Seattle Student Senate Supports MAP Opposition
From Dexter Tang, President of the Seattle Schools Student Senate from their meeting at Ingraham High School:
The Seattle Student Senate, the main student advocacy organization of Seattle Public Schools, supports the opposition to the MAP test.
The MAP test inefficiently uses district resources and consumes valuable instruction time. We support alternative methods of student evaluation. We encourage the district o explore alternative methods of assessing student academic achievement that are efficient and align with the classroom curriculum.
Furthermore, representatives of the Seattle Student Senate would like to participate in the selection process of a new alternative assessment.
The Seattle Student Senate, the main student advocacy organization of Seattle Public Schools, supports the opposition to the MAP test.
The MAP test inefficiently uses district resources and consumes valuable instruction time. We support alternative methods of student evaluation. We encourage the district o explore alternative methods of assessing student academic achievement that are efficient and align with the classroom curriculum.
Furthermore, representatives of the Seattle Student Senate would like to participate in the selection process of a new alternative assessment.
District Provides Three Options for NE Middle School Capacity
The district put out a new options list for addressing the capacity management issues for the NE middle school region for 2013-2014. The Operations Committee meeting of the Whole is tomorrow, the 17th starting at 3:30 pm.
There are three options:
6th grade academy would treat all Eckstein and Hamilton students the same and addresses capacity management issues at both schools. However, it would be the highest cost option and they do admit "limits access of 6th graders to advanced courses and sports."
There are three options:
- Creation of a sixth grade academy
- Creation of a new Jane Addams Middle School with changes to Hamilton and Eckstein attendance areas and boundaries (note: this option does not mention co-location with JA K-8 but I assume that is so)
- No feeder pattern or boundary changes - use technology and improved support to manage capacity
6th grade academy would treat all Eckstein and Hamilton students the same and addresses capacity management issues at both schools. However, it would be the highest cost option and they do admit "limits access of 6th graders to advanced courses and sports."
In The News
Some pretty funny (and not surprising) public education items in the news.
First up in the category of "well, that didn't take long", the Washington Policy Center opines on Senator Ross Hunter's idea that the state should take over failing schools. (This is a similar idea to what happens in many other states - the schools become "turnaround" schools.)
Lawmakers should remove the cap that limits the number of charter schools that can open to only eight a year, up to a total of 40.
We don't even have ONE charter and they want the limit raised. Unbelievable.
They do use the thought that Charlie had:
Removing the cap would benefit all children, because just the possibility of a parent takeover would motivate school officials to improve services for children before that option arises. That, in turn, would give parents the leverage they need to seek positive change in education.
Imagine this message from parents, “Give our kids the education you promised or we’ll look into starting our own
First up in the category of "well, that didn't take long", the Washington Policy Center opines on Senator Ross Hunter's idea that the state should take over failing schools. (This is a similar idea to what happens in many other states - the schools become "turnaround" schools.)
Lawmakers should remove the cap that limits the number of charter schools that can open to only eight a year, up to a total of 40.
We don't even have ONE charter and they want the limit raised. Unbelievable.
They do use the thought that Charlie had:
Removing the cap would benefit all children, because just the possibility of a parent takeover would motivate school officials to improve services for children before that option arises. That, in turn, would give parents the leverage they need to seek positive change in education.
Imagine this message from parents, “Give our kids the education you promised or we’ll look into starting our own