Seattle Schools Community Forum

I want to be sure that everyone has seen this. It's important. CLOSING OPPORTUNITY GAPS An Action Plan for Accelerating Achievement for African American Males and Other Students of Color In this document, the District commits to some very specific benchmarks: Every student will achieve proficiency in Reading and Mathematics by end of Grade 2. Every student will have a personal learning plan and an advocate/mentor to keep him on track to high school graduation and successful post-secondary transition. Every student will meet standards of performance in Reading, Writing, Mathematics, and Science at the end of key transition grades. Every student will receive fair and equitable treatment regarding discipline and access to rigorous instructional programs. Every student will graduate from high school prepared for success in college or career. Whenever I see commitments of this kind from the School District, I always want to ask "What if it doesn't go like that?...

Sorry for the late notice; I received this event notice from School Board candidate, Leslie Harris (who keeps up as much or more than I do). Members of the Metropolitan King County Council will be joined by their counterparts on the Seattle City Council for a special discussion that will focus on the challenges of meeting the educational needs of youth of color as a step to help reduce their numbers in the regional criminal justice system: Wednesday, July 29 New Holly Gathering Hall 7054 32nd Ave South, Seattle Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Meeting starts at 6:00 p.m.

More news on race and children in America. I offer this information as news.  I have tried not to editorialize much here but to listen to what others are saying.  Somewhere in this country, people are suspending preschoolers and most of them are children of color or Special Education students.  (I didn't even know you could suspend a pre-schooler.)  This story from the Huffington Post.   It's a wide-ranging report that goes from preschool thru high school and examines not just discipline but offerings in districts throughout the country.  A staggering new report released by the Department of Education and the Justice Department on Friday highlights a troubling pattern of zero-tolerance school discipline policies that disproportionately impact minority students in general, but also trickle down to the nation’s youngest students. While black children represent only 18% of preschool enrollment nationally, they make up 42% of students suspended o...

A six-year-old calls Hasbro out on its Guess Who game (with 19 men and only 5 women on the game board).  They write back with a silly answer and her mom weighs in. A bipartisan bill has been introduced into the House of Representatives to cut down on high-stakes testing.  In the on-going debate about discipline, zero-tolerance discipline and how to keep a classroom orderly (while NOT suspending kids), an interesting article from Education Next.   One report, Discipline Disparities, has a lot of good info and says this: One oft-repeated justification for frequent suspensions is that schools must be able to remove the “bad” students so that “good” students can learn. There is no research to support this popular theory. To the contrary, when schools serving similar populations were compared across the state of Indiana, and poverty was controlled for, those schools with relatively low suspension rates had higher, not lower test scores. But two other studies ...

The Latest: Based on information I got today at the BEX Oversight Committee meeting, I knew that it was likely that an attempt would be made to clear the Mann Building.  I observed the building for a period of time late this afternoon.  I saw several people stop and look at the still-locked gates including a construction truck and private electrician company truck.  I saw no one come in or out of the building. In the Open Thread it was reported at 6:43 that there was a Tweet that Banda had a Notice to Vacate the Property that said everyone had to be out by 6:00 pm today or they would be considered to have been "trespassed."  The Tweet was a rally to come to the building.  Someone Said reported police and power trucks there.  Then at 7:52 pm, Someone Said reported that KIRO-tv tweeted that the Seattle City Light workers were "turned away" by Horace Mann occupiers but no police were there.  Power had gone out at my home so my family and I left an...

The district is looking for new members for this committee .  The deadline is November 15th. This might be a good time to talk about discipline issues in our schools.  What have you seen at your school, good and bad, in how teachers and principals handle discipline issues?   What do you think would help - more strategies, more cultural competencies, stricter discipline (if you think it is lax), uniforms? One issue that came up recently was the interaction between Hale's principal, Jill Hudson, and a student who had recently returned from suspension.  As in any situation where there is conflict and physically interaction, there seems to be a variety of versions of what happened.  (I'll have to read the police report.)  But one report said that the student had been showing something to other students on a cell phone (and apparently the student either was not supposed to have a phone at school or what was being shown was inappropriate) and Ms. Hudson inter...

Wednesday, October 23 Work Session: Strategic Plan Performance Measures from 4-5:30 p.m.  No agenda available. Work Session:Distribution Services from 5:30-6:30 p.m. (hard stop at 6:30 pm as they have an Executive Session at 6:30 p.m.)  Agenda Thursday, October 24th Road Map to College event from 3-6 pm at Chief Sealth Int'l High School District IV School Board candidate forum at Lawton at 6:45 p.m., featuring Suzanne Dale Estey and Sue Peters. Saturday, October 26th Community Meeting with Director Patu from 10 am to noon at Cafe Vita. iCollege event with Washington State University faculty, staff and alumni, from 10:30 am- 1:30 pm. at Seattle City Hall. No registration needed, free lunch for the first 300 students who show up.  Looks like a great opportunity to learn about WSU and get help with the college application process with multiple workshops.  They are raffling off a free iPad mini as well.  Also to note on your calendar:

Charlie and I are at the retreat (he was here most of the day) and I can't resist some early alerts/news: - the Superintendent says that the number show that enrollment is at nearly 52,000 .  To understand, this is NOT the case for most urban districts. - still no clear answer on the Equitable Access Framework.  President Smith-Blum pushed back when it was deferred (again).  She stated it does not have to be the same for every program but she believes parents needs to understand how programs work and what is the definition for equitable access. Oddly, Director DeBell pushed back, saying "they could get to this eventually."  He called the programs she called out like language immersion "higher level" programs.  (Of course, later he called out how his goal is to meet the LI goal of 12 schools.  Why that is at the top of the list over a clear understanding of equitable access is unclear to me?) The facilitator got a big laugh when he asked, "Do you ha...

First weekend in August and it's starting out cool (but I'm not complaining as I know we have more great weather to come). Report from KING-5 on the upcoming Board races .   I spent awhile talking with the reporter and yet a lot of it didn't make it here.  I also want to say that this statement I made in the story: The difference in achievement between different ethnic groups is another tough issue facing the board. "If a child's not in school, a child's not learning," Melissa Westbrook said at Seattle Schools Community forum. What NOT about the achievement gap but about disproportional discipline. I did say this: "If they are disrupting learning in the classroom, something has to be done, but don't take them out of school," said Westbrook. But they left out that I said it was important to examine the reasons for the behavior and give teachers/principals training in cultural difference that might help.   Fun Event on August 9t...

Tuesday,  July 30th Charter Commission Meeting , 10 am - 5 pm in Tacoma.  Tacoma Public Schools, Central Administration Building, 601 South 8th Street, Tacoma. Agenda not yet available but I do know a couple of things: - Public Hearing on proposed rules : Tuesday, July 30 from 10:15am to 11:15am.  Written comments can also be submitted to RaShelle Davis by mail or email before Monday August 19, 2013 to the following addresses: PO Box 43113, Olympia, WA 98504 or rashelle.davis@gov.wa.gov - After both the Public Hearing and Public Comment period (from 11:15 am to 11:30 am), the Commission will go into Executive Sessions from 11:40am on. A bit troubling is that the first Executive Session is about "potential litigation" about the Commission and/or a member.  That seems quick for a group that hasn't existed even a year. Then there are four Executive Sessions to discuss the candidates for Executive Director.  I am not happy to say that one of them is a forme...

From the Times : The candidates who were there had some tough talk for Seattle Public Schools. State Sen. Ed Murray said if he were mayor, he would forge a new partnership with the school district to increase the graduation rate. “The school district has to change,” he said, vowing to make improvements in the graduation rate and how money is targeted — or, he said, “Please yell at me and vote me out of office.”   Usually, the school district blames the state Legislature for district problems, so it was interesting to hear that. Ed Murray is my senator and yes, I am a bit surprised to hear him say this.  He hasn't said a lot about Seattle schools in any pre-mayor bid venue.  His advocacy has been limited (and appreciated) to the Legislature.  Without specifics, this isn't much (and I'm still waiting to interview him so we'll see). Also, note to the Times, the district does not blame the Legislature for all its problems; just the funding ones.  ...

At today's School Board Retreat a sheet with definitions was part of the packet. Some of the definitions may surprise you.

This op-ed by Mary Griffin on disproportionate discipline of Special Ed students appeared in the Seattle Times this weekend (I haven't read it because I don't have a subscription and I maxed out my monthly reading).   Another link related to this piece are here (the Special Ed Advocacy & Advisory Council webpage).

From Ed Week comes this story of a district in Mississippi and the measures they must take for their disciplinary measures for all students. This may end up being what Seattle Schools is told they must do. Among other things outlined in a consent decree signed Thursday between the district and the DOJ: The district cannot use suspension, alternative school settings, or expulsion for minor misbehavior and has to limit these types of consequences all together. School administrators cannot ask school law enforcement officers to respond in cases where administrators can use the school code of conduct to address behavior problems. School police must be trained in bias-free policing, child and adolescent development and age-appropriate responses, mentoring, and working with school administrators. The district's alternative school has to establish clear entry and exit rules and speed up students' transition back to their regular school. All district schools must...

The Times updates the civil rights investigation by the DOE in SPS by noting there is now a second investigation into ELL students and school closures.  From 2009 through the end of last year, the civil-rights office has launched about 100 civil-rights investigations involving at least one school district in nearly every state.  Those investigations, known as compliance reviews, are just part of the office’s caseload, most of which stems from complaints filed by parents or community members.  The department’s proactive efforts have won praise from those who say there was a drought of education civil-rights cases under the previous administration. About ELL students: In Seattle, the review of services for students learning English appears to have started in 2009. A spokeswoman said that information she received from the education department also indicated that federal officials are looking at whether the district discriminated against some studen...

On the heels of the issue of disproportionality of discipline in SPS, c omes this op-ed from SPS teacher, Dan Magill. Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5244, approved by the Senate last week, would reduce the number of days students can be excluded from school due to discipline. Do those in favor of the bill understand how damaging just one incorrigible student can be to a classroom? I’m not arguing against this bill necessarily, only providing an informed perspective lawmakers would be wise not to ignore.  We must be careful about overemphasizing the needs of the few students who have already demonstrated their antipathy toward their own education. The other students have needs, too. No one wants students to be suspended or expelled. No one wants people to go to jail, either. Sometimes, that’s the only option that remains.  This is another instance of the school system being asked to solve a problem that is not ours to solve. Our attempts to solve ...

Oh boy, what a week. For the story of the week, look no further than Center School.  Over at the Times, they simply can't seem to get it right.  First, they have a story about the issue.  But they either didn't do their research or ask the right questions because they don't seem to know the investigation did not go according to procedure AND that no students, except the one in question, were ever interviewed by the ad hoc committee. Yesterday, Lynne Varner got very touchy-feely on the topic of race, veering completely away from the disproportionality issue/Center School into her own raising of her son.  She says some pretty personal things and it comes back at her in the comments.  Today the Times want you to tell them: In one word, how do you feel public schools  treat students of color, either your own children or minority students that you know? I’ll start with a few: Gingerly. Awkwardly. Sometimes sincerely...

Regarding the US Department of Educaiton's investigation, the Seattle Student Senate believes in fair treatment for all of Seattle's students.  The Student Senate believes that discipline against students must be taken appropriately and equitably.  As students, we are strongly opposed to any form of discrimination in the public education system that puts any group of students in a situation with a lesser educational opportunity. Regarding the Center School instruction, the Student Senate promotes the substantive exploration of social justice in our classrooms.  However, we believe that this must be done in a way that is comfortable for all students.  In a diverse society, with members coming from a variety of racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, we believe that students must be exposed to diversity through candid conversation.  However, we strongly encourage the district to consider teacher and student input in developing guidelines for social discussion...

The Times has a sad story this morning about a federal investigation by the US Department of Education against SPS over discipline rates of African Americans.   The Times does point out that this information is really nothing new.  The district (and parents) have know about this for years and yet it is still the case. African-American students are suspended from school more than three times as often as white students from elementary schools to high schools. More than one-fourth of black middle schoolers have received short-term suspensions every year since 1996. Native Americans are disciplined more often than Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The “compliance review” began in May but didn’t become public knowledge until it was reported Tuesday by KUOW radio. District Superintendent José Banda acknowledged problems with student discipline — and said he intends to do something about them.  Banda said he didn’t know how long the federal complia...