Seattle Public Schools

State Auditors Find Seattle Schools Still Needs Tighter Internal Controls

Ann Dornfeld — Thu, 23 May 2013 01:20:51 +0000

After years of sloppy bookkeeping and at times lax financial oversight, Seattle Public Schools has improved its internal financial controls, but needs to strengthen them further, auditors from the Washington State Auditor's Office told the school board in a special meeting Wednesday.

Two Seattle School Board Seats Up For Grabs In Primary

Ann Dornfeld — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:12:35 +0000

Six candidates are vying for two Seattle School Board seats in the August 6 primary election.

In Director District 5, which includes Capitol Hill, the Central Area, Beacon Hill and downtown, Kay Smith-Blum is stepping down from her board seat after one term.

District Plan To Move Indian Heritage School Angers Native Community

Ann Dornfeld — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:01:35 +0000

The latest Seattle School District plan to move the American Indian Heritage program to Northgate Mall has angered many in the Native American community.

They rallied at Wednesday night's school board meeting to protest the move, calling it just the district's latest step toward dismantling Indian Heritage.

Former Seattle Schools Official Silas Potter Pleads Guilty To Theft

Ann Dornfeld — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 22:01:53 +0000

After his re-arrest on Saturday, former Seattle Public Schools official Silas Potter pleaded guilty Monday to 36 counts of theft for directing $168,275 in school district funds to a dummy company he controlled.

Arrest Warrant Issued For Former Seattle Schools Official Silas Potter

Ann Dornfeld — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 00:11:53 +0000

Former Seattle Public Schools official Silas Potter has disappeared, just weeks before his trial was to begin for his alleged theft of a quarter-million dollars from the district.

Summer School Back In Seattle Public Schools

Ann Dornfeld — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 00:49:12 +0000

Summer school will be back in session on a limited basis in Seattle Public Schools after it was cut from the budget two years ago.

Feds Reviewing Discipline Rates Of Black Students In Seattle Schools

Ann Dornfeld — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 17:10:18 +0000

KUOW has learned that the U.S. Department of Education has launched an investigation into discipline rates in Seattle Public Schools. In an email, agency spokesman Jim Bradshaw told KUOW that its Office for Civil Rights is looking into whether black students in Seattle are disciplined "more frequently and more harshly" than white students for the same infractions.

Sequester Slashes Washington Head Start, K-12 Funding

Ann Dornfeld — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 01:49:55 +0000

At least 1,000 children could be kicked out of Head Start programs in Washington due to the automatic federal budget cuts that began today.

Seattle Considers School Funding Levies

Steve Scher — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Next month, Seattle voters will be asked to renew two expiring levies to fund Seattle Public Schools. Proposition 1 would raise nearly $552 million over three years to fund day-to-day expenses like textbooks, transportation and student activities. Proposition 2 would raise nearly $695 million over six years to pay for building renovations, earthquake safety improvements and security cameras. The two levies combined would cost the owner of a $400,000 home an additional $152 per year in property taxes. Should Seattle voters renew the levies? We'll take up Prop 1 and Prop 2.

District Threatens Suspensions, Seattle Teachers Continue Test Boycott

Ann Dornfeld — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 15:45:14 +0000

The Seattle School District warned teachers Wednesday they face a 10 day suspension without pay if they refuse to give students the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test. The announcement came nearly two weeks after the teaching staff at Garfield High School announced they were refusing to give students the district-wide MAP test.