Latest News and Comment from Education

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

9-30-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum:






OSPI Says Seattle Schools is "High Risk" for Sped
SPED reported that this letter was sent to Seattle Schools today by OSPI.   As the Seattle Schools SPED Community blog says:Strong words from OSPI and withholding of $3,000,000.00 should get someone's attention at SPS, maybe the school board should step in and make sure people are doing their jobs.I note that on item called out by OSPI is the hiring of a consultant to come in and oversee the work.

California First in the Nation to Eliminate Student Suspension for Minor Behavior
From ACLU of Northern California:SACRAMENTO, CA  – Today California becomes the first state in the nation to eliminate suspensions for its youngest children, and all expulsions for all students for minor misbehavior such as talking back, failing to have school materials and dress code violations. Gov. Jerry Brown’s signing today of AB 420 caps a landmark year for the movement away from harsh disci

Tuesday Open Thread
Parents, the Enterovirus D68 has been documented in 40 states including ours.  There are about 300 cases nationwide, mostly in children.  From the CDC:CDC is prioritizing testing of specimens from children with severe respiratory illness. There are likely many children affected with milder forms of illness. Of the specimens tested by the CDC lab, about half have tested positive for EV-D68. About o

Seattle Schools and Garfield Field Trip Incident: PTSA meeting
I attended Garfield's PTSA meeting last night.  There were about 65 people in attendance.  It was a bit odd because they chose to have the lights down so as to put the agenda and supporting documents on a big overhead screen.  It was pretty dark and made the remarks even more gloomy.I was fairly astonished and dismayed at what both Principal Howard and Director Blanford said on the subject of the

9-29-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Why the NatureBridge Case MattersThe reported rape on a Garfield High School field trip in November 2012 matters deeply to me. Not only because I care about student safety in general and sexual assault in particular, but because I see this case as a prime example of the central dysfunction in the District. This is a particularly tragic consequence of the District’s