Remember that Brady Bunch episode where Jan gets all pouty and sniffs, “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia….?” All ancient cultural references aside, Seattle, Seattle, Seattle. You may ask yourself, “What’s all the fuss about Seattle, isn’t LEV statewide?” Yes. Indeed. Statewide.
So why all this Seattle ink? Here are a few reasons.
Seattle is the largest district in the state and represents the first big negotiation since the state passed the Race to the Top legislation this past session. What we know about statewide policy is that it’s a good start. But implementation of that policy is equally, if not more, important.
Will the new teacher evaluation system have enough oomph to provide teachers meaningful feedback on their practice? Will we finally get rid of the Mesozoic era RIF (reduction in force) policy – based only on seniority? Will teachers who take on more responsibility and throw themselves into the most challenging schools get compensation that reflects that?
How Seattle winds up in its negotiations could set the bar for other districts – and even if they aren’t influencing others, most folks who care about bargaining are watching. So, we’re focused on it because it is a pretty key event statewide, even though it’s taking place in Seattle and is only applicable to Seattle schools.
