Thinking about getting your Kindergartner into public school at TOPS?
If the School Board has its way,
your chances may be zero.
TOPS (The Option Program at Seward) is an alternative Seattle public school known for its high academic standards and diverse population of students from throughout the city. TOPS has been a school choice for many Seattle families for over 20 years. This is about to change! The choice to attend TOPS is going to be effectively denied to most families in Seattle if the School Superintendent’s recommended proposal is passed by the Seattle School Board.
At present, siblings of current students have first priority to attend TOPS, then the rest of the seats are assigned by a lottery system. Parents living in the central, south and southeast areas as well as the northwest area of the city have equal chances of getting their children into TOPS because of its blind lottery assignment policy.
But now, our Seattle School Board is being pressured by a group of vocal families in the Eastlake/North Capitol Hill area. Unhappy with the schools their children were assigned to last year, they want to change TOPS assignment policy to favor them. Families in the Eastlake/North Capitol Hill neighborhoods would have priority over the current lottery system. Nearly zero chance would be left for families from the rest of the city. Basically this proposal would change TOPS mission from being an diverse, high performing alternative school servicing the whole city to a school almost exclusively for children who can afford to live closest.
The Seattle School District is having many problems lately with millions of dollars in accounting errors. Now the Superintendent proposes to effectively dismantle one of Seattle’s most successful public schools. For what reason? There must be a better solution. Lets not allow them to make a rash decision we will regret in years to come. Most parents can sympathize with families wanting a good school for their children but does it make sense to limit the choices of the whole city to increase the choices of a few?
Vocal parents have an impact on the Seattle School Board. If you want to retain as many school choices as possible for your children, please take the time to email, write or call the Seattle School Board before they cast this important vote on November 6th. Let them know if you want NO CHANGES TO THE TOPS ASSIGNMENT POLICY. Board Member Information below:
RebeccaTaylor (She can forward your email to all board members), rtaylor@seattleschools.org
NancyWaldman, President, nwaldman@seattleschools.org (206) 729-3340
SteveBrown, Vice President, sbrown@seattleschools.org (206) 985-3723
DickLilly, dililly@seattleschools.org (206) 297-4533
Mary Bass, mabass@seattleschools.org (206)720-3303
BarbaraSchaad-Lamphere, bschaadl@seattleschools.org, (206) 933-5327
JanKumasaka, jkumasaka@seattleschools.org (206) 760-4747
BarbaraPeterson, bpeterson@seattleschools.org (206) 366-2652
For more information about FACES and TOPS visit:
http://www.geocites.com/tops_faces/TOPS_FACES.html
or call:
206-389-4941
Fair Assignment for Children Everywhere in Seattle