The Mary Walker School District rescinds their request for charter schools in the Seattle Public School District
The Mary Walker School District (MWSD) has rescinded their request for approval of charter schools in the City of Seattle after requests were made twice, first by The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and then by MWSD, for the school district to recognize the charter schools and thereby providing legitimacy to the schools.
In two memos made public yesterday in the Seattle School Board Executive Committee meeting, it is clear that the Seattle Public School district (SPS) has no intention of breaking the law.
This first email is from Kenneth Gotsch, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance, to JoLynn Berge, Chief Financial Officer at OSPI sent on December 8,2015:
From: Gotsch, Kenneth C
Sent: Tuesday, December 8, 2015 3:59 PM
To: JoLynn Berge <JoLynn.Berge@k12.wa.us>
Cc: Nyland, Larry L <larry.nyland@seattleschools.org>; … Tolley, Michael F <mftolley@seattleschools.org>; …
Subject: RE: Choice forms for charters converting to ALEs
Dear JoLynn:
Thank you for contacting me about OSPI’s willingness to process choice forms for students (detail in OSPI Memorandum No. 072-15M; dated December 3, 2015) who want to move from a charter school to an Alternative Learning experience school (ALE) operated by another school district. After talking with the Seattle Public Schools Superintendent and with other senior staff, Seattle Public Schools does not want OSPI to initiate choice forms for charter students who are residents in the City of Seattle. At this time, we will continue to follow our existing Policies (Policy No. 3130 Student Assignment and Enrollment, Policy No. 3140 Release of Resident Students) and Procedures (Superintendent’s Procedures for Student Assignment 3130SP – see pg 59 of the document) for the release of any resident student wishing to attend another school district, including programs in the Mary Walker School District. By consistently applying our current Policies and Procedures, our District can ensure equity and proper processes to all resident families.
In addition, I want to let you know that Seattle Public Schools will object to any physical program placement in the City of Seattle without prior School Board authorization.
Sincerely,
Ken Gotsch
Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance
And then on December 17, 2015 an email from SPS Superintendent Nyland to Kenneth Jacka, Superintendent of MWSD:
RE: Charters
Nyland, Larry L
To: ‘kjacka@marywalker.org’
Cc: SchoolBoard; Gotsch, Kenneth C
Thursday, December 17, 2015 8:07 AM
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