Seattle Times, This One's For You
Guess what? According to a new Brookings study, teachers matter. Principals matter.Superintendents? Not so much.Findings:In this report, the authors examine the extent to which school district effects on student learning are due to the superintendent in charge, as compared to characteristics of districts that are independent of their leaders. Analyzing student-level data from the states of Flori
Items of Interest - Smarter Balanced/NCLB Waiver
The WEA did a survey of schools that field tested the Smarter Balanced assessments. The highest score - on a 1-4 scale - was "alignment with Common Core." That came in at 2.65.The lowest was a 1.72 for "Overall Impact of SBAC Practice and Administration on the School Day."50% (!) of member respondents said it 11-20+ hours for student to take the test.Also SB had an estimate o
Friday Open Thread
Two Community meetings with Board directors tomorrow, Sat. the 6th (I note that Blanford's was likely added in the last couple of days.) They are so spaced out, you could conceivable go to both.Director Blanford, 10 am-11:30 am, Capital Hill Branch LibraryDirector Peaslee, 3:30-4:30 pm, Northgate Branch LibraryA student at a Seattle public school in Wallingford was hit by a car this morning after
Seattle Schools Updates
From last Friday's "Friday Memo" from the Superintendent Here's something interesting from the press conference with the Mayor that included Superintendent Nyland. The Superintendent referenced a "taskforce" about African-American student outcomes. I was a bit puzzled but the Friday memo from the Superintendent has the "African-American Think Tank" as working on the
9-4-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Times Urges Mayor Murray to Take Control of the School BoardIn one of the most shameful and disrespectfully written editorials I've ever read in the Times, they urge the Mayor and the City Council to make taking over the majority of the Seattle School Board positions a top legislative priority.It's a funny thing because I JUST today wrote the Board about a couple o