It seems that "back to school" season is here; at least that is what retailers are telling us.  But for schools, teachers, principals and parents, it is true.  Schools all over the state are getting ready for the 2010-11 school year that starts in a month.

WTIA's top legislative priority is improving K-12 education in Washington and we are involved with a number of groups that share that goal.  At the state level, WTIA is an active participant in the Excellent Schools Now coalition, http://www.excellentschoolsnow.org/

At the local level, WTIA has recently joined the Our Schools Now coalition, http://www.ourschoolscoalition.org/.  This group is focused on improving student achievement by improving teaching.  Their website explains their goals and efforts, the first of which is to inform the teaching contract negitiations in the Seattle School District.  Below is the cut and pasted "open" letter to the Seattle School Board, Superintendent and Teachers. Attached is the open letter to parents.

WTIA is among many community, parental and business groups aligned in the goal of improving student achievement, increasing graduation rates, maintaining high standards and changing how teachers and principals are evaluated and compensated. With Washington failing to make the grade in the Race to the Top competition, it is necessary to keep working at the state level and locally to improve K-12 education. Please see below for more details about this specific effort and the OSC website for more details and how to get involved. For WTIA members with children in the Seattle School District, this is especially important for your student's education.

The formatting of the letter may not come through.  Please go to the OSC website if you have trouble reading the text below.

OUR APPEAL

We appeal to you, the decision makers in the current contract negotiations process, to adopt critical reforms that will make a dramatic and positive difference for students.  Today, our schools work well for some, but not all.  Only 6 of 10 students in the class of 2008 graduated[1]; for nearly all students of color, the graduation rate is much lower.  Only 17% of those who do graduate are qualified for college acceptance[2].  Together we have a moral and economic obligation to improve these statistics.  More than grades are at stake here; a quality education is core to personal, family and community success.

WHO WE ARE

We are parents, community leaders and taxpaying supporters of Seattle Public Schools.  Collectively, we have dedicated decades to supporting public education. We send our children to public school and witness the passion and dedication of their teachers every day. 

OUR PROPOSAL

As a broad-based coalition representing diverse interests across the city, we are advocating for nine updates to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (see below for details). These include:

·   Providing teachers more time to prepare for class and collaborate with their peers;

·   Strengthening teacher evaluations so they are meaningful, tied to student learning, and a useful tool for teachers and administrators. This includes factoring performance into staffing decisions, as opposed to prioritizing seniority;

·   Creating new career paths and compensation opportunities for highly effective teachers and those who take on added responsibilities.

OPPORTUNITY

These proposals are centered on boosting student success and supporting teachers.  They are rooted in driving student outcomes, and will result in new ways for teachers to be recognized, rewarded and compensated.

A NATIONAL MOVEMENT

The momentum, both locally and nationally, is powerful.  In states and urban districts across the country, management and labor have come together to implement contract changes that improve student achievement and recognize teachers as professionals. Today Seattle has this same opportunity.

There is nothing more central to educational success than great teaching – and more specifically, no better way to eliminate the achievement gap than by having highly effective teachers in every classroom. As former teachers, Seattle Public School parents, community volunteers and Seattle taxpayers, we know what is included or left out of this contract affects us all. We do not bargain, but we live by the bargain.   

We urge you to come together, ratify a landmark agreement that adopts the nine proposals outlined here, and ensure school opens on time in September.  We strongly believe there is a direct link between implementing these proposals and boosting student achievement.  We will stand with you to celebrate and support this critical step moving Seattle to the fore of urban education.

Respectfully,

The Our Schools Coalition (www.ourschoolscoalition.org)

OUR SCHOOLS COALITION PROPOSALS