Latest news with #OSPI
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'It's a class war': Hundreds rally over Tacoma Public Schools budget, staff cuts
The Brief Tacoma Public Schools is facing a $30 million budget shortfall, leading to non-renewal of 105 provisional contracts. Critics argue budget cuts unfairly target low-paid workers, while high-paid officials remain unaffected. The district says it's working to reassign displaced employees to other positions within Tacoma Public Schools. TACOMA, Wash. - Hundreds of people came out to the "Support Our Students" rally and marched to the Tacoma Public Schools' Central Administration Building on Thursday. The backstory As Tacoma Public Schools faces a $30 million budget shortfall, the district released a statement on May 16 saying it notified 105 provisional certificated employees that their contracts were not renewed for the 2025-2026 school year. "What we're seeing from Tacoma Public Schools isn't fiscal responsibility, it's a class war," said Connor Griswold, an Education Support Professional (ESP) within the district. Critics at the rally say the district is balancing the budget on the backs of their lowest paid workers and that cuts need to be made at the top, calling out cabinet members making hundreds of thousands of dollars. "ESPs are skipping meals to buy school supplies, teachers are working second jobs instead of doing curriculum management, students are losing bilingual staff because [Tacoma Public Schools] would rather protect six-figure consultants." said Griswold. Rosalind Medina, Chief Financial Officer for Tacoma Public Schools, gave an update on the budget, saying the district is "dangerously" close to getting into binding conditions with OSPI and that these cuts were made to avoid that situation. "We have been making contractive cuts over the last several years. We have run out of the easy stuff to make reductions to," said Medina. Medina quickly apologized for describing the notifications as "easy stuff" but people who spoke out during public comment were not swayed by the update. "Know that many of your staff, like the families we serve, got to get food banks and assistance just to keep the lights on to survive," said Gwen Lewandowski, an Education Support Professional. "If I work three jobs, pay my rent, raise a kid as a single mom and I can figure out my budget, y'all get paid to figure out yours." Tacoma Public Schools says it is working with some displaced workers to fill other positions within the district. The Source Information in this story came from Tacoma Public Schools and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews. Luxury Seattle hotel sues 'nuisance' building next door Firefighters in western WA train for possibility of 'above average' wildfire season Shawn Kemp lawyers claim bias in Tacoma Mall shooting case as trial nears Federal judge blocks Trump's dismantling of the Department of Education 'Where is Teekah?': Mother speaks out after Tacoma, WA cold case Activist marks 2 weeks in tree to protest logging near Port Angeles Driver arrested after deadly crash in Kent, WA To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fear and defiance are this Washington's response to Trump's education funding threats
(Photo by Getty Images) No one is certain yet how federal decisions under the Trump administration will affect both budgets and policies of Washington's public schools. But educators, parents and government officials in this Washington are tracking closely whether President Donald Trump makes good on his threats to cut funding to states that do not prove they have abandoned K-12 diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Fear, anger and defiance have been the response here so far. The fear runs deep. The defiance comes from the top: the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction or OSPI. Although most of the districts I reached out to for this story weren't interested in discussing their plans for navigating these issues, education consultant Erin Jones told me that at a recent meeting with King County superintendents, officials were worried. 'They are concerned about budget cuts. But they are most concerned about the uncertainty. That's the point of this administration: uncertainty. That leaves them in such a bad place,' Jones recalled. 'These leaders want to do right by their children and their staff.' The U.S. Education Department sent a letter to state education agencies in February, accusing schools of promoting diversity in a way that unfairly harmed white and Asian American students. In support of this statement, they cited a 2023 Supreme Court decision that banned using race as an element in college admissions. That case didn't mention K-12 schools, but that didn't stop the Trump administration from using it as a reason why Washington and other states shouldn't be providing extra academic support for students of color. In early April, the U.S. Education Department doubled down, with another letter. This one demanded proof that states were following their DEI orders. Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal's response reaffirmed this state's strong commitment to embracing its diversity and making sure every student gets the help they need. 'Recognition of our diversity is a cornerstone of public education. It makes us stronger, more civil, and it empowers groups of students who have historically been marginalized or denied equal opportunities,' Reykdal said in a statement. He confirmed that these efforts are paying off in higher graduation and college participation rates for everyone. Plus, Reykdal added, every student benefits from the diversity in our schools. 'Washington will not suppress its core values or cede our right to determine our own education system to the federal government,' he said. In just a few words, he underscored a key facet of American education: states, not the federal government, take the lead in determining what their children will learn in public schools. Reykdal's office continues to draw attention from the Trump administration. Later in April, the Department of Education said it would investigate OSPI over 'requiring school boards to adopt policies that allow males to participate in female sports and occupy female-only intimate facilities.' This followed the federal agency scrutinizing OSPI over how it handled a years-long controversy surrounding the gender-inclusion policy at the La Center School District in Clark County. Jones, the education consultant, said she hasn't met a leader yet who is not committed to continuing diversity, equity and inclusion work. Some are renaming it, opting instead for terms like 'community building.' Another consequence of Trump era rhetoric and policies that Jones has been hearing about is decreased attendance by Latino students. 'No matter what the principal has said that we're going to protect you from ICE, why should they trust you?' she asked. 'I think we're afraid for good reason,' Jones added. Trish Millines Dziko, executive director of the Technology Access Foundation, a Seattle-based nonprofit offering supplemental STEM education in public schools and after-school programs, has also heard that Latino attendance has dropped. And the parents of children who are showing up for school don't want them participating in field trips. So far, this is just anecdotal evidence. Detailed attendance data probably won't be available to the public until next year. Dziko believes the full impact of the Trump administration on education won't be understood for months or even years. 'There's a lot of anxiety,' said Dziko, who has overheard immigrant children as well as LGBTQ students and staff talking to each other. 'They're all very close to each other and they worry about each other. …I don't know if it's stopping education from happening. But you can hear the conversations between some of the kids.' After reaching out to about half the districts in the Puget Sound region, plus some in eastern Washington, only one was willing to put someone on the phone to talk to me. Dziko and others I talked to felt this lack of response was born out of fear. The state's largest school district is choosing to carry on and keep working to lift up every child from every background despite threats from the Trump administration. Seattle Public School's Black education program manager, Anita Koyier-Mwamba, pointed to Head Start office closures and the president's DEI orders as examples of factors fueling uncertainty. Still, she believes the difficulties should not stop educators from using this time as a teachable moment. 'It is really important to me that we recognize that history has left us a wonderful catalog of opportunities to explore.' And then she took a delightful path into American history and the young men like Thomas Jefferson who were so passionate about democracy but didn't do everything right 250 years ago, although they were trying to solve the problems of their time. Why does she want us to think about the 19- and 20-year-olds sitting around debating the birth of a nation? Because it's a good reminder that young people can think for themselves and should have an opportunity to do so. 'It is unjust not to give our young people the opportunity to … solve the problems of their time,' Koyier-Mwamba said. And that comes down to a discussion about justice that must account for the nation's past. This is American history, not diversity indoctrination: The enslavement of people kidnapped and brought here to work the land. The way we have treated the indigenous people before and after the United States became a country. How the Constitution treated enslaved people when the founders couldn't agree to take a better path. The Civil War and what happened to enslaved people afterward. Fifty years between giving white women and Black women the right to vote. 'Focusing on our shared humanity is an avenue to reconsider how we respond in these times of challenge,' Koyier-Mwamba said. Part of that is choosing to be optimistic, deciding to see the light in the darkness through American heroes like abolitionist Harriet Tubman. Similarly, Dziko sees an opportunity to rethink how we do things as a state and a nation. Making sure every student gets the education they need to succeed is not an impossible goal. Dziko believes, and I agree, that state dollars for education could be distributed in a way that focuses more on equity. 'Our kids deserve better,' Dziko said, adding that education reform is directly related to state budget reform because it will take more money to create a more equitable system. The 29-year-old Technology Access Foundation does not get federal grants, so Dziko is not concerned about backlash from the federal government. Where the Trump administration pushes against DEI programs because they say they unfairly advantage Black and Brown people, Dziko and I see racism. 'The whole thing has been reduced to, 'If you are Black, then you did not deserve the position you're in.' That's a very dangerous viewpoint,' she said. Unfortunately, this viewpoint isn't new. Dziko is worried about how far back we will go. Before the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown vs. Board of Education that ruled racial segregation of public schools was unconstitutional? 'I'm always the eternal optimist in my family, but I'm not this time around,' Dziko said. 'We're going backwards,' she added. Jones is also feeling pessimistic. 'They want to make America in their image, and their image is white straight men,' said Jones. 'They've done a really good job of making everything DEI that they just don't like,' she said. 'I've really been grieving.' Like Dziko, while she rejects the Republican vision for education, she is also not satisfied with the status quo. 'Republicans say burn it all down, it all sucks. That is not a strategy. The Democrats don't have a vision,' she said. 'Let's all talk about it. So we have something to activate us. Just saying I don't want this is not enough. We need people with vision who are imagining a better way forward.'
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What the State Superintendent says on federal investigation into WA's non-discrimination school laws
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) issued a letter requesting states to certify compliance with the Department's interpretation of federal civil rights guidelines, or risk losing federal funding. Following that letter, the DOE and the Department of Justice are launching a 'first-of-its kind' investigation into the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) over the state's non-discrimination laws for schools. The suit alleges that OSPI is out of compliance with Title IX, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA). 'Multiple Washington State school districts have reported that OSPI is requiring school boards to adopt policies that allow males to participate in female sports and occupy female-only intimate facilities, thereby raising substantial Title IX concerns,' a DOE press release said. U.S. Secretary of Education, former WWE promoter Linda McMahon, said that the state 'appears to use its position of authority to coerce its districts into hiding 'gender identity' information from students' parents and to adopt policies to covertly smuggle gender ideology into the classroom, confusing students and letting boys into girls' sports, bathrooms, and locker rooms.' In response, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal said that the investigation is the 'latest [Trump] Administration's dangerous war against individuals who are transgender or gender-expansive.' 'Washington public schools have a responsibility to provide a safe and nondiscriminatory environment for all students, including transgender and gender-expansive students, so that all students can thrive. Since 2006, Washington state law has prohibited discrimination on the basis of gender identity, and the state has allowed students to participate in school-based athletics in alignment with their gender identity since 2007. These protections fit within the scope of what is allowed by federal law and have been successfully established and implemented for nearly two decades. Transgender and gender-expansive students are not the only students affected by gender and gender stereotypes at school. When schools affirmatively support gender diversity, all students are empowered to live more authentically and to take advantage of different opportunities that might not have otherwise been available," Reykdal said, in part, in a statement. McMahon said that the schools must 'abide by the law if they expect federal funding to continue.' Reykdal continued his statement with: A student's school should be a safe place where they can learn, thrive, and be their authentic self, and family involvement and acceptance are extremely beneficial to all students. Unfortunately, it is not safe for all individuals to open up to their family regarding gender identity, and family rejection related to an individual's gender identity results in increased odds of a suicide attempt and/or misusing drugs or alcohol. It is not the role of the school system to facilitate private conversations that should be happening between students and their parents or guardians, and the federal government should not force schools to play the role of parents when it comes to gender identity.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DOJ, Dept. of Ed investigating WA OSPI for transgender student protections
The Brief The federal government is investigating Washington's OSPI for allegedly violating federal laws over issues of gender identity. OSPI is accused of not notifying parents about changes in their child's gender identity, potentially violating federal laws like FERPA and PPRA, risking sanctions or loss of federal funding. OSPI defends its state laws on gender identity, arguing federal actions undermine student safety, and offers alternative privacy options for students. OLYMPIA, Wash. - The U.S. Department of Education and Department of Justice are investigating Washington's Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, alleging the state is violating federal laws for allowing transgender students to play sports and use the locker room in school. Specifically, the two agencies formed the Title IX Special Investigations Team, and they say they are investigating reports that OSPI is "requiring school boards to adopt policies that allow males to participate in female sports and occupy female-only intimate facilities." Timeline The joint team points to an OSPI investigation into La Center School District in Clark County, in which the state found the school district violated Washington law for "discriminating on the basis of gender expression and gender identity," specifically in conversations about asking for preferred pronouns, and students being bullied and abused after being forcibly "outed" to classmates and family members. In the letter, OSPI reviews allegations against the school district and ultimately outlines corrective actions. The OSPI writes that if the district does not address their noncompliance within a timely fashion, the state will order compliance or level certain sanctions — either by withholding state funds from the district, terminating programs, or instituting affirmative action programs. Click to open this PDF in a new window. The Title IX team's contention lies with OSPI "mandating that districts not notify parents of a change in their child's 'gender identity,'" which they assert violates federal parental laws like FERPA and PPRA. What they're saying "Washington State appears to use its position of authority to coerce its districts into hiding 'gender identity' information from students' parents and to adopt policies to covertly smuggle gender ideology into the classroom, confusing students and letting boys into girls' sports, bathrooms, and locker rooms," said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. "If true, these are clear violations of parental rights and female equality in athletics, which are protected by federal laws that will be enforced by the Trump Administration." At the beginning of January, a federal judge blocked the Biden administration's attempt to redefine sex in Title IX as "gender identity." Then, Trump's Department of Education told K-12 schools and higher learning institutions that Title IX protections would be recognized on the basis of biological sex. The other side OSPI called the federal investigation the latest "in the Administration's dangerous war against individuals who are transgender or gender-expansive." Washington's protections on gender identity have been enshrined in state law since 2006, and allowed participation in school sports based on gender identity since 2007. The state has successfully enforced those protections "for nearly two decades," said OSPI. "The federal government should not force schools to play the role of parents…" On the point of school districts not alerting parents to their children's change in gender expression, OSPI writes: "Unfortunately, it is not safe for all individuals to open up to their family regarding gender identity, and family rejection related to an individual's gender identity results in increased odds of a suicide attempt and/or misusing drugs or alcohol. It is not the role of the school system to facilitate private conversations that should be happening between students and their parents or guardians, and the federal government should not force schools to play the role of parents when it comes to gender identity." Further, OSPI notes that students — regardless of gender — who seek increased privacy are to be provided access to an alternative restroom or changing room option. "In this alarming attempt to infringe on the rights of our transgender and gender-expansive students, the Department is trying to co-opt laws enacted to protect students from discrimination and distort them into mandated discrimination," writes the OSPI. "The Department also attempts to twist FERPA and PPRA into tools designed to undermine the health, safety, and wellbeing of students. The interpretations taken by the Department are not supported by these laws." Why you should care The Department of Education writes that violations of Title IX, FERPA or PPRA could lead to Washington state losing its federal education funding. The Source Seattle cruise season sets sail with record-breaking demand, big economic impact First confirmed Pacific Northwest sighting of invasive Chinese mitten crab Motorcyclist dead, 2 others injured in Pierce County crash At least 11 dead after car plows into Vancouver, B.C. crowd Tears, heartbreak at Chase Jones sentencing—teen in fatal Renton, WA crash To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Federal investigation launched into Washington's education office
This story was originally posted on The U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) have launched a 'first-of-its-kind' investigation into the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), officials announced Wednesday. The department said multiple Washington state school districts reported that OSPI is requiring school boards to adopt policies that allow males to participate in female sports and use female-only facilities, raising Title IX concerns. ED said its Title IX Special Investigations Team (Title IX SIT), in collaboration with the DOJ, is conducting a directed investigation into OSPI. 'This investigation comes amid reports that OSPI has imposed requirements on school districts that potentially violate federal law, specifically, Title IX, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA),' ED said in a news release. 'Today's investigation into Washington OSPI is a first-of-its-kind, bringing together ED and DOJ, and multiple offices within ED, to adjudicate several potential violations of federal law,' U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said. 'Washington State appears to use its position of authority to coerce its districts into hiding 'gender identity' information from students' parents and to adopt policies to covertly smuggle gender ideology into the classroom, confusing students and letting boys into girls' sports, bathrooms, and locker rooms,' McMahon said. 'If true, these are clear violations of parental rights and female equality in athletics, which are protected by federal laws that will be enforced by the Trump Administration.' Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal released a statement Wednesday afternoon. 'This investigation, which alleges that OSPI is out of compliance with Title IX, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), is the latest target in the Administration's dangerous war against individuals who are transgender or gender-expansive,' Reykdal said. 'In this alarming attempt to infringe on the rights of our transgender and gender-expansive students, the Department is trying to co-opt laws enacted to protect students from discrimination and distort them into mandated discrimination. The Department also attempts to twist FERPA and PPRA into tools designed to undermine the health, safety, and wellbeing of students. The interpretations taken by the Department are not supported by these laws.' The La Center School District, which has approximately 1,800 students throughout Clark County, has been embroiled in a conflict over its preferred pronoun policy between the state of Washington and the Trump administration. OSPI previously investigated the district, finding it discriminated against students and families with its approach to gender inclusivity. Washington's policy, adopted in 2020, for gender inclusion is to have students tell staff their preferred pronouns. However, within the La Center School District, staff were prohibited from asking students what their preferred gender pronouns are. Under the district policy, if a student shares their preferred pronouns to faculty, staff should report it to the student's parents or guardians 'so that the parents/guardians may provide appropriate support for their children.' The staff was also instructed to use the preferred pronouns with the student. OSPI gave the district 45 days to draw up new gender identity-related guidelines that follow state law. The district appealed the findings last month. The Department of Education alleged that OSPI is violating the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, and Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools that receive federal funding, according to The Washington State Standard. Education Secretary Linda McMahon told schools they must abide by the law 'if they expect federal funding to continue.' OSPI's counter is that the Department of Education is potentially overstepping its authority. A timeline of the conflict can be found on the district website. This is not the first investigation into the state. The Department of Education is also looking into the Tumwater School District for allowing transgender girls participate athletic competitions against biological girls. The Kennewick School Board has asked for a similar investigation.
