how House Democrats feel about a referendum charter school measure that goes straight to the ballot. Any bets? One, very clever.  Tack it onto the end of what is going to be an incredibly long ballot this November, get out all your yes votes and watch most voters ignore it.  You win! Two, did she check in with Senator Tom?  Because he said this kind of vote on education was a ...

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:

 Reader Mr. White said this in another thread: When people complain about Seattle process with too many meddling parents asking questions and too many groups seeking answers, oh my, who wants to come here? they're serving as a distraction from the facts. Ab-so-lu-te-ly.  I have written frequently and in varied places about the issues in this charter bill.  I am talking here about the descriptions within the bill about how charters would be carried out in our state, not my opinion.  In no place - not LEV, not the Times, not here, not anywhere - has a single person said "No, you read the bill wrong."  "You have this fact wrong." Not on a single point in a single place. That means that every charter support that has read the Times comments or read LEV's posts or even the posts here supports every single thing in the bill?  Interesting. Now maybe these people don't see what I pointed out as flaws and everyone is entitled to their own opinion...

I was notified by Lesley Rodgers, head of SPS Communications, that there was an error in the figure being circulated on the number of applications SPS received for superintendent.  While there were over 100 inquires, there are 36 applications.   I appreciate the update as I had received the figure from the Board office and the Crosscut article also reflected the same high figure. On the subject of the Focus Group Committee , I have to point out that BOTH the ed reformers and the progressives (not "traditionalists") are seemingly unhappy.  Hey, will you take a look at that? We all have something in common. Even as yet another school district hones in on its choice for a new Superintendent, Seattle is sorting through its search “process.” Originally limiting “stakeholders” to the PTSA and school district employees, the School Board has decided that they will allow for broader community perspective after all. But only at the last minute.  To meet with the th...

Here's the latest from The Olympian story today.  From the Governor (who is vastly irritated with all sides the longer this takes) Never mind its contents: Gov. Chris Gregoire teed off on a Senate Republican budget plan backed by a coalition including three Democrats today, mainly because of the secret process that produced it. The Democrat told reporters it came as a surprise to parties that she has tried to bring together this week for inclusive, “five-corner” budget talks. And she said, the plan includes a charter-schools proposal she will automatically veto. The governor does have some leverage. She says she won’t sign bills that lawmakers want if they don’t get on the stick and produce a budget that can be supported by 50 House members, 25 Senate members and one signature – hers. She got me a little worried when I read this: Asked if she would actually veto bills, Gregoire said: “I gave them a message today. My message is this: I’m not signing your bills....

Public education IS education and I learned some new things today.  (If you already know this, power to you but I'm still learning.) So technically, while the charter bill is in the budget, the bill itself has to be passed.  Also, if the Governor doesn't sign the bill, it won't pass and the money embedded in the budget for it lapses (and goes elsewhere).  Frankly, I can think of many other education needs for nearly $800k. So job one is to write your legislators. Super job one is to write the Governor.   I plan on writing or calling every single day.  FYI, they tend to get thousands of e-mails and phone calls; snail mail is a good option. Her e-message page Governor Chris Gregoire Office of the Governor PO Box 40002 Olympia, WA 98504-0002 Call Governor Gregoire's Office: 360-902-4111 Fax Governor Gregoire: 360-753-4110

Well, I did call it.  I knew Senator Tom wasn't the chicken crossing the road just to get to the other side. From Publicola : The big news: The budget takes back the $73 million in cuts to education that Republicans originally proposed and adds a charter schools amendment, authorizing 10 charters in chronically underperforming school districts. And maybe this was the thought all along.  Give back money to education in return for charters.  Keep in mind, the charters WILL cost money both to districts and to the state so it's not like all the money gets put back. It also repeals I-728 and I-732.  Wonder if LEV will say anything about that. Update:What I found is this section of the budget: $780,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2013 is provided solely to implement Senate Bill No. 6202(establishing alternative forms of governance for certain public schools). The superintendent of public instruction will make funds available...

Thank goodness for The Olympian ; they really keep up-to-date on the Legislature.   Here's the latest on education measures: Passed and gone to the Governor for her signature: Collaborative schools: A proposal for universities to work with school districts to assist low-performing schools cleared the Legislature. The pilot project would implement instruction models and other strategies in chosen elementary schools. This is a bill I supported - HB2799 - in place of the charter school bill.  I think it's a great start to helping low-performing schools find better academic outcomes with the help and support of our universities.  Failed: All day kindergarten funding: Legislation to fund all-day kindergarten by removing the sales tax exemption for out-of-state residents failed to get the necessary two-thirds vote to pass, which is required to raise taxes. Signed into law by the Governor: Teacher evaluations: Gregoire also signed an overhaul of the teacher e...

Here's what Kastama, Tom and Sheldon (allegedly Dems but who walked to the other side of the aisle last Friday) say in their op-ed in the Times: While adhering to important tenets of responsible budgeting, it is now the job of the Legislature to negotiate the most sensible use of the limited tax dollars we have. Here's what Joe Zarelli, the Senate Republicans' chair of the Ways and Means committee said to Danny Westneat at the Times : But Joe Zarelli, the Senate Republicans' budget chief, said all the education-spending ideas, including those from his own party, simply must wait for better times. "I'll take the bullets for it, but I try to operate in reality," he said. "I don't know how you manage a $1.2 billion deficit problem without everyone taking some kind of cut."

From afar I have been following the machinations of the State Senator Republicans (and the 3 Roadkill Dems including Rodney Tom) and the state budget.  I can only say that, like Nick Hanauer, this is no way to show loyalty to your party.  I think if Senator Tom wants to be a Republican, he should go back to being one (he acts like one anyway).    I also think that these three men have done damage to their reputation within the Democratic delegation.  I certainly would not trust what they say in the future. I also had been wondering why LEV had been so silent on the subject of the charter legislation and now it's obvious.  They knew this ploy was coming.  I'm sure that they were pushing it all along and hope that they will come out with the charter bill (in some form) passed.  I can only say I hope that if that happens, they take the $3M away from Pettigrew.  It would all seem like a bit much. Interestingly, one of the Roadkill Dems...

Monday, Feb. 27th Open Enrollment for Seattle Public Schools begins . Open Enrollment ends on March 9, 2012. Wednesday, Feb. 29th PTA Charter School Forum at Washington Middle School from 6:30-8:30 p.m. moderated by C.R. Douglas of Q13 Fox News. This should be interesting as it comes almost at the end of the legislative session instead of its original date nearer the beginning. Also, the charter bill(s) are in such limbo, I wondering if there will be any discussion of the bill itself. That would be a pity because the issue should be about this charter bill. You can have abstract but detailed discussions around charters but it's how charters would play out in our state that matters. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend this event so I hope to see a lot of feedback from those who do. Also, there are two different Board events, both at the same time on Wednesday. One is a Work Session on the Budget from 4-5:30 p.m. and the other is an Executive Committee Meeting of th...

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...

He did say so many great things but several of them apply to the latest in "As the Charter School B ill Turns" show. "This is like deja vu all over again." "You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there." But really, in this case, this one fits the best: "It ain't over till it's over. " I was unable to hear the discussion on The Conversion today on KUOW about charter schools. Luckily, you can hear the playback any time so I went to kuow.org and took a listen. It was a fairly scattershot kind of show with little bits of things thrown in here and there. Ross Reynolds cited the Washington Policy Center poll that said 60% of voters in our state want charters (but noting that it would be quite the switch given that voters turned down charters three times at the polls and legislators turned down charter legislation even more times than that.) Then they had Senator Tom, a spo...

KUOW's The Conversation will be having a discussion of charter schools today at noon. Charter schools are currently not allowed under state law. Supporters say they should be tried in places where the public schools are failing. Opponents say charter schools "poach" funding from the public schools. What do you think? What's your experience with charter schools in other states? You can record your comments anytime this evening at Feedback Line: 206.221.3663 . Tomorrow the Live Call–in number is 206.543.5869 Or you can send email to: conversation@kuow.org The Conversation tends to truncate stories so this is likely to be a 12-minute segment sometime during the hour.  

First, a huge salute to the third-grade Bremerton teacher who helped to save the life of her student when the student got hit by a bullet from a handgun in another student's bag. Doctors are crediting the teacher with saving that girl long enough to get her to the hospital by stopping her external bleeding. Second, this news item was in the Times/Seattle's Child and may be of interest: In honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month, The Center for Pediatric Dentistry will offer free dental screenings for children ages 1 through 18 on Saturday, Feb. 25.  The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the center, which is located at 6222 N.E. 74th St. in Seattle. All children in attendance will receive a free brief dental screening to identify potential trouble spots in the mouth (no X-rays will be taken). Fun activities will include some of the 3D interactive exhibit “Attack of the S. Mutans,” which showcases virtual tour guide Dentisha battling mouth bacteria, an...