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Saturday, February 11, 2017

Seattle Schools Community Forum: That Was Short

Seattle Schools Community Forum: That Was Short:

That Was Short

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It appears my hiatus is coming to an end.

It's kind of Godfather-like - I keep trying to do less but I keep getting pulled back in.

But there are too many stories popping up. 

I think it important to keep up with:

- what is happening (or not) in Olympia

- what is happening with Advanced Learning (I attended both the Board Work Session and a two-day summit at UW on Equity and Gifted Education.  There seemed to be something of a disconnect between the two - by SPS staff, no less - and I learned a lot.  I think I can tell you - without being a fortuneteller - what's going to happen.  But it's a little troubling that one program can somehow become a central focus for our district. It would almost seem like perhaps - somehow - this issue might be being used for some other less clear purpose.).

It will probably be a very long post but I sense this might be important.

- where do we go now we have Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education.  Today, she apparently couldn't enter a middle school because of what looked to be a small number of very loud protesters.  I have to wonder how she would have done in front of a whole room of middle school students.

However, she is the secretary of Education and could impose some trying things on states but really, it does appear that the new focus is on state legislatures and districts.  So the discussion/fight will be local. 

- the issue of high schools in Seattle Schools - issues in all directions

- the continued rise of faux education groups in our state who appear to be trying to get control of the discussion about public education.

- charter schools

- student data privacy

But, as I stated, I am less interested in the district.  So I'm probably not going 
Seattle Schools Community Forum: That Was Short: