There is no access to Advanced Learning programs in high school because there are no advanced learning programs in high school.

 

1. Develop Advanced Learning programs for high school students

 

2. Accredit these programs as advanced learning programs are accredited in elementary and middle schools.

 

3. Set standards for honors courses.

 

4. Actively encourage all high school students to take AP classes.

 

5. If the district is going to demand that high schools offer advanced learning programs, then the district is going to have to support them with professional development and materials.

 

Access to advanced learning programs is good in most middle schools. All ten of the traditional middle schools have an advanced learning program. The one with the poorest access is Washington where the enrollment in Spectrum is strictly restricted.

 

1. Don't artificially restrict enrollment in Spectrum (Eckstein model vs. Washington model)

 

2. Set time limits for all middle school Spectrum programs to reach 75 students or lose their Spectrum designation.

 

3. Consider consolidating the programs at Denny, Mercer, and Aki Kurose.

 

In the elementary schools the access to advanced learning is not as good.

 

1. Enhance program placement. Placing the program in an unpopular school creates a barrier to participation. In affluent neighborhoods, Spectrum is in popular schools. In low-income neighborhoods, Spectrum is in unpopular schools.

 

1a. High Point was an absurd choice. Re-locate the Spectrum program for West Seattle-South to a school that is in West Seattle-South and has more than one class per grade.

 

1b. There are more Spectrum students at three other schools in the Central cluster than there are at the Spectrum school, Leschi. Move the program to one of those schools.

 

1c. Set a time limit for all elementary Spectrum programs to reach 100 students or lose the Spectrum designation.

 

In both the elementary schools and the middle schools, these steps would improve the equity of access:

 

1. Comply with WAC 392.170.065 - Non-discrimination in testing

 

2. Implement universal screening. Identify students using existing assessements (ITBS, WASL, progress reports)

 

3. Set Spectrum eligibility criteria that reflect the profile of the students who need the program. For example, two 4's and a 3 in reading, writing and math on the progress report, or a 90+ percentile score on a standardized test.

 

4. Implement no-step eligibility for Spectrum. Students who meet the qualifications are automatically eligible. No form or process required.

 

5. Increase Spectrum capacity where it is deficient. Any cluster or region where the Spectrum program has a waitlist is under-capacity. The district can expand existing programs, create new programs, or provide transportation to existing programs with available space.

 

6. Celebrate the programs - stop acting ashamed of them. Many people don't know about them. We show a lot more pride for basketball teams than we do for Math Olympics teams.

 

7. Create more opportunities to celebrate academic excellence.

 

8. Raise the programs' profiles. Schools should describe their program in the annual report and in the Enrollment Guide (more than "We are the designated Spectrum schools for this cluster."), and on their web site. Most Spectrum schools don't even mention Spectrum on their web site.

 

9. Do not allow district staff to speak ill of the programs.

 

10. Protect your trademark. Do not allow schools to misuse the Spectrum label. Non-Spectrum schools have claimed to offer Spectrum services on their web sites, in the Enrollment Guide, and in their annual reports.

 

11. Actively recruit eligible students. Elementary schools should actually extend some effort towards recruiting students. Middle schools should visit the Spectrum programs at their feeder elementary schools, arrange class visits, and make other recruiting efforts.

 

12. Bring equity to the process by which students are included in Blended Spectrum programs. It is inequitable for a student at Muir to be included in the class when  that same student, if at Hawthorne or Whittier, would not even be considered for inclusion.