Frequently Asked Questions

See a PowerPoint presentation on the Student Improvement Plan given to the Tacoma School Board on Feb. 25.

Q: When will the state Superintendent of Public Instruction or the U.S. Department of Education release the names of the affected schools?
A: OSPI submitted on Feb. 8 a preliminary list of the lowest performing 5 percent of schools in Washington to the U.S. Department of Education Feb.8.  In addition, OSPI submitted its methodology for identifying those schools. Once the federal government approves the methodology and the list, OSPI will release the official school list. This could occur at any time.

Q: What Tacoma schools are affected?
A: OSPI has informed Tacoma Public Schools that it has tentatively identified four middle schools as among the lowest performing 5 percent of schools in the state. Those schools are Giaudrone, Hunt, Jason Lee and Stewart middle schools.

Q: What happens now?
A:  The U.S. Department of Education has prescribed four optional models of school improvement.  By March 5, Tacoma Public Schools must choose which of those models to apply at our four middle schools. Each school can reorganize under a different model.

Q: What are the four models and why March 5?
A: The four models for school improvement are:

1. Turnaround. Replace the principal and at least 50 percent of the staff.
2. Restart. Open the school under a third-party education management organization, such as a charter school. (Note: Since Washington state doesn’t allow charter schools, this isn’t an option for us.)
3. Closure. Transfer students to other high-performing schools in the district.
4. Transformation. Reform the entire instructional environment, develop teacher and school leader effectiveness, reward teachers based on student performance, increase community engagement and extend learning time.
   The Tacoma School Board must assign a model to each school by March 5, because the district must submit a grant application by that date to OSPI to receive funds to help implement the school improvement.

Q: How will the district decide which intervention model best fits each school?
A: Superintendent Art Jarvis will recommend to the school board that the district match each of the four middle schools with the following models:

• Hunt: Closure. Decreasing enrollment over time has given Hunt the smallest enrollment of all middle schools. This model allows the district to shift students (roughly 300) to surrounding schools with higher performance. Then it allows for the construction of a new Hunt, as recently approved by voters, so the school can reopen with a new educational program, new leadership and new staff.
• Giaudrone & Stewart: Turnaround. This model allows both middle schools to transition to new programs of enhanced academic rigor that require more teachers with specialized training. Giaudrone would shift to an International Baccalaureate program, which follows a global curriculum built around real-world applications. Stewart would shift toward a curriculum based on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
• Jason Lee: Transformation. The school has already embarked on academic and program transformations with a new principal this school year. This model allows the district to enhance the work already being done by encouraging community partnerships and an extended learning day without replacing the staff.

Q: Couldn’t the district decide NOT to participate in this federal process?
A: Yes. We expect some school districts will decide not to participate. However, schools that do not participate may be subject to identical state-level “required action” as soon as next year if they continue to underperform, based on pending legislation. And if we do not participate, we will not be eligible for grant funding that can help improve learning at these schools beginning this fall. Because our four schools have a history of low student performance, we believe joining this process now will give us the best immediate help to turn around student performance.

Q: How much money is available in grants to help?
A: The grants range from $50,000 to $2 million per school. OSPI has $17 million per year for three years in federal funds to allocate among all the schools in Washington.

Q: For schools undergoing the “Turnaround” and “Closure” options, where will the teachers go once they’re let go from these schools?
A: Those decisions will be part of the decision-making process. The district already has notified the Tacoma Education Association leadership of the news and plans to work collaboratively to determine how to implement whichever options are chosen.

Q:  Don’t these optional models prescribed by the federal government appear to place a disproportionate emphasis on school administration and teaching for the problems of student performance?
A: That may be true. Nevertheless, the positive effect of this approach is that it drives federal resources to address the needs.

We believe – based on an early analysis – a wide range of factors play a role in student performance. Specifically for the four Tacoma schools, those factors include changes in math curriculum, income level of student families, ethnic/language makeup of the student population, the high mobility of the student population.

Q: It looks like all the options involve replacing the principals, so where will they go once they’re let go from these schools?
A: Those decisions also will be part of the process and will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Q: How many students attend the four schools involved in this process?
A: Current enrollment by school is:

1. Giaudrone: 622
2. Hunt: 346
3. Jason Lee: 463
4. Stewart: 514

Q: Is there a published transformation plan that details the plan for Jason Lee?  I have seen the improvement plan website. It does not detail the actual actions that will be taken at Jason Lee.
A: We don’t have detailed action plans yet for any of the schools. We’re still at an early stage in the process of simply identifying the best model for each school. The development of the detailed transition plans will evolve over the next few months.

Q: Will this process be applied to the elementary schools unless their performance rates change and if so when would this be?
A: At this time, Tacoma has no elementary schools identified as among the lowest performing schools in Washington State. Therefore, there are no plans to institute any similar changes at our elementary schools.

Q: Did the district know about the closure before the levy vote?  Why are we building a new Hunt if the enrollment does not support it at this time?  This sounds like Jefferson again.
A: No, the district did not know about the possible temporary closure of Hunt Middle School before the levy vote.

The district received word Feb. 8 that the state Superintendent of Public Instruction that day sent a list of the lowest-performing 5 percent of schools in Washington State – including our four schools – to the U.S. Department of Education. However, OSPI told us the list wasn’t final and was subject to change depending on whether the federal government approved OSPI’s methodology. OSPI embargoed the release of the information and told us they expected an answer from the U.S. Department of Education the week of Feb. 15. As of today, we have not heard back from the federal government. OSPI doesn’t expect to release the list of schools statewide until this coming Friday at the earliest.

After Feb. 8, we started an internal process of reviewing the options for the four schools. As the days went by, we finally had to inform OSPI that we could no longer honor its embargo on the information. We needed to communicate the information to our community and allow for some public involvement. The superintendent settled on a recommendation to the board late last week, and we began preparing to communicate that information beginning yesterday to faculty and the public and schedule public meetings.

For Hunt, the district settled on the temporary closure option for the following reasons:

• It has the lowest middle school enrollment (346). The enrollment projections for next fall show 300 or fewer students. That limited enrollment with a limited number of teachers doesn’t make it a good, flexible candidate for the two other models, which require robust infusions of new academic programs. That lack of critical mass simply puts the district in a position to be unable to provide an academic program equal to the other middle schools even if it were reformed for the fall.
• With the approval of the capital levy Feb. 9, we know that we will build a new Hunt. The temporary closure allows us to reopen the new Hunt with new leadership, new staff and new programs. Before that reopening, the district will redraw its middle school boundaries to better ensure a more equitable enrollment among all the schools.

Q: If Giaudrone is doing so poorly on tests, what other schools can my children transfer to and when?
A: The optional enrollment process allows parents to apply to send their children to schools other than their closest neighborhood schools. The optional enrollment period for the 2010-2011 school year ended in December. Look for information this coming November about the optional enrollment process for the 2011-2012 school year. With a new academic program, new leadership and new faculty in place at Giaudrone next school year, we anticipate a new energy and focus that will lead to improved student achievement on standardized tests.

Q: If indeed, Hunt does close, will Federal Grant money be given to Mason and Truman Middle schools to assist with the students moving to those schools from Hunt? It seems to me that unless that happens, to some extent, we'll be lowering the average scores at Mason and Truman.
A: The current plan is to apply March 5 for a federal grant to offset the costs of closing Hunt and accommodating those students at higher performing middle schools nearby. The grants range from $50,000 to $2 million per school.

Q: I live in Fircrest and my 5th grade child attends Whittier Elementary.  What middle school will my child be assigned to if Hunt closes?
A: A district team is working on options for accommodating Hunt students at surrounding, higher performing schools. We're at an early stage in the process. Many details have yet to be worked through. In all likelihood, some number of Hunt students will be accommodated at Mason, Truman and Gray middle schools, which are the closest higher performing schools.
 We'll be providing more information as the as the options are developed.

Q: How long will it be before the schools will be reevaluated? Now that students from "failing schools" go to Truman and Mason, they will be affecting the students at those schools and their numbers as well.
A: For purposes of this specific federal School Improvement Grant process, student performance on standardized tests for reading and math are the criteria used by the state Superintendent of Public Instruction to evaluate all schools. The performance of our schools will be measured by future student performance on those standardized tests  Those tests typically are taken by students at all schools each spring.

Q: Where can the list of the 5 percent of the lowest performing schools be found?
A: At this moment, the state Superintendent of Public Instruction has not released that list. The state has informed each school district individually which school appear on the list.

In Tacoma, we received word Feb. 8 that the state that day sent the full list of the lowest-performing 5 percent of schools in Washington State – including our four schools – to the U.S. Department of Education. However, OSPI told us the list wasn’t final and was subject to change depending on whether the federal government approved OSPI’s methodology. OSPI embargoed the release of the information and told us they expected an answer from the U.S. Department of Education the week of Feb. 15. As of today, we have not heard back from the federal government. OSPI doesn’t expect to release the list of schools statewide until this coming Friday at the earliest.

Q: Does this mean students will have access to textbooks and other study materials? Also, is there a possbility of on-line textbooks?
A: Over the next few months, the district will be evaluating the specific program and materials needs for each school individually. Work already has started on development of an online academy to be offered in the future for Tacoma Pubilc Schools students.

Q: Why are you guys closing Hunt down?
A: Decreasing enrollment over time has given Hunt the smallest enrollment of all middle schools. This model allows the district to shift students (roughly 300) to surrounding schools with higher performance. Then it allows for the construction of a new Hunt, as recently approved by voters, so the school can reopen with a new educational program, new leadership and new staff.
The student population at Hunt currently isn't large enough to allow for the robust variety of course offerings of academic rigor required by the alternative models.

Q: Where will the teachers go to after they are fired from their jobs? Will they go to baker? What types of jobs would most teachers have after they get fired?
A: At Stewart and Giaudrone middle schools, the federal rules allow up to half the current teachers to be rehired. The district and Tacoma Education Association are negotiating options for the remaining displaced teachers and the teachers from Hunt Middle School to get reassigned to other open teaching positions in the district. Some teachers could end up at Baker Middle School.

Q: When are the four schools going to close or turn around and restart?
A: None of the Tacoma schools will follow the federal "restart" model. New programs will begin at Stewart, Giaudrone and Jason Lee middle schools with the 2010-2011 school year. Hunt Middle School will close at the end of the current school year then reopen after the construction of a new Hunt Middle School.
 
Q: How many people are getting fired?
A: We won't know that number for some time. The federal rules governing the "Turnaround" model planned for Giadrone and Stewart middle schools say the principals and certificated teaching staffs must be let go; however, up to half of the teaching staffs could be hired back.
 
The district and Tacoma Education Association are negotiating options for the remaining displaced teachers and the teachers from Hunt Middle School to get reassigned to other open teaching positions in the district.
 
Each school has a principal and assistant principal. The current faculty counts for each school are:

• Hunt: 30 teachers, 16 para educators
• Stewart: 32 teachers, 5 para educators
• Giaudrone: 38 teachers, 6 para educators

Q: What about high schools? Are only middle schools being affected?
A: Tacoma has no elementary schools or high schools on the list of the state's lowest performing 5 percent of schools in the state. In Tacoma, only the four middle schools are affected.

Q: Our son is currently attending Hunt Middle School and is nearly a 4.0 student with a specific strength in Mathematics. Our belief is that he would be more likely to thrive at Mason given its record of high test scores. Is there a way for us to start down the path of having him transferred to Mason?
A: Once our team comes up with the options for how to handle the redistribution of the Hunt students to other schools, you'll get direct communication from the district about how to proceed.
 
Q: Why is Stewart Middle School in the Turnaround model and not the Restart or Transformation?
A: The Restart model, as prescribed by the U.S. Department of Education, calls for the district to contract out the operation of a public school to a private entity, such as a charter school. Washington State is one of the few states that do not allow charter schools. So the Restart model wasn't an option for any of our schools.
 
The Transformation model is designed primarily to enhance the operation of schools already undergoing significant new academic improvement programs. Jason Lee, which already is in a school improvement process under a new principal, best fits the Transformation model.
 
Consequently, the district proposed applying the Turnaround model to Stewart.  As currently proposed, Stewart would shift toward a curriculum based on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
 
Q: How will this effect Henry Foss High School. Are we the next in line to be closed becaues of our low enrollment?
A: Foss High School has not been identified by the state Superintendent of Public Instruction as among the lowest performing schools in the state. Foss will not be closed. The changes proposed for the four middle schools won’t affect Foss.

Q: Why did the School Board and (Superintendent Art)Jarvis not let voters know about this plan before the levy? It appears that you intend to use that money for something else.  By lying about what the levy was for you validate taxpayers mistrust in the system.
A:First of all, the additional funding approved in Propositions 1 and 2 by voters Feb. 9 will be used as promised by the district.

Here's a description of the sequence of events:
The district received word Feb. 8 that the state Superintendent of Public Instruction that day sent a list of the lowest-performing 5 percent of schools in Washington State – including our four schools – to the U.S. Department of Education. However, OSPI told us the list wasn’t final and was subject to change depending on whether the federal government approved OSPI’s methodology. OSPI embargoed the release of the information and told us they expected an answer from the U.S. Department of Education the week of Feb. 15. As of today, we have not heard back from the federal government. OSPI doesn’t expect to release the list of schools statewide until this coming Friday at the earliest.
 
After Feb. 8, we started an internal process of reviewing the options for the four schools. As the days went by, we finally had to inform OSPI that we could no longer honor its embargo on release of the information. We needed to communicate the information to our community and allow for some public involvement. The superintendent settled on a recommendation to the board late last week, and we began preparing to communicate that information beginning yesterday to faculty and the public and schedule public meetings.

The district will proceed with the construction of a new Hunt Middle School as promised in Proposition 2. Once the construction is complete, the school will reopen with new leadership, new staff and a new academic program.

Q: By selecting the lowest-performing 5 percent of the state schools, won’t that create a model where there will always be 5 percent of the schools listed as low performing, regardless of overall year-to-year improvement? Will there be a model where a school can achieve the minimum academic standards rather than compete with other state schools, hoping to not come in the last 5 percent?
A: You are correct. There always will be a lowest performing 5 percent if all schools in the state are ranked this way. However, this current federal initiative is a one-time effort funded by three years worth of grants.

Q: Are displaced paras going to bump high quality, low seniority paras out of thier positions?
A:We are in the process of negotiations with the Para union regarding the process(es) to be used. The fact that an employee is displaced does not, in any way, indicate that they are not good employees.  It is the intent of all parties to negotiate a process that is effective with as little disruption as possible.

Q: Where is the parent involvement piece?  Why not implement classes to help parents be more effective parents and learn how to help their students?  Strong families equate to strong schools.
A: You are right.  Strong parent involvement at home and at school has a positive impact on student learning and achievement.  We will be working to offer parents various opportunities to learn about how they can help their own student(s) at home, and how they can help their child use their schooling experience to their fullest potential.

Q: Will the school district have the list of the teacher names that will be leaving the middle schools in which their child attends?
A:  We don't plan to publish that list.

Q: Will the parents get a list of the high-performing middle schools?
A: The state Superintendent of Public Instruction is compiling one list: the lowest-performing 5 percent of schools in Washington. There's no plan to release any other list. All other middle schools not on the list are presumed to be "higher performing." In Tacoma, those schools would be Baker, Mason, Truman, Meeker, First Creek and Gray middle schools. For a look at WASL test scores over the last three years at all Tacoma middle schools, click on this link.

Q: Could you please let me know what the capacity of Mason Jr. High is.  At full capacity what would be the average student, teacher ratio?
A:  Capacity can vary at all schools depending on the program of instruction. Design capacity for Mason Middle School is 750. Enrollment at Mason at the beginning of the current school year was 786. At peak, there have been as many as 850 students enrolled at Mason since the new school opened in 2003.

Q:  Wouldn't it be even more innovative and strategic to displace all middle school teachers and re-interview and assign all of them?  If it is a system-wide issue, then shouldn't we change the system and not Band-Aid the four schools? Otherwise Mason, Meeker and Truman teachers are going to stay put because they know they are safe there due to the test scores. In their minds, why go try a new innovative school when I know I am safe here? Just a thought!
A:  If we designed the school improvement process locally, we probably would have chosen different options, timeframes and strategies. However, under the federal guidelines available to Tacoma and all districts across the country, we're limited to four prescribed models for improvement.

Q:  Are the teachers actually being "fired?” I believe that "displaced" is a better term since the teachers aren't actually losing their jobs. They are either going to be placed again at their former school or be placed in another position at another middle school.
A: The federal guidelines call for the replacement of the teachers with the option to rehire up to 50 percent of those teachers based on specific competencies written for the "Turnaround" school. In Tacoma, "displaced" is a better term. Our plan calls for those teachers no longer teaching at Hunt, Stewart and Giaudrone middle schools to fill other openings in the district.

Q: If that school is not working because of the teachers, why send the teachers to Baker if they are the real problem?
A: The federal guidelines for this School Improvement Grant process appear to place an inordinate amount of blame on a school's leadership and faculty for the problems of student achievement. In fact, through our own research, we know many factors contribute to low student performance at a school, including poverty, the number of English Language Learners, attendance, special education programs and mobility (students shifting in and out of school or from one school to another).

Rather than blame teachers, this school improvement process allows our district to identify new, rigorous academic programs at Stewart and Giaudrone middle schools then hire teachers with the extra training and credentials to teach in those programs. For Stewart, this means an academic program of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. For Giaudrone, this means the Middle Years Programme (International Baccalaureate), a program of a global curriculum built around real-world applications. Not all the teachers currently at those schools have the credentials to teach in those specialized programs.

Q: Why does Hunt have so many paraeducators (16, per your Q&A page)?
A: Schools with larger special education programs, such as Hunt, tend to have higher numbers of paraeducators. This allows more individualized teaching assistance for groups of students who need it.

Q: How will this plan affect hiring newly-certified teachers?  Is there any chance for new teachers to be hired with all the displaced teachers in Tacoma?
A: Large districts like ours routinely hire new teachers every year. We expect that to continue next year even though we also expect that our displaced teachers will be appropriately placed in other positions within the district.

Q: If you cut off one of the main feeder schools for Foss, is Foss next to be closed?
A: No. Foss has not been identified as low-performing and will not be closed. Hunt, a feeder middle school to Foss, will be closed only temporarily.

Q: At Henry Foss High School we have the worst athletic field in the district. Will the athletic field and track and field be replaced and when?
A: That project is not currently scheduled. It was included in the March 2009 $300 million bond issue that voters rejected. It was not included the pared down $140.4 million capital levy that passed Feb. 9. As the district looks ahead to its next bond issue, it's likely the Foss athletic facilities would be included. However, the final decisions on what to include and when to ask voters to approve another ballot issue have not yet been made.

Q: Will current Fircrest 5th graders still be going to the school they applied to for Optional Enrollment or are we able to rethink this after knowing where busing may take our kids?
A: If you’re happy with where your 5th grader is assigned, that will not change. However, the district plans to reopen the Option Enrollment period for 5th graders within the next few weeks. More information about this will be sent to parents of 5th graders when the process and timing gets firmed up. We understand that since Hunt Middle School had special appeal because of its Middle Years Programme (International Baccalaureate), that some parents may want to follow that program to Giaudrone Middle School. In addition, the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) focus planned for Stewart Middle School also may be a popular destination.

Q: Our child will be starting middle school next year and our neighborhood school would have been Hunt. We went through the optional enrollment process to avoid sending him to Hunt for the very reasons it is being closed. Now that our neighborhood school will be different, will we have the option of sending him to his neighborhood school next year instead of the school assigned through optional enrollment? He was assigned to a school that was not our first choice and is twice as far from home as the next closest school.
A: Yes. If you’re happy with where your 5th grader is assigned, that will not change. However, the district plans to reopen the Option Enrollment period for 5th graders within the next few weeks. More information about this will be sent to parents of 5th graders when the process and timing gets firmed up. We understand that since Hunt Middle School had special appeal because of its Middle Years Programme (International Baccalaureate), that some parents may want to follow that program to Giaudrone Middle School. In addition, the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) focus planned for Stewart Middle School also may be a popular destination.

In addition, the district has begun studying options for redrawing the middle school boundaries to reassign students in the Hunt catchment area to Gray, Truman and Mason Middle Schools.

Q: With Hunt closing, where would my elementary school student attend middle school?  Are the boundaries going to be rezoned? Also, when will construction take place and the new Hunt open?
A: Yes. The district is currently on the fast track for studying options for new middle school boundaries between Gray, Mason and Truman middle schools. Students in the Hunt catchment area will be reassigned to those schools. The construction plan for Hunt, as stated in the capital levy campaign materials, will be: construction start, June 2013; Hunt reopens January 2015.

Q: When special ed students from Hunt are shifted to other middle schools, will their classes be merged into existing classes or will a new classrooms be made?
A: It is too early to be able to answer this question, but we are working on this issue daily.

Q: I attend Giaudrone Middle School. I believe that replacing the principal and 50% of the staff won't do any good. Most of the staff are suitable for what they teach, and they're great at it. I think that it's the students who decide to misbehave and score low on the Reading and Math WASL. What if replacing the staff and principal won't change anything? Will the vice-principal be replaced also?
A:  We're going into this improvement process believing and planning for improved test scores for students at all the affected middle schools. The federal program is a three-year program that provides funding each year to support the changes. Of course, the ultimate determination of success will be the actual student scores on standardized tests over the next few years. What we know right now is that what we're currently doing is not working in those schools. And yes, the principals and vice principals will be replaced.

Q: In Tacoma we only have 4 middle schools that are facing reform.  Does that mean that all of our high schools and elementary schools were above the 5% cut or does that mean that they are only focusing on middle schools at this time?
A: The Superintendent of Public Instruction identified the lowest performing 5 percent of schools across the state. That list includes elementary, middle and high schools. In the rankings, none of Tacoma's elementary or high schools showed up on that list. They scored above the 5 percent cut.

Q: What support is offered for children who are struggling who attend higher performing schools?  It appears that lower performing schools get all of the support.  How can I as a parent help my child achieve her goals and feel fully supported by the school?
A: The School Improvement Grant initiative will make major, disruptive changes to our four middle schools identified as low-performing. However, the initiative will have no immediate effect on the teaching methods or parent involvement strategies currently in place at other schools. The approaches vary by school. As a district, we recognize that actively involved parents can make a world of difference in the academic success of our students. You can contact the principal's office at your child's school to find out more information on the options available to you to get more involved in your child's success.

Q: Why is Stewart getting the Science, Math, Tech school rather than Giaudrone which is a newer school with better technology and science labs?
A: The U.S. Department of Education requires low-performing schools to choose one of four models for school improvement. One of those models -- called "Turnaround" -- requires the district to institute a new, rigorous academic program then hire a new cadre of teachers specifically trained to teach in that area of expertise.

As the district looked at academic options for Stewart and Giaudrone middle schools, multiple factors led to the recommendations. First, long before this federal initiative, the Stewart leadership and faculty already had started preliminary discussions about adopting a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program and extending the learning day beyond the traditional number of hours. With that foundation already beginning to be set, it made sense to follow through with it. Second, with the proposed closure of Hunt Middle School and the district investment in the certified Middle Years Programme (International Baccalaureate) studies, the district didn't want to lose that academic option for students. So Giaudrone, which needed a focus as part of the Turnaround requirement, became the likely school at which to relocate the Hunt program. The MYP (IB) program offers a well-rounded global curriculum that includes strong science and technology components, which fit well with Giaudrone's facilities.

At Stewart, the facilities do need improvement. A new Stewart Middle School was part of the March 2009 bond issue that voters rejected. It is highly likely that the next bond issue the district presents to voters will include a new Stewart Middle School.

Q: I am interested in the bilingual programs offered at Sheridan and Stewart. We have a rich linguistic heritage in Tacoma, and we should be capitalizing on this from the earliest ages right through high school so our students can be fluent in foreign languages and have more career options in the global economy.

I am concerned that the changes proposed might interrupt the bilingual efforts at Stewart; and I want to know what commitment or plans the school district has for bilingual, or better yet, immersion.
A:The Language Immersion program at Stewart originally began with a limited-time grant. The program has not been fully funded at Stewart for the last three years since the grant expired and was being phased out prior to the current School Improvement initiative. If you're looking for a language focus, you're most likely to find that next school year at Giaudrone Middle School, which will have the Middle Years Programme (International Baccalaureate). That focus typically includes multiple language offerings such as French, Spanish and Japanese.

Q: It seems that since Middle Schools were introduced into Tacoma School Dist. there have been many problems/issues. I was a student involved during the initial change of the District to the M.S model.  I have taught in Middle School as well. In my opinion Middle Schools are not the best option, however they are in place and to make another change would be very costly. So, what about making Hunt an Intermediate & Junior high model once it re-opens? Similar to what U.P. does. So have 6/7 together and 8/9 together. The land area at Hunt is large anough to essentially have 2 schools there. As a high school teacher, I think it would decrease the dropout rate of the repeat 9th graders. That option would also go along with other efforts in the district such as the Montessori schools, SOTA, and SAMI which all seem to have good results.
A: All options like this will be a part of the planning process in the next couple of years as we prepare for the reopening of Hunt in January 2015.

Q: I would like to know if Hunt Middle School is closing for September 2010?
A: The plan calls for Hunt Middle School to close temporarily at the end of the current school year and reopen in January 2015.

Q: When will the strategic plan be available for review and comment from Tacoma citizens?  I know that it has been in process for some time, and I am interested in knowing more about it and providing input for the final draft.
A: The strategic plan is in the process of being developed. There will be a public involvement component. Carla Santorno, our deputy superintendent for teaching and learning, presented the following outline of the strategic planning process to the school board on Feb. 11. As you'll see, we're in the research phase now and will be moving shortly into the public involvement phase.

Q: If schools are identified as low-performing based on 3 years of test data then why are the 6th and 7th graders suffering, because they only took the test 1 out of those 3 years. So, it isn’t their fault. It’s the 8th graders now – and the ninth graders – that should be at fault.
A: The state Superintendent for Public Instruction came up with the methodology for identifying the low-performing schools. As prescribed by the federal rules in the School Improvement Grant process, the state had to look at student performance over time. The assumption used by the U.S. Department of Education is that the learning environment at low-performing schools is a persistent, long-term problem that requires a major, disruptive intervention to correct.

Q: I wonder if any of the school improvement plans include a parent accountability piece. Requiring parents to come in and meet with teachers and student to discuss poor work habits or attendance. Perhaps the schools could offer parenting classes or monthly open houses so parents can talk to teachers on a regular basis about their child's needs or achievements. Many students are unmotivated to attend school because their parents have negative attitudes towards the schools. When parents value education it rubs off on the kids and when parents don't value education that rubs off too. Parent involvement is one of the keys to the kingdom. P.S. I am a parent and an educator.
A: The federal "Turnaround" model specifically says the school must offer "social-emotional and community-oriented services and support." The federal "Transformation" model says the school must "provide ongoing mechanisms for community and family engagement." We understand both these requirements to mean that our district must pursue strategies to involve parents in the revamped learning process. And you're right: parent involvement is a critical component to a child's success.