Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson said improving the quality and rigor at schools may draw more families back, but that’s not her focus.

“How about, let’s provide the best possible instruction for the kids who are here?” she said. “Part of the market-share issue is about parents not believing that the quality currently exists.” link

Several school board members, including both incumbents and newly elected members, do seem to be considering ways to reach out to middle-class families. In a district where around 25% of students go to private school, the financial and social-capital impact of a lack of confidence in public schools by middle- and upper-class parents is immense.

As Heffter points out, consistency and predictability are major concerns. While many parents want to send their children to public schools, they are wary of being assigned to a school they find less than optimal, or of being assigned to a decent school but a sub-par teacher. Many opt for private schools that offer a higher level of consistency and predictability, even if they lack certificated teachers or special programs such as sports.

The district’s forthcoming student assignment plan may address the predictability issues, because it will increase the chance that students will get into a short list of neighborhood schools. Middle- and upper-class parents are generally in favor of an assignment plan that guarantees admission to a neighborhood school, because this enables them to choose which neighborhood to live in based on the (perceived) quality of the local schools.

The current assignment plan provides transportation to schools in other neighborhoods in order to increase access for students from disadvantaged populations. Since residential segregation is a reality in nearly every major city, allowing students to leave their neighborhood to attend school is a common way districts address issues of uneven school quality and inequity.

However, busing students is unpopular because it’s expensive and time-consuming. Students may have to ride 40 minutes or an hour each way on school bus routes that, in the aggregate, cost millions of dollars a year to operate. Since busing is ultimately a workaround and is a tacit admission that some schools are sub-par, the district is directly addressing the underlying issue: the need for every school to be an excellent school.

New district leadership, both on the board and in the Superintendent’s office, will be facing these challenges head-on in the coming months and years.

To help African American students experience success in school districts and meet the challenges of the state graduation requirements, Seattle Alliance of Black School Educators in partnership with Seattle Public Schools, Pearson Scott Foreman, National Urban Publishing Companies, and other community organizations will host an Educational Summit on October 13 & 14, 2006 at Mercer Middle School in Seattle.

Many African American students have been left behind in the public education system in the state of Washington, and a transformed education system is needed that honors all students in a holistic manner—accounting for their various worldviews, languages, learning styles, cultural heritages, and multiple intelligences. Therefore, it is critical that our parents and communities must partner with schools, churches and other service providers to maximize resources and to improve student learning outcomes.

Sessions for this event will focus on the specific Literacy & Differentiated Instruction strategies for African America students since their test scores continue to lag behind other ethnic groups. Other Session Topics will include: Educational components with schools that involve students & families; educators connecting and committing to academic success of learners; strategies on how churches can assist schools; and many other topics to improve student learning.

Summit Goals:
• To provide short term and long-term strategies to eliminate the achievement gap.
• Form partnerships with local school community to improve student achievement.
• To build connections between schools, parents, businesses and church communities.
• To promote and facilitate strategies that engage learners to be responsible for their actions and learning in schools.

We continue to solicit organizations to assist in developing this Educational Summit to strengthen partnerships with Seattle School District. For more information, please contact Dr. Betty Howell Gray at 206.252.8814, bgray[@]seattleschools.org or Mrs. Pat Tolliver at 206.772.4916.

The Purpose:
To engage community and schools in a conversation about educating African American children and to develop a community action plan.

The Focus:
Uniting individuals and organizations for the education of African America children.

Invited Speakers:
Stedman Graham, Dr. Asa G. Hilliard, Dr. Mycal Wynn, Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu, Dr. Thelma Jackson, Dr. Candy Dawson Boyd, Dr. Andre Hornsby, Dr. Terry Bergeson, Dr. Andy Griffin, Dr. George McKenna, Dr. Lee Stiff, Dr. Kylene Beers, and Donald Deshler

Date: October 13, 14, 2006

Time: 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Where:
Mercer Middle School
1600 South Columbian Way
Seattle, Washington 98108

Community Banquet: Conversation on Educational Issues in the African American Community – Friday, October 13, 2006 – 5:30 p.m. at Hotel TBD

In Partnership with:
WABSE, NAACP, Seattle Urban League, Black Child Development Institute, CAMP, The Breakfast Group, and other community organizations

Sponsored by:
Seattle Public Schools
Seattle Alliance of Black School Educators
National Alliance of Black School Educators
Pearson Publishing Group

For more information, please contact Dr. Betty Howell Gray, at bgray[@]seattleschools.org or Dan Coles at dcoles[@]seattleschools.org

Draft Agenda:
Friday, October 13, 2006
8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Registration
8:15 a.m Exhibits Open
8:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. First General Session
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Concurrent Workshop Sessions – Seattle School District
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Panel: Educating African American Children
12:00 p.m. – l:30 p.m.: Luncheon
1:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Concurrent Workshop Sessions
5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Community Banquet (Hotel TBD)

Saturday, October 14, 2006
8:30 a.m. Registration/Exhibits Open
8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Second General Session
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Faith Based Workshop – Ministry
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Teen Summit
10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Concurrent Workshop Sessions
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch on Your Own/Visit Exhibitors
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Concurrent Workshop Sessions
6:00 p.m. Exhibits Closed

For more information, please contact Dr. Betty Howell Gray, at bgray[@]seattleschools.org or Dan Coles at dcoles[@]seattleschools.org

Download Call for Proposals document (MS Word) – due August 1

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