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This is a weirdly ignorant question: counselors are liaisons essentially. Tier 2 interventions can take myriad forms from check-ins to tutoring to pullouts etc.
Rankin also asks about the Tier 2 supports for students. Will that be via counselors, or what? Torres-Morales says there are a lot of Tier 2 strategies, but not necessarily through counselors.
January 15, 2026 at 3:04 AM
This is a weirdly ignorant question: counselors are liaisons essentially. Tier 2 interventions can take myriad forms from check-ins to tutoring to pullouts etc.
Reposted by The Bulletin
Currently, one of the best ways to show colleges if you’re actually ready is to take normed exams like AP, SAT, etc. Without this corroboration, high school grades and graduation status are analyzed by colleges using known outcomes for students from that school
President Topp asks if graduation rates "should be" an indication of what students can do, or is it just not an indication or a student actually being "life-ready."
January 15, 2026 at 3:08 AM
Currently, one of the best ways to show colleges if you’re actually ready is to take normed exams like AP, SAT, etc. Without this corroboration, high school grades and graduation status are analyzed by colleges using known outcomes for students from that school
Reposted by The Bulletin
Naviance is a complete waste of money except possibly as an organizational tool for college applicants in 11th/12th - it’s one of the first contracts to axe to save money
Accountability Officer Ted Howard notes that many students aren't using Naviance, which is an online platform the district uses for the High School & Beyond Plan. Howard is asking the student school board directors if Naviance was helpful to them. They don't seem that enthusiastic.
January 15, 2026 at 2:12 AM
Naviance is a complete waste of money except possibly as an organizational tool for college applicants in 11th/12th - it’s one of the first contracts to axe to save money
This is @janedemel.bsky.social. I'll be live posting the Seattle School Board meeting that starts at 4:30 pm (in 7 minutes!).
I am traveling. @janedemel.bsky.social will be liveskeeting the Seattle School Board meeting this evening at @thebulletinsea.org Here’s the agenda: www.seattleschools.org/board-meetin...
January 14, 2026 – Board Special Meeting: Work Sessions: Progress Monitoring; 2026 State Legislative Session – Seattle Public Schools
www.seattleschools.org
January 15, 2026 at 12:23 AM
This is @janedemel.bsky.social. I'll be live posting the Seattle School Board meeting that starts at 4:30 pm (in 7 minutes!).
NEW: The 2026 #waleg session begins this week, with a $2B deficit looming. @governorferguson.bsky.social proposed cuts to K-12 spending...as well as a millionaires' tax that could help fund schools at the end of the decade. Here's our overview of the legislative session and school funding:
Issue 10 – Will Washington State Finally Tax the Rich to Fund Public Schools?
Will 2026 be the year legislators amply fund public schools? Probably not. But maybe in 2029...
thebulletinsea.org
January 13, 2026 at 11:45 PM
NEW: The 2026 #waleg session begins this week, with a $2B deficit looming. @governorferguson.bsky.social proposed cuts to K-12 spending...as well as a millionaires' tax that could help fund schools at the end of the decade. Here's our overview of the legislative session and school funding:
We must note that @viviansong.bsky.social, despite being only woman of color on the board, twice elected to the board, won most votes of any director in 2025, has yet to be elected to a board officer position. For a district that claims to make racial equity a priority, this is unacceptable.
Issue 9 -- December 10, 2025 School Board Meeting Recap
The board re-elects their officers, hears a budget update, and learns about changes to the choice process.
thebulletinsea.org
December 14, 2025 at 10:02 PM
We must note that @viviansong.bsky.social, despite being only woman of color on the board, twice elected to the board, won most votes of any director in 2025, has yet to be elected to a board officer position. For a district that claims to make racial equity a priority, this is unacceptable.
NEW: @robertcruickshank.com and @janedemel.bsky.social recap last week's board meeting, including officer elections, public testimony about ICE raids, small changes to rules about cops in schools, and big updates about the SPS budget and enrollment policy. Read all about it:
Issue 9 -- December 10, 2025 School Board Meeting Recap
The board re-elects their officers, hears a budget update, and learns about changes to the choice process.
thebulletinsea.org
December 14, 2025 at 6:01 PM
NEW: @robertcruickshank.com and @janedemel.bsky.social recap last week's board meeting, including officer elections, public testimony about ICE raids, small changes to rules about cops in schools, and big updates about the SPS budget and enrollment policy. Read all about it:
NEW: At Wednesday's board meeting Director Liza Rankin claimed SPS is "not doing SOFG." That's not true. Student Outcomes Focused Governance remains deeply embedded in board and district practice. We've got the details:
Issue 8 -- Yes, SPS Is Still Using SOFG
SPS uses a controversial governance model to guide board procedures and relations with the superintendent. Liza Rankin incorrectly claimed it doesn't.
thebulletinsea.org
December 12, 2025 at 9:00 PM
NEW: At Wednesday's board meeting Director Liza Rankin claimed SPS is "not doing SOFG." That's not true. Student Outcomes Focused Governance remains deeply embedded in board and district practice. We've got the details:
Reposted by The Bulletin
She doesn’t like what she calls the “free market of parent choice” determining school size which you can also call “community getting the options they say they require”
December 11, 2025 at 4:45 AM
She doesn’t like what she calls the “free market of parent choice” determining school size which you can also call “community getting the options they say they require”
Reposted by The Bulletin
been floating the idea that SDOT should be responsible for contributing to busing costs when the busing is a result of unsafe crossings that SDOT hasn't yet fixed to make it possible for kids to walk to school within the school walk zones. Anyone heard of anything like this in another district?
And here's how that played out with Transportation costs at SPS in 2024-25.
December 11, 2025 at 4:42 AM
been floating the idea that SDOT should be responsible for contributing to busing costs when the busing is a result of unsafe crossings that SDOT hasn't yet fixed to make it possible for kids to walk to school within the school walk zones. Anyone heard of anything like this in another district?
Reposted by The Bulletin
This is a genuinely major revelation, and huge credit to @viviansong.bsky.social for catching it. SPS cited the need to repay this loan as a justification for proposing to close 21 schools in 2024. But that loan wasn't needed at all!
Director Song asks about the Interfund Loan. She says SPS didn't have to use the Interfund Loan after all. This is new info, I hadn't heard this before. Buttleman says that they had to do that to "balance" the budget, even though they never used it. That was a $27 million "loan" that was never used.
December 11, 2025 at 4:08 AM
This is a genuinely major revelation, and huge credit to @viviansong.bsky.social for catching it. SPS cited the need to repay this loan as a justification for proposing to close 21 schools in 2024. But that loan wasn't needed at all!
Reposted by The Bulletin
This particular slide from Seattle Public Schools admins drives me nuts. Many of us are aware that it is wrong to compare a government budget to a family budget. Especially since SPS can go out and attract more students, helping bring in more dollars and address this problem.
December 11, 2025 at 3:47 AM
This particular slide from Seattle Public Schools admins drives me nuts. Many of us are aware that it is wrong to compare a government budget to a family budget. Especially since SPS can go out and attract more students, helping bring in more dollars and address this problem.
This is @janedemel.bsky.social taking over live posting of the Seattle School Board meeting from the fabulous @thebethocracy.bsky.social
December 11, 2025 at 3:06 AM
This is @janedemel.bsky.social taking over live posting of the Seattle School Board meeting from the fabulous @thebethocracy.bsky.social
This is @janedemel.bsky.social and starting at 6:30 I will be live posting the Seattle Times online webinar interviewing the three newly elected Seattle School Board directors: Vivian Song, Jen LaVallee, and Kathleen Smith.
December 9, 2025 at 2:26 AM
This is @janedemel.bsky.social and starting at 6:30 I will be live posting the Seattle Times online webinar interviewing the three newly elected Seattle School Board directors: Vivian Song, Jen LaVallee, and Kathleen Smith.
Reposted by The Bulletin
SPS 2nd graders did not have their education interrupted by a pandemic. We should be investing more resources at all schools for evidence-based early intervention. How about using that $1B levy voters just passed on our public school kids? Our public school kids deserve it.
Just 57% of SPS 2nd graders are meeting standard in reading. Only 57% of 6th graders are meeting standard in math.
“Staff did not provide hypotheses about what is driving this trend but said they were looking into it.”
“Staff did not provide hypotheses about what is driving this trend but said they were looking into it.”
Issue 7 -- December 3, 2025 Seattle School Board Meeting Recap
New directors get bad news about student achievement.
thebulletinsea.org
December 8, 2025 at 3:27 PM
SPS 2nd graders did not have their education interrupted by a pandemic. We should be investing more resources at all schools for evidence-based early intervention. How about using that $1B levy voters just passed on our public school kids? Our public school kids deserve it.
Just 57% of SPS 2nd graders are meeting standard in reading. Only 57% of 6th graders are meeting standard in math.
“Staff did not provide hypotheses about what is driving this trend but said they were looking into it.”
“Staff did not provide hypotheses about what is driving this trend but said they were looking into it.”
Issue 7 -- December 3, 2025 Seattle School Board Meeting Recap
New directors get bad news about student achievement.
thebulletinsea.org
December 8, 2025 at 3:29 AM
Just 57% of SPS 2nd graders are meeting standard in reading. Only 57% of 6th graders are meeting standard in math.
“Staff did not provide hypotheses about what is driving this trend but said they were looking into it.”
“Staff did not provide hypotheses about what is driving this trend but said they were looking into it.”
NEW: Wednesday's school board meeting was a big one! New board directors were sworn in, and were immediately told SPS students are far behind on math and reading. Article by @thebethocracy.bsky.social and Julie Letchner:
Issue 7 -- December 3, 2025 Seattle School Board Meeting Recap
New directors get bad news about student achievement.
thebulletinsea.org
December 7, 2025 at 7:01 PM
NEW: Wednesday's school board meeting was a big one! New board directors were sworn in, and were immediately told SPS students are far behind on math and reading. Article by @thebethocracy.bsky.social and Julie Letchner:
NEW: Some SPS-related reading for the upcoming holiday weekend, including the new Superintendent's contract, more legal action against SPS for neglecting student safety, and concerns about SPS denying special education services.
Issue 6 -- Holiday Reading
A roundup of the latest SPS news as we go into the Thanksgiving weekend.
thebulletinsea.org
November 25, 2025 at 7:03 PM
NEW: Some SPS-related reading for the upcoming holiday weekend, including the new Superintendent's contract, more legal action against SPS for neglecting student safety, and concerns about SPS denying special education services.
"Suspicious, student board director Josephine Mangelsen, a high schooler, stated flat-out during Q&A: 'I know for a fact that the main use of AI at my school so far has been cheating.'"
Read more about SPS's presentation on AI and cellphones at last week's board meeting:
Read more about SPS's presentation on AI and cellphones at last week's board meeting:
Issue 5 -- November 19, 2025 Board Meeting Recap
In this issue: Beth Day and Julie Letchner recap the November 19 school board meeting, the last with the current board lineup.
thebulletinsea.org
November 23, 2025 at 5:47 PM
"Suspicious, student board director Josephine Mangelsen, a high schooler, stated flat-out during Q&A: 'I know for a fact that the main use of AI at my school so far has been cheating.'"
Read more about SPS's presentation on AI and cellphones at last week's board meeting:
Read more about SPS's presentation on AI and cellphones at last week's board meeting:
Reposted by The Bulletin
Great recap and new resource!!
Ridiculous IMO, however, that directors pointed out "if a [web]site was blocked by SPS it was probably blocked for a reason." Who vets this?! We use @kagi.com to avoid Google AI slop and it is blocked by SPS (or, at least, was blocked on my kid's SPS iPad last spring)
Ridiculous IMO, however, that directors pointed out "if a [web]site was blocked by SPS it was probably blocked for a reason." Who vets this?! We use @kagi.com to avoid Google AI slop and it is blocked by SPS (or, at least, was blocked on my kid's SPS iPad last spring)
First of many SPS School Board recaps to come! Publilshed on @thebulletinsea.org, a new source for SPS news. thebulletinsea.org/issue-5-nove...
Issue 5 -- November 19, 2025 Board Meeting Recap
In this issue: Beth Day and Julie Letchner recap the November 19 school board meeting, the last with the current board lineup.
thebulletinsea.org
November 23, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Great recap and new resource!!
Ridiculous IMO, however, that directors pointed out "if a [web]site was blocked by SPS it was probably blocked for a reason." Who vets this?! We use @kagi.com to avoid Google AI slop and it is blocked by SPS (or, at least, was blocked on my kid's SPS iPad last spring)
Ridiculous IMO, however, that directors pointed out "if a [web]site was blocked by SPS it was probably blocked for a reason." Who vets this?! We use @kagi.com to avoid Google AI slop and it is blocked by SPS (or, at least, was blocked on my kid's SPS iPad last spring)
NEW: @thebethocracy.bsky.social and Julie Letchner recap this week's school board meeting:
Issue 5 -- November 19, 2025 Board Meeting Recap
In this issue: Beth Day and Julie Letchner recap the November 19 school board meeting, the last with the current board lineup.
thebulletinsea.org
November 22, 2025 at 10:17 PM
NEW: @thebethocracy.bsky.social and Julie Letchner recap this week's school board meeting:
Reposted by The Bulletin
First of many SPS School Board recaps to come! Publilshed on @thebulletinsea.org, a new source for SPS news. thebulletinsea.org/issue-5-nove...
Issue 5 -- November 19, 2025 Board Meeting Recap
In this issue: Beth Day and Julie Letchner recap the November 19 school board meeting, the last with the current board lineup.
thebulletinsea.org
November 22, 2025 at 10:12 PM
First of many SPS School Board recaps to come! Publilshed on @thebulletinsea.org, a new source for SPS news. thebulletinsea.org/issue-5-nove...
Should Seattle Public Schools allow students to use GenAI? Or adopt an “away for the day” cellphone policy? SPS parent @emilycherkin.bsky.social takes a look and asks the key questions district leaders must answer about technology in the classroom:
Issue 4 -- It's Time for SPS To Lead on Limiting Screens in the Classroom
In this issue: Emily Cherkin takes a look at SPS policies about technology use in schools, and raises key questions that SPS leaders must answer.
by Emily Cherkin
On November 19, 2025, staff members...
thebulletinsea.org
November 22, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Should Seattle Public Schools allow students to use GenAI? Or adopt an “away for the day” cellphone policy? SPS parent @emilycherkin.bsky.social takes a look and asks the key questions district leaders must answer about technology in the classroom:
NEW: @emilycherkin.bsky.social lays out the key questions families should insist Seattle Public Schools answer about AI in the classroom, cell phones, and technology more broadly.
Issue 4 -- It's Time for SPS To Lead on Limiting Screens in the Classroom
In this issue: Emily Cherkin takes a look at SPS policies about technology use in schools, and raises key questions that SPS leaders must answer.
by Emily Cherkin
On November 19, 2025, staff members...
thebulletinsea.org
November 21, 2025 at 7:37 PM
NEW: @emilycherkin.bsky.social lays out the key questions families should insist Seattle Public Schools answer about AI in the classroom, cell phones, and technology more broadly.
SPS is still considering closing schools and engaging in sweeping austerity cuts as part of its budget, despite strong community opposition. Our report:
Issue 3 -- Podesta & Buttleman Speak on Enrollment & Budget Planning
In this issue:
* Fred Podesta on SPS Enrollment
* Kurt Buttleman on SPS Budget
Seattle Public Schools leadership shared sneak peeks on Monday into the 2026-27 budgeting process and various enrollm...
thebulletinsea.org
November 21, 2025 at 5:17 PM
SPS is still considering closing schools and engaging in sweeping austerity cuts as part of its budget, despite strong community opposition. Our report: