NEW: At long last, the Seattle Public Schools board is reversing the adoption of the widely disliked SOFG governance model and bringing back proper oversight of district finances and operations. Here's how:
Liveposting of tonight’s Seattle school board meeting is going on in this thread - thank you for posting it!
NEW: Last week's board meeting saw directors take a major step in dismantling SOFG -- and toward better, effective oversight of district finances and operations. Julie Letchner has the details:
VICTORY! The Seattle Public Schools board just restored its standing committees (Finance, Policy, Operations). *And* Liza Rankin withdrew her wrecking amendment, after a large public outcry against it led by All Together for Seattle Schools. Thank you to everyone who wrote the board!
No more questions, so the meeting is adjourned!
Superintendent Shuldiner says it could also be helpful for the board to know what kind of contracts these are: is it a cement company for construction or is it something more pedagogical?
Director Briggs echoes that she is also happy for SPS to get money from outside entities.
Director LaVallee agrees that they should make it easier to accept money from grants or outside entities. She just wants to be sure that they factor equity so that one school doesn't get $3 million and another gets nothing.
Assistant Superintendent of Finance Kurt Buttleman says there were 50 contracts that fell between $500K and $1 million last year.
Song echoes the concern when that happens and hopes that the Finance Committee can look into this.
Director Mizrahi asks about what happens when there are change orders to make the contracts go over the predetermined amount (whether that's $1 million or $500,000).
Director Rankin has concerns and wants to learn more about how these amounts were arrived at. Director Briggs asked why Song wants to raise the threshold for grants to $500,000. Song says there should be parity, that the board should have the same threshold ($500,000) for both grants and contracts.
This would lower the threshold for the board to approve contracts from $10 million to $500,000, and increase the threshold to approve grants from $250,000 to $500,000. Song says she thinks the Board should focus more on the money being spent.
They are going over the Amendment to Board Policy Nos. 6114, Gifts, Grants, and Donations and 6220, Procurement. Approval of this item would amend Board Policy No. 6114, Gifts, Grants, and Donations and Board Policy No. 6220, Procurement, as attached to the Board Action Report.
This is @janedemel.bsky.social, taking over reporting the School Board meeting live posting from @thebethocracy.bsky.social
"Why Beth, another Seattle School Board meeting? Tonight? Haven't we had one every week lately?"
Why yes gentle reader, yes we have. This one is likely to be spicy, between a lot of unhappy people on the testimony list and the will they/won't they about reinstating committees. Agenda below.
NEW: At a recent work session spread out over two meetings, SPS board directors learned a lot about the district's finances -- and how new Superintendent Ben Shuldiner intends to lead. Article by @janedemel.bsky.social:
The fabulous @thebethocracy.bsky.social is live posting the Seattle School Board meeting now.
I will be skeeting the board meeting tonight, which is on Goal 2: 6th Grade Math and a continuation of the budget work session from last week. I am VERY curious to see if I detect any shifts for Shuldiner’s first board meeting as Superintendent!
NEW: Ben Shuldiner is now in charge of Seattle Public Schools. Here's what he's been up to in his first few days as Superintendent -- ahead of his first board meeting tonight.
I still don’t understand why! Noted tho: Other districts we are compared to do opt-in bussing, have longer walk zones (eg 1.5 mile for elem, we do 1 mile), and option school bussing for a fee. Not saying these are things we should so, but let’s be clear what our peer districts do when we compare.
Comparison is helpful but total amount is important to note. So we’re spending more compared to others on SEL, but how much are we actually spending overall?
The end of the meeting is scheduled for right now, so President Topp suggests that they take questions on this presentation at the next board meeting, which is next Wednesday February 4. And new Superintendent Shuldiner will be there! Meeting adjourned.
Next steps on the budget development. (Also, the arrival of the new superintendent this Monday!)
Thank you!
I believe CAI is Curriculum and Instruction
Assistant Superintendent of Technology and Optimization Carlos Del Valle goes over Technology Efficiencies. No dollar amount attached.
They're not considering eliminating bussing for option school students.
Here are some of the efficiences that could be made, such as going back to three different start times for schools. (Podesta brings up this idea every year.)
Transportation: ERS showed that SPS far outspends its peers on transportation, as illustrated here.
