Seattle Schools Community Forum

The Times is reporting that the district is using the Bill Clinton school of language to explain what the word "support"means in matching funding from the Alliance for Education for the IB program at Rainier Beach High School. The Times includes footage of the Alliance event where the announcement was made by President Patu.  It must have come as quite the surprise to her to learn what "support" means.  Despite great fanfare at the announcement that Seattle Public Schools had made an agreement to fund International Baccalaureate (IB) classes at Rainier Beach High earlier this month, the district says promising to support that program does not mean giving it extra money.

OSPI announced today the release of new data on student discipline.  According to the press release:

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...

Monday, October 24th Curriculum & Instruction Policy Committee Mtg, 4-6 p.m.   The agenda includes:  review of Alternative Learning schools, some sort of resolution for Cleveland to have a 150-hour requirement, graduation requirements, and Board policies "C" (curriculum and instruction) and "D" (students which includes placement, records, rights, discipline, etc.). Wednesday, October 26th Director Sundquist Community meeting from 11 am - 12:30 p.m.  Delridge Library, 5423 Delridge Way SW Oversight Work Session: Finance from 5:30-7:00 p.m.   This is some sort of update on organization for financial oversight.   It's one big overview but to what end I'm not sure.  (They also need better proofreading for these PowerPoints.) Work Session: Budget Goals from 7:15-8:15 p.m. Saturday, October 29th Director Patu Community Meeting from 10 am to noon at Tully's, 4400 Rainier Ave South Other meetings of interest this week: Wednesd...

I'm behind on this one and I forgot about something happening today - it's National Library Week and today a picture is going to be taken in every Washington state library.  I hope the schools put this word out and got kids in their school library for the photo.  My apologies.