Latest News and Comment from Education

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: To the Members of the Executive Committee

Seattle Schools Community Forum: To the Members of the Executive Committee:


Charter Commission - Second Meeting, Part Two

Charter Commission discussion 

The biggest bone of contention at this point is the lottery system for approved charter school applications.

Now my initial read (and others as well) was that if the Board of Education received more than 8 approved charter applications from all authorizers, then they would go into a straight lottery.

The Attorney General's reading is that the seven that get to the BOE's office first will be stamped and approved.  (The BOE has NO role in authorization - they just need to document when applications come into their office.)  The BOE will, however, decide what the word "simultaneous" means. 

Any approved applications that come in eighth (and it's still unclear how big a window there will be - maybe just a 


When Will School Calendar 2013-2014 Be Out?

Found this out at the Executive Committee meeting - intro and action at the May 15th meeting.

Yes, I know this is late.  Yes, I know other districts get this done way earlier.

There is to be a press release between SEA/SPS sometime in the next couple of days.

Tentative highlights:

- school starts on September 4th, ends on June 18th
- full week Mid-Winter Break is back (I was confused during the discussion about why but I will endeavor to get a 


To the Members of the Executive Committee

This is an e-mail I sent to the members of the Executive Committee this morning:

I note that on your agenda this morning for the Ex Ctm is your Board calendar for next year.

I have repeatedly asked about sponsorship of Board retreats since the Alliance was allowed to plan them for this entire school year.  That is NOT part of the Alliance's MOU with the district and appears to look like undue influence from an outside entity.  To avoid that appearance, the Board could do the following:

- the Alliance ends its sponsorship of Board retreats

- the Alliance can handle logistics but nothing else.  They certainly can weigh in on the agenda for any given retreat as is the right of any other group or individual.  They should NOT be setting the agenda nor directing the facilitator.

- the Alliance should NOT have be part of any discussion during the retreats.  No one else is allowed this 

Smith-Blum Withdraws Her Nomination to Board of Education

The candidates for an interim seat on the Washington State Board of Education has narrowed by one.

President Smith-Blum who applied (and was interviewed) has withdrawn her application, saying that she did not want to leave SPS in the middle of the year.

Critical boundary discussions, construction contracts for over $500 million, restorative discipline policies, the Green Resolution – all of these things have been key issues in my tenure and I hope to see them all through to