Editorials / Opinion

IN the past two elections, Seattle voters have clearly demonstrated their desire for change in our public schools. And we heard you.

Whether on the campaign trail or in our community outreach as board members, we have heard repeatedly from parents, teachers, community leaders and education advocates that the School Board hasn't created solutions to ongoing challenges in our classrooms. Constituents consistently ask us to develop new strategies that would result in delivering better academic outcomes for our students.

Through hard work and collaboration between the board and the district over the past two years, we have achieved success in several key areas, such as implementation of the New Student Assignment Plan and strengthening our internal audit process. While recent community survey results confirm that we are headed in the right direction, we still have much more to do.

We need textbooks that will serve all of our students and alternative pathways. We need Integrated Comprehensive Services (special education) delivery models that address current challenges. We need budget formulas that allow principals to serve their unique schools' needs. We need a waiver policy that provides flexibility and funds supplemental materials in our classrooms.

We need a plan that shows the public how we will provide equitable access to our most popular programs. We need a long-range capacity-management strategy. We need mobile devices and innovative software incorporated into our pedagogies. Most important, we need to include our families, our students and our community at large in creating policy that will drive real, sustainable solutions.

While we were both stunned by Dr. Susan Enfield's abrupt decision not to seek the permanent superintendent position, we are thankful for her hard work and dedication to our students these past 10 months. As we begin the process of looking for her successor, clarifying the relationship between the board and the superintendent will be critical.

The proposed board procedure that is currently being considered seeks to further clarify our communication protocol and policy already in place. We do not support the proposal in its current form. Rather, thoughtful crafting of this document, as a committee of the whole, would better ensure that the board continues to provide its core function of oversight, while affirming the authority of the superintendent.

First and foremost, the relationship between the superintendent and School Board should be collaborative. Though we have different responsibilities, by keeping open the communication channels, both publicly and privately, we will deliver the best possible results for our students. We have the utmost respect and appreciation for our district staff, including our education directors, our assistant superintendents and our deputy superintendent, all of whom provide much-needed stability in a time of transition.

Unprecedented procedures deserve thoughtful consideration. Above all, we recognize that mutual respect must exist among us as colleagues for our board to work effectively together. The public demands no less than this and we are committed to capitalizing on individual strengths and experience. In doing so, we will develop the necessary perspective to make sound decisions as a board.

Along with the newer members of the board and our tenured colleagues, we look forward to building on the existing momentum and executing our agreed-upon governance priorities for the year. As elected stewards of our public schools, our single focus is to deliver a quality education to each student in Seattle Public Schools, one that prepares them for citizenship in a 21st-century, global community.