Seattle Schools Community Forum

Items of interest: - the Charter Commission is going to have a phone-in meeting tomorrow, the 28th from 9 am to 10 am.  The agenda vaguely says " discussion of resolution process" and "bills currently under consideration."  Dial-in number is 800-245-9874, Access code 7784207. - the Charter Commission will have a regular meeting this Thursday the 29th, in Seattle, from 8:30 am to 5:50 pm at TAF Headquarters, Bethaday Community Learning Space, 605 SW 108th St.  Agenda This should be quite the meeting as the Commission will be announcing what charter applications have been approved (if any).  They seem to be expecting a crowded meeting as they will be putting in speaker spots by lottery (after sign-in).  (I'll have more to say about this public speaking process when I cover the charter applicant forums I attended.)

I will be attending several of the charter school applicant forums this week.  I am slowly making my way thru some of the applications and it makes for interesting reading (but what a slog - very long applications - one was 238 pages!). I don't want to give too much away because I do hope to make a public comment on several of them.  But here are a few highlights: no KIPP ? Not to worry, there's a KIPP-look-alike in the bunch.  Uniforms? Check.  Middle school handshake with administrator with scripted responses? Check?  Lots of TFA?  Check.  Very structured? Check.  Working with the Washington State Charter Schools Association? Check.  Punitive discipline over the small stuff? Check. Another one - Coral Academy - is a no-sale for me.  It appears to be aligned to Gulen and that's just not a group to trust.  There is way too much evidence - from multiple states who have their charters - that the overall answer should be no....

Charter School Applicant Forums (via the very helpful Charter Commission staff) Applicant Date Time Location Pioneer School January 6 5:15-6:15pm Spokane Public School Administration Building, 200 N Bernard Spokane, WA 99201 Yakima Academy January 8 5:30-6:30pm Perry Technical Institute, 2011 W. Washington Ave. Yakima, WA 98903 Sunnyside Charter Academy January 8 6:30-7:30pm Evergreen Leadership Academy January  9 6-7pm Hoquiam High School: The Little Theatre, 201 W. Emerson, Hoquiam WA 98550 Washington STEM Academy January 13 5-6pm South Seattle Community College, 6737 Corson Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108, Building C, Room C122 CAL Elementary January 13 6-7pm Sports in Schools Team Charter January 13 7-8pm Coral Academy January 15 5:30-6:30pm Puget Sound Educational Service District, 800 Oakesdale Ave SW, Renton, WA 98057 Excel Public Charter...