Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, January 28, 2013

UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week:



State Board of Education Seeks Public Input

The Washington State Board of Education is seeking input via a survey "on how we should measure the performance of Washington's K-12 schools. Your answers will help us improve the Washington Achievement Index."


Seattle Schools This Week

A very quiet week in SPS except for the special Board meeting on Thursday, January 31 to address the Interim Plan for 2013-2014.

Thursday, January 31st
Board Work Session on the Budget from 4-5 p.m.

Special Meeting of the Board from 5-6:30 p.m.
Discussion and possible vote on the Interim Plan 2013-2014.  This is the only agenda item for this meeting.

Sign-ups for the Speakers list started this morning and I was surprised to hear they are only taking 10 names instead of 20.  I know this is a special meeting but of such importance that it would seem they might have taken the full 20.  I'll ask.  That they are taking only 10 speakers and have an hour-and-a-half meeting time allows for questions to staff and probably explanations from each Director for his/her vote.

They will then have an Executive Session on another topic at 6:45 pm so the meeting will end at 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 1st
No School - Day between semesters

There are no Community meetings by Board directors this Saturday.


Levies Addressed in Times Editorial

The Times is endorsing both levies but with a caveat (and it's not exactly what you might think).   They are worried about "leadership."  And here I thought it might be complete accountability for that $1B especially for capital funds. I find it troubling that both the Times and Schools First don't make that accountability -given the strife since the last BEX/Operations levies - a promise not to be forgotten.

(In the past, Schools First members have repeatedly told me, off the record, that they, too, are worried about the transparency and have pledged to me to follow-up.  I have never seen that effort come after the election.)

The Times misses no opportunity to complain about the Board and the Superintendent in ways that have little to