Highly Capable and Racial Equity Services Advisory

• Manuela Slye – SCPTSA President
• Kaili David-Nsimbi – Rainier Scholars
• Yen Baynes – Court Interpreter & Community Educator
• Nicole Coates – DREA Advisor
• Gail Morris – Native American Education Program Manager
• Tina Meade – Director of Investigations & Compliance (Title IXProtects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities)
• Aneesa Roidad – Student and NAACP Youth Coalition in Seattle
• Sariya Dunbar – Student
• Romanita Hairston – Parent
• Emijah Smith – Parent
• Dominique Pavageau – Parent
• Marc Salazar – Parent
• Renee MacLeod – Parent
• Christina Ellis – Parent
• Margaret Montsaroff – Parent
• Damon May – Parent
• Megan Haddock – Parent
• Radhika Nair – Parent
• Doug Sohn – Principal at Adams Elementary
• Rina Geoghagan – Principal at Decatur Elementary School
• Chris Thomas – Principal at Martin Luther King Elementary
• Paula Montgomery – Principal at Jane Addams Middle School
• Cindy Watters – Principal at Mercer Middle School
• James Blanton – Assistant Principal at Garfield High School
• Aida Fraser-Hammer – Principal at Chief Sealth High School
• Shane Baguyo – School PsychologistProfessionals who apply expertise in mental health, learning, and behavior, to help
• Gabe Herbison – Teacher
• Bobbi (Roberta) Windus – Teacher
• Matthew Perez – Teacher
• Deb Schaaf – Teacher
• Shraddha Shirude – Teacher
• Kate Poux – Teacher
• Kelsey Benslimane – Teacher

• Concie Pedroza – Chief of Student Support Services
• Deenie Berry – AL/HC Program Supervisor
• Jackie Cable – Student Support Services Asst Program Manager
• Sean Fisher – AL Program Specialist
• Maki Ichikawa – AL Program Specialist
• Nathan Wheeler – AL Program Specialist

• Gretchen Waschke – Parent
• Berhanu Alemayehu – Parent
• Christine Sanders – Parent
• Lisa Batten – Parent, Dept. Veterans Affairs Research Specialist
• Crystal Daniels – Parent
• Carmen Brady – Former Parent
• Jenny Miller – Native American Ed Program Specialist

Vision

Every student — particularly Black, Brown, and Indigenous students who have been traditionally furthest from educational justice — will have access to the learning services that meet their needs, so they can reach their full potential.

Teachers will have the resources and support they need to provide these services, and the school community will enthusiastically support the new service delivery model. Every student, from those who need support to work at grade level to those doing more advanced work, will receive instruction that meets their unique needs and develops their talents and strengths. 

Mission

We are changing the way we provide advanced learning services to support the brilliance of every student and consider the needs of the whole child at various levels of academic learning, particularly those furthest from educational justice.

In the Advanced Learning Department, we will:

• Eliminate racial disproportionality in all facets of advanced learning services, from eligibility to participation to outcomes.
• Design services and processes to reveal potential and remove barriers to accessing advanced learning offerings.
• Apply advanced learning opportunities equitably to establish consistent practices across all schools.
• Offer engaging and challenging curriculum delivered with high-quality, effective instruction.
• Provide a variety of accelerated and enhanced instructional models that serve learners with atypical needs.
• Support social-emotional needs of students.
• Deliver high-quality professional development for relevant staff to achieve these commitments.

The following Foundational Recommendations to SPSSeattle Public Schools School Board Policy #2190 were approved unanimously by the ALTF on August 20, 2019.

1. To realize the vision, mission, commitments and recommendations of the Task Force, the District must commit to establishing procedures consistent with state guidelines as well as Policy #0030, and to the prioritization of equitable access to advanced learning services, including but not limited to:
   • Using multiple sources of data to identify student needs for advanced learning services (Align to Board Policy #2080 – Assessment)
   • Delivery of an array of equitable services framed within a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSSA whole-school, data-driven, prevention-based framework for improving learning outcomes for every student) at every elementary, middle, and high school and alternative placements, as needed to meet the needs of students. (Align to Board Policy #2163 – Supports & Interventions)
   • Use of equitable assessment practices that are accessible to and evaluate the needs of all students (Align to Board Policy #2080 – Assessment and #0030 – Race/Equity)
2. We recommend prioritizing equitable identification of low-income students and students historically underserved (Fed 7, 2E, single domain, outliers) in Seattle’s approach to advanced learning services and eliminating racial disproportionality in all facets of advanced learning services.
3. We recommend procedures and practices designed to support and hold every school accountable for providing a consistent array of equitable advanced learning services.