Open thread

Discuss whatever you like!

Update: If there is nothing else to talk about, please feel free to use this thread to discuss the new transition plan and how it impacts APP. Slides are available (PDF) from the SPS presentation, with APP changes starting on slide 21.

Update: Also, the APP AC published a Q&A (PDF) today. Hat tip, hschinske, who already has started a discussion on it in the comments.

Gregoire's budget cuts APP

Publicola reports that Governor Chris Gregoire's proposed budget suspends gifted education:

Here's what she says is gone even with the estimated $700 million in new taxes:
...
Suspend the state program for gifted education, which affects nearly 23,000 students. ($7.4 million)

If you want to see this more directly, Gov. Gregoire's budget page discusses the budget and links to the 2010 Budget Highlights. The APP cuts are described very briefly in the education (PDF) section.

Please use this thread to discuss, commiserate, organize, and despair.

Please see also the recent post, "Governor's Cutting Everywhere", on the Seattle Public Schools discussion blog (hat tip, ArchStanton).

Update: Good discussion of what the cuts are likely to impact in the comments.

Update: The APP Advisory Committee urges parents to write the Governor with a short message saying, "Do not suspend highly capable program funding in the Supplemental Budget."

Update: A week later, on the budget of Seattle Public Schools specifically, Melissa Westbrook writes, "We are headed for a huge budget crisis of proportions ... Entire programs may be cut ... You, yes YOU, must go to your PTA and your principal and have the school's budget on the agenda in January."

How do to an elementary APP in the north?

A while back, there were multiple requests to open a discussion on opening an APP elementary school in the north end. Let's do that now.

Some questions to discuss here might include:

• Where should a northern elementary APP program be located?
• Should the program be in addition to or in place of Lowell or Thurgood Marshall?
• When should this happen?
• Would parents prefer APP elementary options closer to them in the city (one in each of north, central, and south) or a larger, unified elementary APP program at one location (as Lowell used to be)?
• Similarly, do parents prefer entire schools to be dedicated to an alternative program like APP? Or do parents prefer an alternative program to be side-by-side and integrated with other alternative programs or with general education?
• If APP is split further, does that have implications for the APP community and the future of APP?

Please see also the comments and discussion on a Sept 2009 post, "Move North-end Elementary APP?", on the Seattle Public Schools community blog.

Open thread

Discuss whatever you like! Also, if you attended the APP Advisory Committee meeting last night and have any reactions, I am sure others would be interested in hearing about it.