Improving Public Education

In no other area of life do parents have so little voice in how their children are treated as with public school. If parents aren't comfortable with their child's doctor, they can easily see another provider; if they aren't comfortable with their child's teacher, the school will say "too bad." Family feedback can inform. There is no systematic feedback tool for parents that is incorporated into the formal evaluations of schools and teachers. This must change!

As the pandemic receded during the 2020-21 school year, despite overwhelming evidence for the safety of in-person learning, and a large majority of parents wanting their children to return to in-person learning, the Olympia School District leadership fought to stay remote. The remote option will still exist, respecting those families who wish to continue distance learning.

The Olympia School District must acknowledge that they serve children and families first, and prioritize listening to these voices.

Building essential skills in written and oral communication, quantitative reasoning (math), and critical thinking must be the primary focus of grade school education.

Financial literacy is a critical skill in America, yet most young adults receive no education in this area. This topic should be a part of high school curriculum.

Olympia public schools must identify student weaknesses as early as possible, to give them the extra support they need to be successful. These discrepancies will be particularly evident following the last year of schooling. OSD must be ready to meet the challenge. Every child

A truly inclusive school community recognizes and values all members. Divisive identity-based programs that promote conflict between people on the basis of how they self-identify have no place in public schools. Every student and family has their unique intersectional reality that should be understood and embraced. No student should ever be made to feel ashamed of who they are.

Accurate assessment is critical to measuring whether students are achieving meaningful learning in school. In recent years, there has been a self-promoting push by many to stop assessment testing, because it reveals systematic disparities in education. Educators do not like this as it sheds light on deficiencies. Critiques of bias in testing have been addressed for years, and are no longer credible.

Without systematic testing, discriminatory educational practices can be hidden from public view, and historic disparities in educational opportunity persist. Without this data, educational leaders can not effectively address disparities in education.

Ensuring quality educational outcomes in terms of learning essential skills requires accurate systematic measurement. Without this information, the public schools can not achieve their full potential for educating students.