I don't really understand how the Board can give themselves a positive review when they totally failed - refused really - to do their job. They drive the bus into the ditch and then want credit for causing only a little damage when they tried to pull it out again.

The Board has three primary responsibilities. They are responsible for governance, for oversight, and they are the elected representatives of the public.

This Board, primarily the four do-nothing Directors elected in 2007, have chosen not to do any governance. They were supposed to assure that the superintendent and staff complied with state law, federal law, and district policy. They never enforced any of them. They don't even have a process for enforcing policy. Consequently, under their "watch", the District was found, by the state auditor's office, to be in violation of a number of state and federal laws. District policies are routinely violated without consequence. The Board's failure to perform is at the root of the Wild Wild West lawlessness of the District bureaucracy.

The four Board Directors elected in 2007 have also refused to provide any oversight. They have been perfect rubber-stamps for the staff. They never asked any critical questions. They approved contracts without reading them or knowing what they were for (including one for $800,000 and one for $756,300). They accepted every lie as true - even when they were told that the staff's statements were false and even after numerous staff statements had proven false. This failure of oversight allowed the grotesque waste of funds through the closure and re-opening of schools, the RSBDP (Pottergate), six-figure consultant contracts, a bloated bureaucracy half again as big as typical school district's, the giveaway of MLK Elementary, and legal expenses to defend the indefensible.

Finally, the four members of the Board up for re-election this fall, Peter Maier, Sherry Carr, Steve Sundquist, and Harium Martin-Morris, acted as if the District staff were their constituents, when they were really elected by the public to represent the public's interest within the District. There is no one else within Seattle Public Schools who is accountable to the public. So once the Board Directors decide that they, too, will ignore the public, the district becomes completely unaccountable. At every turn, these Board members stood in solidarity with the staff against the public instead of standing with the public against the staff. Maybe it was their Broad Foundation training that told them to ignore the public. Maybe working with the staff they came to identify with them. Maybe it was their handful of big campaign contributors calling the shots. Maybe they were just carried away by their high office, but they lost touch with the community they were elected to represent and chose not to represent the interests of the people.

This Board has not only done a horrible job, they have done no job at all.

Consider this. After the disastrous audit received in July of last year, the Board decided to get serious about oversight. They could have written a schedule for annual reports from each District department in a couple hours, but they needed over six months to write that schedule. In the year since that audit and their commitment to get serious they have held one - yes, just one - oversight meeting. At that meeting they reviewed the performance of the Human Resources department. Days later the HR Director was fired, so even that work has been thrown out. It has been a year since they decided to get serious about oversight and they have nothing to show for it.

This Board is completely ineffective and dysfunctional. They need to be replaced. I can't believe they have the nerve to stand for re-election after their serial failures.

Dick, the achievement gap is no mystery.

I think the work of Richard Rothstein at the Economic Policy Institute, Rob Evans and a rising tide of others has illuminated what it is and how to approach it. We're not acknowledging that or incorporating any of the prescriptive concepts here. http://www.theseattlejournal.com/2011/03/01/reframing-the-achievement-gap/

I agree with coolpapa's assessment.

http://www.katemartinforschoolboard.com

Closing the academic achievement gap is no mystery. I don't know why people pretend that it is.

Just so folks understand, the gap is the disproportionate rate at which White, Asian, and middle class students demonstrate proficiency on state tests over the rates for Black, Latino, South Pacific Islander, Native American, disabled, and low-income students. The gap should be closed by bringing all students up to Standards.

The gap is not a result of racism - either overt or institutional - so much as it is rooted in the difference in opportunities, exposure, and preparation made available to underperforming groups of students. The gap is present on the first day of kindergarten, shrinks over the course of every school year and expands over the course of every summer.

Just to be perfectly clear: the gap is created at home, not at school.

Nevertheless, the schools are charged with closing it. They can do it. There's no real trick to it. In fact, that's the problem. There's no short cut. To close the gap, schools will have to identify every student working below grade level and give that student the support that he or she needs to reach grade level.

Schools will have to regard students as individuals and address each student's individual needs.

Schools could create programs, I suppose, but those programs would have to address the root causes of the gap: opportunity and exposure. They would have to be as much about field trips as they are about drilling basic skills. They would have to be as much about encouragement as they are about an extended school day, week, and year.

Unfortunately, the traditional class structure and instructional practices do not allow teachers the time to give these students the attention they need.

Seattle Public Schools has made the exact wrong response. They sent additional personnel to the schools - but to work with the teachers instead of the students. The District has also tried to improve student outcomes by adding administrators. I can't imagine why they didn't think to have those additional staff actually work with the students. The teachers don't need the added instruction, the students do.

The four members of the Board have often failed to intelligently apply relevant data.

Mr. Lilly writes:
"The strategic plan tells us that the district knows what to do. But the board’s report last week tells us that the district — along with pretty much everybody in education — still doesn’t know how to do it. Either that, or the system we have ""can’t"" do it."

The system we have in Seattle "won't" do it because the Directors Carr, Martin-Morris, Maier, and Sundquist have no interest in improving the system through the intelligent application of relevant data.

The National Math Advisor Panel's final report "Foundations 4 Success" states "Students struggling to learn math need increased explicit instruction"

In Spring 2009 -- Three high school math teachers from SE Seattle High Schools testified about the proposed "Discovering" texts ... These books are short on practice and lack sufficient examples for our students to learn the material. The Board voted 4-3 to adopt. The shortcomings cited could be applied to Seattle's k-8 math texts as well.
=============

"What to do" is known. John Hattie's "Visible Learning" makes that very clear. Equally clear is the Seattle School Board's failure to inform their employee the superintendent to do it .... instead it approves every proposal brought to them by the Superintendent, often by a 4-3 vote.

============
There was a Board Policy that addressed grade level Promotion or Non-Promotion based on students skills.... it required effective interventions for struggling students.

Recently the District admitted this Policy was not being followed. Thus a new policy was adopted which made no reference to providing effective interventions. The Board refuses to instruct the superintendent do what needs to be done.

"...neither mentioned by name anywhere in the report." What was Goodloe-Johnson - Voldomort? Please.

The Board has not done their oversight duty in any real way. That's why we can't move ahead in this district. It's not the teachers contract or lack of books or even the mind-boggling raises given out at headquarter (you thought no one was getting raises in the public sector - go work at headquarters at SPS, you'll get one).

It's that we are constantly mired down in crises and scandals. It's wearying and frankly, tedious. When they happen, there's a flurry of lists made, audit responses, action reports and then...it happens again. Our Board will not do their job of oversight and accountability.

That they listen mostly to the powers that be rather than the parents, teachers, principals and communities that KNOW their own schools is a big part of it. They were told about the issues with the Small Business works and did nothing until the last possible minute. By then, Silas Potter and Fred Stephens had quietly skipped town (each in his own way). They were told that the sale of the MLK, Jr. building to First AME had issues. Didn't listen.

We need a Board who will not be fooled or misled. This Board has proven, time and again, that they will and are.

The Board congratulated itself for dealing with challenges without ever scolding itself for creating those challenges.

They wouldn't have needed to respond to the multiple grave audit findings if they had been doing their job in the first place.

They would have needed to address such significant budget shortfalls if they hadn't pissed away millions on silly pet projects and wasteful consultant contracts.

They didn't need to develop new oversight policies, they should have followed the existing ones.

They wouldn't have to establish an employee ethics program if they had one to start with (like they should have).

I notice that the Board's self-assessment has no objectively measurable outcomes, no pre-determined targets, no metrics, and no benchmarks. In short, it meets none of the criteria that define accountability. They say that they will hold themselves accountable, then evade all trappings of accountability. Nice.

To me, this is clearly election-related spin. What period of time are they evaluating themselves on? The last 2.5 months or the last year or the last 4? IMHO they have improved somewhat since terminating MGJ (too little, too late) but I am not entirely convinced they can take credit for improved ethics. Seems more like the city stepped in, and what are they saying about the ethics in the MLK sale? Very little!! The audit response was truly pitiful until Boesche stepped in. And perhaps the "atmosphere" downtown has improved but community engagement has not (note Attendance policy they have had to postpone because of pushback they could have avoided if they asked FIRST...

The Culture of School Board failure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLvNYAFCVPE&feature;=related

Board lack of oversight puts public funds at risk.

Absolutely crazy that the Board ignores evidence at every opportunity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVXRdBouyCs&feature;=related

Board sees "No evidence of wrong doing" ... Clear the Board does no looking.

Greetings,
I am forwarding correspondence between Rainier Beach high school PTSA members who are also members of the Principal selection committee. Through the districts process we have put forward a top candidate who meets the majority of specified criteria however for whatever reason no decision has been made and with less than two days remaining in the school year no leader has been announced. Please put some attention around this issue and keep our school and community in your focus.

Regards,

Message to the district
Rainier Beach is a Transformation School. We have passed the first phase of the IB Application and will begin the second phase this Summer.
A Principal is needed to keep this mocing forward.

We were told that we had to have a Principal in Place by the end of June, now Dr. Enfield is dragging her feet. We have forwarded our top candidates. The first choice applicant has made it through the District's screening process and even has a background in IB, yet Dr. Enfield is holding up the process. (See her non-response below). We have grown to learn that responses like these are simply given when they do not intend to give the people what they want.

Message from Dr. Enfield
Hello Rita,

First, I am sorry that this process has taken so long. I appreciate the time that you and others have put into the interview process. I have met with the candidates you sent forward and will be making a final decision next week. I will be sure to contact you before any public announcement is made.

I am glad you will be attending the community meeting that the Mayor and I are having next week at South Shore. I look forward to seeing you then.

Thank you.

Susan

Messages to the district
Hello Superintendent Enfield (Interim),

As always it seems to come down to a line drawn in the sand.

We appreciate you taking a good look at all the candidates that had come forward from the Principal select committee. As a member of the Design team for RBHS it is pertinent to all of our planning and our work that we do not end the school year with out an announcement.

What I know for sure is the current student body, (I would remind you that is all that is left at RBHS, 90% of the teachers are gone, all the administration is gone), would appreciate a moment of hope. If they at least knew what to expect as a leader in THEIR school the students might give a little trust to all the people who have been claiming to support them and believe in them.

The students are currently saying goodbyes to almost all of their teachers who they have developed a relationship with. These teachers are leaving for various reasons and we do not know who will be there when they come back but if they believed that the leaders who claim to have their backs are truly looking out for their future we might just give them a sense of excitement to trust us again.

I have asked of you in the past to be quick and concise with your decisions from the Superintendents office.The people of Seattle are expecting nothing less then decisions with a clear road to the future. The school district and mainly the Southeast schools are in a crisis. Ignoring or taking too much time is wearing on the patience of many in the community.

What all signs and behaviors are telling people is that SPSD is planning and moving towards a closure of RBHS. And with this looming in the undercurrents of all talk, I can promise you that the momentum of support and advocacy for RBHS is growing. This school is a cultural historical asset to the Rainier Beach community. A great value will be loss if it is closed.

This is not good business nor is it understandable of why 3 weeks have to go by with only 4 candidates on list.

Thank you for the moment express my thoughts. I pray on you to make a decision before the end of next week.

Respectfully,
Carlina Brown
RBHS PTSA President

Messages to the district
Dr.Enfield and Betty Patu,

At the onset of the Principal interviews we were told that we had to have a Principal in place by June. It is now June 16, and LaCretiah's email from June 13 still has yet to receive a response.

You forced us to send forward 4 candidates, in an effort to meet your 3 candidates forward requirement. And as of today we have not been extended the courtesy that is extended to North End (NE) parents.

We want an answer today as to what is the status of the candidates we have put forward. We want a principal hired in June as you stated was a MUST. We have a lot of work to do this summer and need a leader in place to proceed with our plans.

We do plan on being at the Monday meeting with the Mayor at South Shore to continue conversations and expect to be extended the same courtesy that you have and continue to extend to NE Parents.

A decision needs to be made. Time is ticking and our Children's lives are being put in jeopardy.
Do the right thing, so we can assure that we have plans and programs put in place for our students just as NE schools will have for their students.
"Our Children deserve nothing less than the best".

Messages to the district
Furthermore the students of Rainier Beach High School deserve more. After all the transition they have experience throughout the school year, the least the district can do is openly communicate to the RBHS community who their next principal will be. How are we to increase enrollment when the school technically has no Administration in place?

Appointed/interim Superintendent & elected Board members seeking re-election,

I ask you to examine your core values as leaders in this district and decide if you are really part of the solution or part of the problem. Clearly immediate action is required on your part with regards to naming a principal for Rainier Beach high school. We started this process 10 weeks ago, April 7th to be exact and have two days remaining in the school year but to date no one has been presented as the leader of the school.

Board members,

The interim Superintendent is your only employee and let me remind you of Seattle Public Schools motto: "Every student achieving, everyone accountable" and that includes YOU. I expect you to hold the interim Superintendent accountable for the duties YOU appointed her to perform.

There can be no question that the Board has done a perfectly dreadful job for the past three years and has been doing little better for the past three months. They are a complete loss and need to be replaced at the first opportunity.

I have come to see Dr. Enfield's performance through a different lens - a more flattering one. If her goal is to change the dysfunctional culture of the District, I'd say that she's off to a good start - by getting rid of a lot of the folks who created the dysfunction.

I mostly agree with and admire coolpapa, but one thought comes to mind. Is it fair to judge the District performance on the entire student body, not taking account for the fact that many homes undo the growth in one summer that might have taken the schools two years to inculcate? MANY children have such uninvolved parents that the only decent meal the kids get is at school. I am wondering if kids who are programmed at home to fail should be counted as meaningful charges of the school district. Not that they shouldn't be served, but that their levels of improvement should not count against the success of the District. Perhaps parents should give evidence that they are involved in the children's learning before the District gets blamed for failure to learn?

spike asks if it is fair to judge the school district on the academic performance of students when so much of that academic performance is determined by factors outside the district's control.

There are several answers to that question. One would be to say that our highest aspiration would be for the district and the schools to take some steps to fill the opportunity gap with field trips, structured and supported study time, and mentoring. Another would be to transform the role of the teacher from a dispenser of facts and information to a coach, focused on finding the keys to motivating students. Finally, perhaps our assessment of schools and the district should be more focused on whether or not they took the appropriate steps to meet each student's needs than on how those students scored on standardized tests.