High expectations for Seattle schools
The Seattle School Board will have four new members and expectations are appropriately high.
But we welcomed the now-outgoing board members with strong expectations. On Nov. 6, 2003, this page underscored the new members’ campaign promises of strong leadership and budget stewardship.
Our euphoria soon waned. Those members lost focus and wandered off on tangents wholly unrelated to the central operations of the 46,000-student district. Thankfully, all four will leave at the end of this month.
The quality of the folks who will replace them is terrific. Incoming board members Sherry Carr, Peter Maier, Harium Martin-Morris and Steve Sundquist are bright, energetic minds with proven leadership in the city schools.
They posses knowledge not derived simply from their collective three MBAs and a law degree, but from years working inside schools, running levies and a host of other duties that support our education system.
The four bear similar professional approaches to board service. Good. A sense of decorum at board meetings will help the board and the public maintain a focus on what matters most.
A common refrain during the campaign centered on the board’s role. It is to manage the superintendent who, in turn, runs the district. The superintendent is accountable to the board and its job is to hold her accountable.
Policymaking is the board’s other function. The incoming four appear to have styles conducive to healthy disagreement and collaboration.
Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson is already thinking about the new board’s transition. Plans include a standard orientation and topic-specific workshops by staff. In particular, the board will be brought up to speed on policy shifts in school funding, special education and an ongoing curriculum audit.
A new superintendent, new board majority - hope is once again in the air. In the end, it will be the results - consistent improvement in all of the schools - that conform with high expectations.
All of the energy and goodwill swirling around the election outcome ought to be sustained.