We Need a Culture Change in How the District Approaches Parent Input
What say should a neighborhood have in its "neighborhood school"? If the district wants to increase enrollment in under-enrolled schools, they should start meaningful, on-going dialog with the parents of those communities -- not just a one-time feedback meeting or form, but something akin to a "customer advisory panel" charged with gathering broad community input. They shouldn't spend millions on a performing arts center, STEM program, or anything else without *knowing* that more students will enroll in that school as a result of that spending. That requires real buy-in from all stakeholders. All principals of neighborhood schools should be held accountable to neighborhood satisfaction. (Principals come and go -- especially as of late -- but the people who live in the neighborhoods deal with the long-term consequences of their schools.) Stop thinking of parents and neighborhoods as obstacles, and realize the opportunity they represent: Thousands of passionate, motivated people willing to do all kinds of work to help the district succeed.
AdminAndrew K
(Admin, CPPS of Seattle)
shared this idea
6 comments
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Rich Jensen
commented
Why isn't there someone from the schools checking-in with Seattle families that will have incoming kindergartners? We are taking this on as a family project, reading blogs, watching meetings on the cable channel, studying the somewhat arcane and contradictory information on the district website. I would love to find a phone message from either the local principal or just some kind of orientation representative in the district.
Realistically, we will be OK. We are motivated and we will make our choice, but this kind of research must be so difficult for many families.
There's also just the matter of marketing. We are ideologically committed to SPS, but if we get dumped into a poor program without options, we'll bolt. (We are in SE surrounded by schools with underperforming stats and socio-cultural stresses.) It would be in the district's interest (and so easy) to be proactive and see what our plans are for our 5 year-old next fall.
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AdminAndrew K
(Admin, CPPS of Seattle)
commented
Here's a simple example: They are collecting lots of parent input on the new assignment plan. I myself sent in some comments. Then I just read their summary of the comments up on http://www.seattleschools.org/area/newassign/commenthome.html. I do not see my comment anywhere. Do others feel the same way? The summary appears as if it has been summarized through the district's lens. If they were serious about understanding our input, they would let parents participate in the summary rather than just broadcast it to us. True participation is on-going and iterative... not just a one-time ask.
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Mercer Mom
commented
Each principal at a school whose population would, in theory, change dramatically under the SAP should reach out to ask families what would make them feel positively about attending their assigned school and to communicate to families what the school plans to do to help make that happen. Particularly if that school is currently not a school that neighborhood families choose to send their kids to. And not just open houses -- door-to-door, more personal house parties.
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pennielink
commented
How about a Citizen's Advisory Council along the lines of Dick Spady's County Councilors program, or something that the Center for Wise Democracy could support? Some kind of deliberative, co-creative, independently facilitated dialog. This has been done in schools and school systems! The idea is that "we're all in this together, let's find our collective vision." This site is a solid step in that direction.
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dora.taylor
commented
We must ensure that this will not be an empty exercise in community input but that our voices are reflected in the final assignment plan that is voted on by the board. If we are not heard, it will be the same meaningless exercise that we went through with the school closures.
I think that one way to ensure that we are heard is to not only speak to SPS representatives but also to all of our board members.
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adhoc
commented
Andrew I gave this 3 votes. I think this is one of the most important issues out there.
