Most Popular

Crosscut articles of the past 10 days with the most clicks.

Our Members

Many thanks to

David Brown

and

Llewelyn Pritchard

some of our many supporters.

ALL MEMBERS »

K-12 Education

Crosscut most recent

First skirmish erupts in finding a new Seattle schools chief

Posted Thu, Jan 19, 2 a.m.

By David Brewster

The School Board feels its way with its more independent-minded members, hoping to present a more solid picture to candidates for the hot seat. The argument over board protocol seems arcane, but much is riding on it.

Memo to Seattle Schools: Leadership is not the (only) problem

Posted Thu, Jan 5, 2 a.m.

By Anthony B. Robinson

The Seattle school district seems to be the Bermuda Triangle of superintendents, with a new national candidate search every three years. Could it be that finding the right leader for the district isn't our real problem?

Love leads us into mystery: Raising a child with Asperger's

Posted Fri, Dec 30, 2 a.m.

By Caryn Mirriam Goldberg

Daniel was not like other kids. But he taught his mother to drop her expectations about what life and parenting are all about.

Local theater company seeks to curb child sexual abuse

Posted Thu, Dec 8, 2 a.m.

By Laura Kaufman

The thespians at Open Door Theatre act out examples of sexual abuse and coping mechanisms at local elementary schools, giving kids the opportunity and the vocabulary to ask for help.

Gregoire tax package deserves legislature's OK

Posted Mon, Nov 28, 2 a.m.

By Dick Nelson

Will Republicans act on state needs or be hobbled by anti-tax pledges? Former GOP governors could make a difference on the side of responsible action.

Election shakeup holds promise for Seattle Public Schools

Posted Fri, Nov 18, 2 a.m.

By Melissa Westbrook

Voters appear to have created more changes than it first appeared, and they did it with informed choices. Next up: better oversight of the district?

Mentoring: how it made a real difference for a Seattle gang member

Posted Mon, Nov 14, 2 a.m.

By Judy Lightfoot

A trailblazing national program born in the Northwest is gaining recognition for its mentoring seriously at-risk kids.

Earth to Washington state: What's with your schools?

Posted Wed, Nov 9, 2 a.m.

By Alison Krupnick

Education reformer Steven Brill says we're from Pluto. But is the message of education reform being lost in translation?

Let's do more than just make cuts in Olympia

Posted Sat, Nov 5, 11:26 p.m.

By Dick Nelson

Gov. Gregoire hints that enough pain is enough; we need to look at raising taxes or closing loopholes too. A veteran legislative budget writer suggests some smart ways to go about it, and warns of hurdles that could trip up the effort.

The Families and Education Levy: worthwhile progress?

Posted Fri, Oct 28, 2 a.m.

By Judy Lightfoot

The levy is on the ballot, up for a seven-year renewal by voters. Two Seattle middle school principals spoke to Crosscut about the levy's impact on their students.

Homeless students: rising fast, especially in rural areas

Posted Fri, Sep 16, 2 a.m.

By Judy Lightfoot

A 30 percent increase in the number of homeless students in Washington affects all of its public schools, but a new county-by-county analysis shows that the steepest rise is placing a disproportionate burden on rural classrooms.

The Parents Union: A new force for education reform?

Posted Thu, Aug 25, 7:20 p.m.

By Collin Tong

Former Microsoft exec Scott Oki is tackling education reform through a pioneering new concept — a union for parents.

Summit aims to help parents deal with schools

Posted Thu, Aug 18, 11:45 a.m.

By Erik Neumann

The Seattle Alliance of Black School Educators is holding an event Saturday (Aug. 20) to empower parents.

Education reform: the whole child left behind

Posted Tue, Aug 9, 2 a.m.

By Kent Kammerer

Too much of our focus on education reform misses a point: children aren't numbers. And the first step in dealing with the dropout issue is to connect with them.

The troubling lack of public will for reform of Washington schools

Posted Tue, Jul 12, 2 a.m.

By Collin Tong

Community leaders are taking a closer look at the crisis-ridden Seattle and Washington public schools, where the achievement gap is widening. A key problem is the lack of sufficient pressure from parents and citizens to demand better schools.

A national expert asks: Have unions stymied education reform?

Posted Thu, Jul 7, 2 a.m.

By Dick Lilly

Teachers unions, as unions should do, have acted in the best interests of their members, a new book argues. That has meant blocking significant reform and overriding the needs of students. One solution: computerized learning.

Good schools should be part of Seattle's density agenda

Posted Mon, Jul 4, 2 a.m.

By Roger Valdez

Density advocates need to understand that strong urban schools, woven into neighborhoods, can help revitalize urban Seattle. The case for EOD (educationally oriented development).

Seattle's families-and-education levy: different this time

Posted Thu, Jun 23, 2 a.m.

By Erik Neumann

The amount of money, if voters approve in November, is double the previous time. The big differences are a sharper focus on schools with struggling students, and much more emphasis on measurement and competition among schools.

Seattle Schools' report card: faltering progress on academic goals

Posted Mon, Jun 20, 2 a.m.

By Dick Lilly

In an unusually blunt assessment, the board says its academic-performance goals, particularly for disadvantaged students, "are not on track to be met."

Teach for America in Seattle: Tracing the big push from a UW dean

Posted Fri, Jun 10, 2 a.m.

By Melissa Westbrook

Emails show the UW's Dean of Education Tom Stritikus moved quickly and diligently to bring Teach for America to Seattle Public Schools. But should an area with plenty of fully trained teachers (including UW graduates) be reaching for barely trained college graduates?

K-12 Education Blog posts

School troubles threaten to beat board president

Posted Tue, Nov 8, 11:15 p.m. 2011

by Joe Copeland

School Board leader Steve Sundquist trailed a challenger narrowly in the first results.

Seattle cuts its summer school, amid calls for longer time in school

Posted Thu, Jul 7, 10 a.m. 2011

by Joe Copeland

A new report finds considerable interest in providing longer school years or days, despite the budget challenges.

Free tuition and one big catch: you have to sign up in middle school

Posted Wed, Jun 8, 9:15 a.m. 2011

by Erik Neumann

The deadline for Washington state's College Bound Scholarship Program, which can cover students on the free or reduced-price lunch program, is fast approaching.

Biking, schools, and sunshine rapture: news for the end times?

Posted Sat, May 21, 2 a.m. 2011

by Joe Copeland

Media roundup: A look at the week's news.

Seattle superintendent reverses herself on Ingraham High prinicipal

Posted Tue, May 17, 3:57 p.m. 2011

by Joe Copeland

Martin Floe is being asked to stay. Interim Superintendent Susan Enfield says she has listened to the community and teachers.

The reasons given for firing Ingraham High principal just don't add up

Posted Mon, May 16, 2 a.m. 2011

by Dick Lilly

Interim Seattle Schools Superintendent Susan Enfield's justifications for firing Martin Floe have convinced almost no one. And the district, desperately seeking stability and public confidence after a recent scandal, has been tipped yet again toward instability and public discontent.

What a McKenna package of ed reform might look like

Posted Thu, May 5, 11:16 p.m. 2011

by David Brewster

Some Republican governors, such as Mitch Daniels in Indiana, are taking very bold steps in confronting the educational status quo. Will Rob McKenna use their playbook?

Will Obama speak at a Washington high school commencement?

Posted Tue, May 3, 10:22 a.m. 2011

by Judy Lightfoot

UPDATED: Three of the six high schools in the White House "Commencement Challenge" survived the finalist round of website voting. Eastern Washington's Bridgeport High is still in the running.