Blog
Open Letter to SPS’ New Superintendent, Dr. Brent Jones
Dear Superintendent Jones and School Board Directors, During the superintendent search process, the Seattle Special Education PTSA testified about the qualities we thought were important for our next Superintendent and also sent the School Board our concerns about the...
Open Letter: Ableist Language Hurts Family Survey
Dear School Board Directors, Superintendent Jones, and Senior Staff, Last May, when the School Board passed Policy 2190, the Seattle Special Education PTSA testified about our concerns regarding disabled students who are also cognitively atypical, or twice-exceptional...
Open Letter: School Building Closures and Covid Issues
Dear School Board Directors, Superintendent Jones and Senior Staff, Over the last few days, the Board of the Seattle Special Education PTSA has heard from families, teachers and staff about unfilled positions in schools due to COVID absences and substitute shortages...
Open Letter: Special Ed Task Force is supposed to have family representatives
Dear Superintendent Jones and Assistant Superintendent Pedroza: The 2019 - 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between Seattle Public Schools and Seattle Education Association Certified Non-Supervisory Employees outlines the creation of and membership in a...
Special Education Staff Changes at 50 Schools?
District ignores its own contract, leaves staff and family voices out of decisions about special education staffing. The Seattle Special Education PTSA is concerned about the plan by Seattle Public Schools to make adjustments to special education staffing in 50...
Open Letter: Are shifts to special ed staff considering high-needs students?
Dear Superintendent Jones and Assistant Superintendent Pedroza, We understand that a significant number of Special Education staff are being displaced due to enrollment issues. Although we recognize that these displacements are consistent with the staffing formulas...
Disability History Month
Understanding Disability history is important -- important enough that more than 10 years ago, state lawmakers passed a law to guarantee during the month of October each public school would: "Conduct or promote educational activities that provide instruction,...
School Board Testimony 9/22/21
At the last meeting of the Student Services, Curriculum & Instruction Committee, staff gave a presentation about how students will be identified for Advanced Learning and Hi-Cap services. The Department will not hold any in person or remote testing this year, but...
School Board Testimony 9/9/21
You have already approved revised Policy 3246 and congratulated yourselves and District staff for all the hard work and for producing a policy that makes some of the changes needed to protect students. The first thing you should have done is apologize to the children...
School Board Testimony 8/25/21
The Special Education PTSA has sent you written comments on the BAR, Policy 3246 and the Procedure. I want to talk about community engagement. The last draft of the policy shared with community was flashed on the screen on a Zoom call last spring. People had to read...
