Last Day to Contact Legislators about HCC Bill SB-5354

We are glad to share the tremendous news that in addition to the Seattle Public Schools Highly Capable Services Advisory Committee we now have a new advocacy group - HiCap Seattle. Please read about this group and about the pending legislation requiring your action by tomorrow, Friday - January 24th. 

Robert Njegovan

HiCap Seattle is a parent group forming in Seattle to build city-wide community among HC/2e families, perform outreach to underserved communities, create safe spaces to share information about HC/2e parenting and education (whether in public, private, or homeschool), and advocate for best practices in equitable identification and service delivery in SPS. We’ll have information about HiCap Seattle and other topics available if interested. We are always looking for volunteers, so contact or join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hicapseattle/

Dear HiCap Seattle Community,

Hicap equity bill update:

Please contact your state senator BY FRIDAY asking them to support the bipartisan senate bill SB 5354-2019/2020. A companion house bill is forthcoming, and we will send out an update on it when it drops. (Si usted necesita la ayuda en traducciones, por favor póngase en contacto con Erik, y haremos arreglos para ayudarle.)

This senate bill includes provisions that will address certain key equity-related issues in all of the state's hicap programs, not just in Seattle, but it needs to get a hearing to advance in the legislature. This bill does not address all equity-related reforms, but it is our starting point this session, and it is crucial for the bill to advance. Please spread the word. We've included some talking points in the attached document -- but also write about the specific issues that are important to you. Sincere discussion of your family's experiences can be highly effective, but try to keep the length on the short side (under about 500 words).

Current full text of bill: http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2019-20/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5354.pdf

Find your state senator: https://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/

6/3 Board Retreat

I was sent an email from Dir. Peters about tomorrow's Board of Directors Retreat.

Board Special Meeting
School Board Retreat
June 3, 2017 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Auditorium, John Stanford Center
2445 3 rd Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98134

Agenda

• 10:00 am WELCOME
• 10:00-10:30 am TEAM BUILDING / ICE BREAKERS
• 10:30-12:00 pm RACIAL EQUITY TRAINING: STEREOTYPE THREAT AND IDENTITY SAFETY 
• 12:00-12:30 pm BREAK & LUNCH
• 12:30-1:00 pm BOARD COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GOAL REPORTS
• 1:00-2:00 pm STRATEGIC PLAN: PLANNING PROCESS OPTIONS
• 2:00-3:00 pm EQUITY IN HIGHLY CAPABLE PROGRAMS (Austina De Bonte)
• 3:00 pm ADJOURN

Both of the talks look interesting especially if you're interested in equity.

Copy of Austina De Bonte's previous talk
http://www.nwgca.org/uploads/1/2/0/1/12018395/peeling_the_onion_-_equity_in_hicap_final.pdf

Equity Updates from the AL Office

Stephen Martin, the director of advanced learning in the district,  forward two items:

1) This is the PDF of Matt Okun’s presentation to the HCSAC from last night:

Disportionality Presentation Slide Deck

There's a great deal of data in here which I haven't had time to digest yet.

2) This opportunity may also be of interest to the community. SPS is one of the partners in the Equity Summit on Gifted Education coming up at UW onFebruary 9-10. The event is free, but registration is required.

https://robinsoncenter.uw.edu/events/equity-summit-gifted-education/