FACT AND FICTION

FICTION

· According to 37 Eastlake, North Capitol Hill, and Roanoke Park families with incoming kindergarteners, 90% did not receive placement in their first choice schools.

FACT

· According to school district demographers, of the 37 families: 17 chose Montlake as their first choice, 12 chose TOPS (The Option Program at Seward). Six of the requesting 12 were assigned to TOPS. Of those six, three opted for private school. All together, 12 families were placed in their first choice schools (not including those who decided to go to private school), 19 received placement at MLK (one by choice).

· The problem is not a shortage of seats in the Central Cluster, the problem the District needs to address is the shortage of attractive seats.

· There is tremendous racial and economic disparity in the Central Cluster. According to the Seattle Public School District’s 2001 – 2002 Annual Report:

- Students of color make-up 75% of the cluster’s enrollment. Of all children of color in the cluster, only 16% attend an academically successful school.* Among all African American children in the cluster, nine percent attend an academically successful school.

- Conversely, white children make up 25% of the cluster’s enrollment. Of all white students in the cluster, 75% attend one of the cluster’s three academically successful schools.

- It’s important to note, these numbers are drawn from a year in which race was used as a tiebreaker.

· Seattle’s history of redlining is clearly visible on school district maps. The three successful schools in the cluster – Montlake, Stevens and McGilvra – are all located north of Madison Street. The boundaries outlining the reference area for MLK clearly dip and curve, avoiding areas of affluence.

· Changing the assignment plan for TOPS will result in further segregation
in the cluster. Changing the assignment plan for TOPS is the first step
towards Superintendent Joseph Olchefske's stated goal of making all Seattle schools
neighborhood schools.

· Seattle is already one of the most segregated cities in the nation. (Source: Year 2000 Census)

· In a segregated city, neighborhood schools cannot be the only answer. For all children to achieve academic success there has to be an alternative.

· TOPS is one of the few Seattle Public Schools offering that alternative. Race has not been used as a tiebreaker at TOPS, yet thanks to its multi-cluster draw and its excellent reputation, TOPS has a 51% minority enrollment.

· The current assignment plan to TOPS, offers equal access to students drawn by lottery from diverse neighborhoods across the city. The proposed plan, which splits the citywide draw with a proximity-based draw, further segregates our city, reducing diversity and invalidating the multicultural mission and social justice-based vision at TOPS.

· Instead of “Delivering on the Dream” of the late superintendent John Stanford and providing the opportunity for “academic achievement for every student in every school” (to quote the District’s own slogan), Superintendent Olchefske’s proposal to change the assignment plan kills the dream by taking from underserved students across the city the chance to attend a proven academically successful school.

*An academically successful school is defined as a school in which WASL test scores are above the Seattle School District and Washington State average.