Everywhere I go someone has an idea about how to save or fix Tacoma's "broken schools." It's one of the hazards of being a teacher. When I tell people in Tacoma that I work at Lincoln High School or that I work in the Lincoln Center Program, about 60 percent of the time the reaction is "ooooh" - a long, drawn out version of the word, a mildly sympathetic noise that roughly translates to "poor you." More often than not it is followed something along the following continuum: "that must be hard" on the more socially refined end, "I hear that's a rough school" in the middle range and "break up any fights lately?" from people who have no guilt about stereotyping people, specifically children, of poverty. Basically, over half the people I meet think my job is the midpoint between prison guard and nightclub bouncer. It seems, their vision is clouded by their own prejudices and urban legend. And as long as that is the way the community views the children within its schools, we will never have the schools our kids - especially our most vulnerable deserve.

Our views of our schools are clouded by our poor vision and metrics.

Everyone wants to make sure that schools serve the kids of our community. But, it seems the biggest issue with measuring (in order to improve) school quality, within Tacoma and beyond is that while we are awash in data, there is no real metric for what a "quality school" really is.

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At the end of March, the Tacoma Public Schools (TPS) board of directors voted 4-1 denoting intent to apply as a charter school authorizer in Washington state. Despite rhetoric espousing this vote as nothing more than additional time for consideration, it appears that TPS does indeed see utility in joining the charter school movement. This step marks, for the first time, a change in tone from the district, which opposed Initiative 1240 during the 2012 campaign.

This shift will be crucial in the coming months as Tacoma evaluates its role in Washington's educational landscape. If TPS is to become a State sanctioned authorizer, their attitude toward charter school suitors must be explicitly positive and open to new reforms. As per the language of I-1240, charter authorizers will be the primary negotiators with non-profit organizations seeking to establish these new schools.

The hard truth of the matter is that if TPS wishes to attract competitive, top tier organizations to pioneer charter schools in Washington it must advertise its openness to innovative methods for education.

For those who remain opposed to charter schools in Tacoma, your place at the table remains. It is true that charters have produced mixed results in other places across the country. However, continuing to block charter schools in Tacoma will only decrease the likelihood of their effectiveness and prevent what could be an invaluable resource for our students, faculty and communities.

In California where charter schools have been achieving success and working through challenges since 1992, the most infamous failures have often been attributed to a lack of community buy in. Of course this is not the only issue that has caused strife in California's charter system: under funding, administrative conflicts, and shifting state standards are but a few of the problems which have also contributed.

However this need not be the case in Washington and certainly not in Tacoma.

We will be the 42nd state in the Union to adopt charter schools as a public option for education. We can learn from others mistakes. We can learn from our own mistakes. We can achieve new successes together. But first we must embrace the passage of I-1240 and make Tacoma the premier community for Washington charter schools.

Aaron T. Sherman is an M.Ed. in Education Policy candidate at the University of Washington specializing in issues of equity and student development.

Two bills in Olympia could make a big difference for high school and college students, and we're in the home stretch for both of them. Here's the news.

The first bill is called the Dream Act [HB 1817]. The Dream is an affordable college education for immigrant kids.

About 100,000 Washington residents attend college in-state each year. About 30,000 of them receive state "need" grants.

Another 1,000 students aren't U.S. citizens but can legally attend public schools, thanks to President Obama's action last summer.  These students entered the U.S. illegally as children, but can work, pay taxes and go to the schools they help pay for with those taxes. 

There's just one problem. Even while the cost of college goes up, these students aren't eligible for state aid. The Dream Act corrects this problem, and could dictate whether many of these students continue their education.

The Dream Act was introduced in the House by several representatives including Tacoma's David Sawyer [D-29] and Jake Fey [D-27]. It passed with strong bi-partisan support.

And it's dying in the Senate.

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Oh what a difference a week can make.

Last week city civics was all mud and details as pro-transit progressives formed debate teams and held a meet over light rail extension plans and the future of public transit.

While the light rail extension debate and review will (rightfully) continue, this week was defined by jubilance and stability.

Jubilance over reports State Farm has all but confirmed that they will be moving 2,000 jobs to Tacoma and occupying the vacant Russell Building (and a few floors of the Columbia Bank Center). While I could write five pages about why this is such monumental news I'll resist as the The Trib has done a great job breaking this story, reporting on details and offering commentary.

Stability as the town's political movers and shakers turned out in droves Wednesday evening to celebrate the kick-off of Mayor Marilyn Strickland's reelection campaign.

I've been to a lot of local campaign kick offs and this one struck me as noticeably different. Different because the event felt like less like a pep rally and more like a halftime check-in. Of course those who spoke before and after Mayor Strickland hyped and hollered, but when it was her turn to address her supporters she was calm, poised and focused while speaking about goals that have been met and work still to do.

That same calm, collected confidence and focus has served her well throughout the past four years - four years that haven't been without their fair share of municipal drama and polarizing debates - budget deficits, billboard decisions, the hiring of a new City Manager, etc.

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ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Yesterday's comment of the day came from Monique Avelaine LeTourneau — Tacoma director at Stand for Children — in response to Aaron T. Sherman's op-ed "Online translations vital for equity in Tacoma Public Schools." 

LeTourneau writes,

THANK YOU Aaron for bringing light to this issue. There are not many ways for a non-native English speaker to access information outside of an (inaccurate) Google translate function on the website or by calling the district and talking to an English speaker to get information translated or interpreted. TPS is very open to interpretation/translation services when requested from the community - which is a step in the right direction! - and individual schools sometimes receive these services from the district, but it is not district-wide policy and practice and there is lots of room to grow. I would also suggest that the district considers ways to connect with families outside of online and print resources. Most of our Spanish speaking parents that I work with regularly do not access email or internet at home (or do in limited ways), but communicate via text message and phone. In the case of emergency alerts and school-related announcements, it is beneficial for TPS to explore ways of sharing important announcements in ways that align with how our communities communicate and access information.

Everyone in Tacoma Has a Link Opinion

Who can remember the last time this town had such a big debate about public transit? Pierce Transit has been dealing with devastating budget cuts for years now and I don't recall a two week period where activists and elected officials alike have been, at the same time, as riled up about transit as they've been these last two weeks over possible link extension plans.

The basic two week, 5-point plot has been this:

1. Sound Transit announces that based on their research they'd like to receive community input about three potential Link extension routs what would connect the current downtown link to the Hilltop, Sixth Avenue or the Eastside.
2. Debates erupt all over town (actually mostly on Facebook, but also on exit133) about which plan is "best for Tacoma." (In quotations because nine out of 10 activists and electeds have just been advocating for the plan closest to where they live).
3. Tacoma City Councilmember David Boe introduces his own "hybrid plan" that attempts to reach all three of the communities targeted by the three proposed plans. (The Trib ed-board summed up the pros and cons of Boe's proposal nicely in this editorial)
4. Local transit advocates criticize Boe's proposal for being far too expensive and for its potential to delay the extensions approval.
5. The city of Tacoma formally asks Sound Transit to consider Boe's proposal (at which point I'd like to imagine Boe ripped the sketch out of his pad and handed it over to Sound Transit CEO Joni Earl).

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Increased access to the Internet has fundamentally changed the way individuals, businesses and governments interrelate. Unfortunately public education, as has historically been the case, remains behind the curve of new social innovations. Here in Tacoma, our public schools have jumped at many opportunities to incorporate the Internet and change the way the district communicates with its students, parents and the communities which they serve. Yet still, many of Tacoma's populations that could benefit from these tools are left to the wayside.

The transitional bilingual and non-English speaking populations of Tacoma Public Schools are specifically marginalized. These populations represent roughly four percent of the student body and a diversity of more than 40 different languages. While these figures seem small as an aggregate total, they do not reflect students enrolled in the general population with bilingual or non-English speaking parents. Although Internet access for this population is increasing at a rapid rate, vital resources intended to connect parents with their children's schools continue to be published solely in English.

A primary example of under translation is the annually published Parent and Student Resource Handbook which outlines many of the critical rights for students, lines of communication, available programs, and general expectations for participation in Tacoma Public Schools.

Although this 61 page document does contain a tag in six different languages declaring that, "Attached is an important document from your child's school. Please have this document translated for you. Thank you." it assumes these parents will have reliable access to translation or that their child will be capable of interpreting it on their behalf.

In most instances however, adequate translators are not available and the inequitable distribution of resources persist.

Other examples of English only documentation include school disciplinary policies, calendars of events, emergency contact guidelines and, perhaps most importantly, grading policies. This burden is being left to the bilingual and non-English speaking parents and is yet another barrier preventing access to a quality, success bound education for many of our students who are most in need.

Fundamentally, under translation is an issue of equity for our students with parents whose desire to be involved is limited by language barriers. The solution is simple: provide the translations and make it easily accessible online. The internet is in the process of reforming schools all on its own; we should be using it as a tool to make our schools inclusive spaces that foster success and support for all.

Aaron T. Sherman is a M.Ed. in Education Policy candidate at the University of Washington specializing in issues of equity and student development.

Each fall, local governments set priorities for the upcoming session of the legislature. In this and subsequent entries we'll look at how it's going.

Thanks to Tacoma Government Relations Officer Randy Lewis for much of this information. Additional updates will follow, as well as Mr. Lewis' view on the outlook for K-12 funding.

Two - or two and a half - big issues hang over the Legislature: education funding, both K-12 and higher ed; and the statewide transportation system. The City has a huge stake in these issues, obviously; but it also has some narrower interests.

Money.  Several of Tacoma's priorities are either direct requests for funding ($1 million for the pool at People's Center, $4 million for groundwater at the City gravel pit) or relate to keeping tax revenue (the State or the City).

The March 20 state revenue forecast was, uh, OK. That is, the State's problems don't look any worse than they did three months ago. Plenty bad, but not worse.

The Senate will introduce a budget by March 27. By April 3 bills being considered cross-chamber (House bills under discussion in the Senate, and the reverse) must be reported out of committee - or die! This can be gruesome; we are preparing a report on zombie bills.

Action on these two dates will help predict what happens to the City's money priorities.

But not all Tacoma's priorities require funding. Some essentially ask permission or encourage the State to do certain things. It's clearer how some of these are faring.

Metal Theft. Bad guys steal metal from construction sites and sell the metal to recyclers. House Bill (HB) 1552 will make it harder. The bill passed the House and will be heard in the Senate. This is progress.

How to Pay for Fire Hydrants. Traditionally Tacoma Water paid for hydrants but a recent court ruling shifted the burden to general government. The City wants help; HB 1512 would provide it. The bill passed the House and will be heard in the Senate. This is  progress.

How to Pay for Emergency Services. Voters approved a permanent levy of $0.50 per $1,000 valuation to pay for EMS. Several cities now want the ability to raise this to $0.75. HB 1136 did not make it out of committee, however. This is not progress.

Where Offenders Live. The State Department of Corrections provides housing vouchers for offenders released to live in the community. Senate Bill (SB) 5105 would encourage such housing to be "fairly" allocated across the State, as promoted by Tacoma and other cities. This is progress.

Where People Work on Cars. Many people work on cars at home. If the car is more than 30 years old - or being used for parts for such a car - it's called restoration. The City wants active restoration, a) limited to three vehicles, and b) done out of sight of adjacent property. SB 5121 would weaken the "out of sight" requirement and allow "active restoration" to be loosely defined. This is not progress.

Nuisance Abatement Liens. The City may clean up "nuisance" property and then put a lien on the title, so when the owner sells the City is repaid. There's a disconnect between the County and City lien authority and SB 5323 would reconcile the two; HB 1367 doing the same thing has already passed out of committee. The state banking association wants an amendment related to notification to banks; this could slow things down so much that nothing will be done. This may be progress.

So ... if we ignore money, education reform and the transportation system, the City is doing pretty well so far. Ignoring is bliss.

Ken Miller came to Tacoma as a community organizer in 1970. He's worked in corporate and small business, nonprofits and government.