posted Feb 24, 2012 7:58 AM by Steve Davidson
A high school senior from Richland is preparing to represent Washington state at a national education summit in Washington DC.
But the road to the nation's capital for Saveta Lomax has not been easy.
The summit is all about discussing ways to keep kids in high school and lower the drop-out rate.
Some of the nation's heavy hitters, like Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and former Secretary of State Colin Powell will be there, and so will Saveta Lomax.
See the video here:
or read about it here: |
posted Feb 6, 2012 9:21 AM by Steve Davidson
There are still openings for the spring conference in Vancouver. The registration form can be found by following the "Upcoming Conferences" link to the left. We have also uploaded the conference program for your review. It can be found on the bottom of the Conference page for download. Take a look at the quality topics and presenters we have this year.
Heathman Lodge - site of the 2012 Spring Conference |
posted Jan 24, 2012 12:32 PM by Steve Davidson
[
updated Jan 25, 2012 1:38 PM
]
posted Jan 24, 2012 11:49 AM by Steve Davidson
I would encourage all ALE programs to work with local administration to participate in this endeavor.
Employees: This is to inform you that the Office of Superintendent
of Public Instruction (OSPI), in cooperation with the State Board of Education
(SBE), has posted a draft of the Washington State ESEA Flexibility Request
(Waiver) for public comment. That document and an accompanying survey can be found
online at www.k12.wa.us/ESEA/PublicNotice.aspx.
Please refer to the attached document for the complete notice to LEAs regarding
the draft Washington State ESEA Flexibility Request (Waiver).
In addition, OSPI and the SBE are co-sponsoring two webinars that
will review the main elements of the draft ESEA Flexibility Request (Waiver).
Both are scheduled on Thursday, January 26th—the first at 12-noon and the
second at 6 p.m. They will cover the same material and will allow questions to
be submitted electronically for responses. A video transcript of the webinar
will then be posted so that those who cannot attend either of the January 26th
webinar events will have access to the information provided.
If you would like to participate in one of the webinars, please
register by using the links below. ESEA Flexibility Request (Waiver) Webinars:
Thursday, January 26, 2012, 12:00PM–2:00PM PST Thursday, January 26, 2012,
6:00PM–8:00PM PST OSPI and the SBE encourage interested parties to analyze the
first DRAFT of the Washington State ESEA Flexibility Request (Waiver) and
complete the accompanying survey. The public comment period ends on February 3,
after which Superintendent Randy Dorn will decide whether or not to submit an
ESEA Flexibility Request (Waiver). The ESEA Flexibility Request (Waiver) is due
to the U.S. Department of Education on February 21, 2012.
Questions pertaining to this LEA notice should be directed to Bob
Harmon, Assistant Superintendent, Special Programs, Secondary Education, School
Improvement, and Federal Accountability, at (360) 725-6170 or email bob.harmon@k12.wa.us.
Thank you. Alan Burke, Ed.D., Deputy SuperintendentK–12 Education
Bob Harmon, Assistant SuperintendentSpecial Programs, Secondary Education,
School Improvement, and Federal Programs Sarah Rich, Research DirectorState
Board of Education
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posted Jan 24, 2012 9:24 AM by Steve Davidson
This bill
provides for the exclusion of out-of-district ALE students in calculating
matching construciton funds. It is supported by OSPI and will pass hte
Senate. [see bill language below]
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posted Jan 23, 2012 2:18 PM by Steve Davidson
[
updated Jan 23, 2012 2:20 PM
]
WALA Executive Director Lile Holland testified in front of the House Education
Committee on HB2428 [authorizing Charter Schools].
See copy of the bill and the WALA response below. |
posted Dec 20, 2011 9:32 AM by Steve Davidson
[
updated Dec 21, 2011 11:06 AM
]
Opportunities to serve as a Regional Director in one of six
regions are available for you. As a
director, you will commit to a two-year term to help drive alternative
education at the State level.
Your commitment to attend two meetings per year, September
and May, as well as the fall and spring conferences allows you to gain an
in-depth understanding of alternative education in the State of
Washington. The chance to lead,
participate and plan conferences, work within budgetary constraints and policy
making will provide you with a fulfilling and rewarding experience.
As a State board member, you will meet people who share
similar views of alternative education. You will also meet those who have developed
innovative programs that are focused on the individual needs of the students we
serve.
In order to experience the joy of directorship, please
review the following:
There are six director positions up for election - One
position in each region. Region boundaries are determined by county
lines.
If you are going to seek reelection or to be considered for a position, please go to the election page, download and fill in the candidate form and send it to the WALA business office. Attendance at the
Spring Conference in Vancouver
is required.
We look forward to having you pursue this opportunity. |
posted Dec 11, 2011 12:21 PM by Steve Davidson
January 13, 2012
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Office of Superintendent of
Public Instruction
Old Capitol Building
600 Washington St. S.E.
Brouillet
Conference Room
Olympia, WA 98504
Presentations and Q & A sessions will cover:
·
WAC revisions and requirements for ALE programs and digital
learning programs
·
Updates from the Legislature
·
State Auditor’s Office
·
State Board of Education
·
WALA activities update
Lunch will be provided for $10.00/person – six clock hours will be
available at no charge
Seating is limited in the Brouillet
room. Reservations will be accepted on a
first come basis and is limited to the first 50 registrations. Registration form is available below (Attachments).
Parking is always an adventure at
OSPI. On street parking is limited –
bring a roll of quarters to feed the meter.
Additional parking is available in the rear of the Governor Hotel, 621 South Capitol Way
(across from the park and OSPI).
If you have questions or additional topics you want covered,
please call the WALA office (800-455-9252)
Lile Holland, Exec Director |
posted Dec 11, 2011 10:11 AM by Steve Davidson
Region VI had a one-day workshop led by WALA Board Member Steve Davidson (Naches Alternative) on December 9th in Richland, WA. WALA member schools discussed what is going on in WALA (upcoming conference, etc.), ALE WAC discussion, and presented information on their own programs including: student motivation, curriculum, etc. Attending member districts included: Walla Walla, Kennewick, Richland, Grandview, Yakima, Naches and Ellensburg. “It was a great learning experience for me to hear how other programs are handling topics like special education, differentiated funding and intervention plans. We had a nice mix of traditional alternative, contact-based and parent partnerships attend, which led to a well-rounded conversation around all topics”, said Eric Sobotta, Principal of Three Rivers HomeLink in Richland. |
posted Dec 7, 2011 8:55 AM by Steve Davidson
[
updated Dec 7, 2011 2:51 PM
]
OSPI has announced their 2011 list of Innovative schools for Washington State. Of the 22 schools selected, two were ALE programs in the state: New Horizons, Pasco and Sky Valley, Monroe.
Washington state has a history of supporting and creating innovative schools. In recognition of this, OSPI was directed in House Bill 1521 (2011 Session) to identify existing schools in Washington that have implemented “bold, creative, and innovative” ideas. The identified schools were to have high expectations for students and teachers, provide students with an array of educational options, and partner with parents and their communities.
As specified in the legislation, OSPI developed criteria and an application, and requested that applications be submitted in mid-October. A total of 42 completed applications were received. The applications were evaluated by a review panel that included two principals, a former school district superintendent, a regional Teacher of the Year, two STEM educators, and a representative from the Washington Education Association and OSPI. The panel reviewed the applications based on the criteria specified in the application and a scoring rubric.
Congratulations and well done.
Sky Valley Education Center, Monroe School DistrictNew Horizons High School, Pasco School District |
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