CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION __________________
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A RESOLUTION adopting the Seattle Education Action Plan.
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WHEREAS, providing access to a quality education is a fundamental purpose of government, enshrined in Washington State’s Constitution as the State’s paramount duty; and
WHEREAS, despite significant efforts to provide an equitable education system, there persists an opportunity gap between white students and students of color and English Language Learners, with Seattle Public School District (“School District”) students of color meeting third grade reading standards at a rate 31 percent lower than white students; and
WHEREAS, while the School District is directly responsible for serving our public school students in our classrooms, the support and assistance of all community members is needed to help all children optimize their full potential; and
WHEREAS, in 2016 over 2,000 community members across Seattle participated in conversations about how to eliminate this opportunity gap, culminating in an Education Summit on April 30, 2016; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Murray convened an Education Advisory Group to develop recommendations for the City and the School District to more vigorously address this persistent opportunity gap; and
WHEREAS, the Education Advisory Group delivered their recommendations to the Mayor on November 17, 2016, with the goal of helping 70 percent of African American/Black students and other students of color achieve success in college or a credential program, so they can take advantage of the economic opportunities in our vibrant city; and
WHEREAS, the goal, implementation guidelines, recommendations, and priorities of the Education Advisory Group were incorporated into the Seattle Education Action Plan, setting out a vision for eliminating the opportunity gap by focusing new and existing resources on effective approaches such as but not limited to diversifying the educator workforce, dual language learning, strengthening family engagement, reducing disproportionality in discipline, or growing learning programs to improving academic results for all students; and
WHEREAS, the 2017 Adopted Budget included funding for initial investments in these recommendations including expanding mentoring programs, creating a new innovation high school investment, broadening culturally based summer learning opportunities, investing in post-secondary access, expanding summer literacy for elementary students, providing executive function training for middle schoolers, and expanding a home visitation program; and
WHEREAS, the Education Action Plan establishes further priorities for investments in education supports as resources become available; and
WHEREAS, these investments will be implemented using guidelines recommended by the Education Advisory Group that will directly tie them to eliminating educational disparities for African American/Black students and other students of color; ensure ongoing authentic community, family, and student engagement; continue a whole-child approach to support Seattle’s children; and engage community-based and cultural/language-based organizations to achieve improved outcomes for Seattle’s students; and
WHEREAS, the School District has signed a letter of intent to commit to sustaining and strengthening an ongoing collaboration toward achieving the shared goal of eliminating opportunity gaps for Seattle students; and
WHEREAS, a cross-sector partnership between the City, School District, business, philanthropy, higher education, educators, students, parents, and community-based organizations is proposed to be formed to facilitate implementation of the Education Advisory Group recommendations; and
WHEREAS, the Families and Education Levy and the Seattle Preschool Program Levy both expire in 2018, and the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning will use the Seattle Education Action Plan to help inform the development of proposals to renew those levies; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Education Action Plan is to guide City investments with respect to eliminating the education opportunity gap in Seattle and making quality education available to each and every student so that they can fully participate in the dynamism of our wonderful city; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT:
Section 1. The Seattle Education Action Plan (“Plan”), a copy of which is included as Attachment A to this resolution, is adopted.
Section 2. The City will continue to work collaboratively with the Seattle Public School District to implement this Plan. District leadership and the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning will annually present to the City Council and the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors steps taken to implement this Plan.
Section 3. The Plan’s Strategies and Actions will help inform the City’s development of proposals to renew the Families and Education Levy and the Seattle Preschool Program Levy.
Adopted by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2017, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this ________ day of _________________________, 2017.
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President ____________ of the City Council
The Mayor concurred the ________ day of _________________________, 2017.
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Edward B. Murray, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2017.
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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)
Attachments:
Attachment A - Seattle Education Action Plan