Latest News and Comment from Education

Friday, June 15, 2012

Seattle Schools Community Forum: WEA Files Challenge to 1240 Charter Initiative

Seattle Schools Community Forum: WEA Files Challenge to 1240 Charter Initiative:


WEA Files Challenge to 1240 Charter Initiative

The Washington Education Association has filed a challenge to the ballot title and summary for 1240, the charter school initiative. A hearing is set for tomorrow morning in Thurston County Superior Court. I don't know that the judge will actually rule on it tomorrow (Friday is the day the judge hears all motions so I don't know if there will be time.) The judge must rule within five days (and undoubtedly will be asked to hurry it as they need as much time as possible to get signatures). I will gently point out that if time was the issue, the supporters should have made the decision to get this filed much, much sooner. They have no one to blame for themselves for this short window of time. From the News Tribune: http://blog.thenewstribune.com/politics/2012/06/14/teachers-union-objects-to-ballot-title-on-proposed-charter-school-initiative/. (Sorry not so pretty - my iPad does not do Blogger well.) This is a funny story for me as yesterday, I traveled to Olympia to file a challenge as well. I was not successful. It is a Kafkaesque tale to be sure and a reminder that while we have laws, we may not always be 

ALPTF Recommendations Sent

On Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 6:28pm. Dr. Robert Vaughan sent an email to Dr. Enfield with the recommendations from the Advanced Learning Programs Task Force regarding placement considerations for elementary students in north Seattle attending the Accelerated Progress Program.

Nothing has, as yet, appeared on the District web site about these recommendations. I'm not sure why the recommendations could not have been sent to Dr. Enfield within a day or two of the final task force meeting.

Nevertheless, it's done. Dr. Enfield now has 90 days to implement the recommendations or explain why she hasn't. Except, of course, Dr. Enfield doesn't work for the District any more. She is using her vacation days for the remaining days of her contract.

AL Taskforce Recommendations Announced Friday

Okay, the latest is that the AL recommendations will be posted Friday sometime. They did go to Dr. Enfield. I will expand on this when I get to a computer that will actually blog but I can only say that this is part and parcel to the district at the end of the school year. Things get stretched out, quick decisions made with parents practically going out the door (that would be Bryant, more on that to come)and that it happens each and every year, well, sigh. Joe Paperman will officially start as Budget Manager on Monday.