Betsy DeVos Visits Bellevue and Attracts Protesters
On October 13th, 2017, protesters gathered in downtown Bellevue to protest Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. DeVos was in town to speak at the Washington Policy Center’s annual dinner. Meanwhile, about a dozen counter protesters gathered nearby in support of DeVos. KBCS’s Ruth Bly and Devin Williams spoke with individuals from both protests. In addition to the audio stream bellow, KBCS also captured this video footage of the event.
Public Schools: the LGBTQ Community, and Communities of Color
Next up on the KBCS 2016 Election series, we have a conversation brought to us by KBCS Guest Producer Ijeoma Oluo. She spoke with Jessie Hagopian, Garfield high school teacher-educator and IAmAnEducator.com blogger, and Sarah Mayes, a transgender parent who transitioned while her two children attended the public schools. They discussed the experiences of the LGBTQ communities and Communities of Color within the public education system.
The KBCS 2016 Election Series was produced by Ruth Bly, Jennie Cecil Moore, and Angie Voyles Askham.
Oregon Teachers Ready For New Federal Education Law
It takes only a moment to sign a major bill into law. It will take years to implement the new education policy outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which President Obama signed last December. The ESSA requires states to develop their own rules, and Oregon educators are looking forward to the possible impacts.
Eastside Schools
Tens of thousands of students of kids go back to school this fall in the tech corridor of the east side. We highlight Issaquah, Bellevue and Riverview school districts activities and programs.
Episode 1 & 2: Issaquah School District Superintendent, Ron Thiele shares his struggles in providing the infrastructure for the growing number of students in his east-side school district area.
Episode 3: The Riverview School District highlights a parent partnership program, more commonly referred to as PARADE, where homeschool families work with school district teachers to supplement their curriculum. PARADE Teacher, Connie Schutte, Student Sasha Charboneau Teece and Parent Nealy White share their experience with the program.
Episode 4 & 5: The Bellevue School District rolls out a new Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum for all of its elementary schools this year with plans to expand to all grades soon. Curriculum Developer, Greg Bianchi describes the new STEM programming in Day 4, and Curriculum Developer Wendy Powell describes the SEL program in Day 5.
Producer: Yuko Kodama
Music: Kevin MacLeod “AcidJazz”
Photo: woodleywonderworks
WA State Initiative 1351 – Class Size Reduction Measure
The Washington Class Size Reduction Measure, Initiative 1351 is one of five issues voters have to consider on the ballot this coming Tuesday. The measure directs the legislature to allocate funds for smaller K-12 classrooms and hire more teachers and support staff in schools throughout Washington State.
If approved, the measure would be phased in over the course of four years applying it first at “high poverty schools”, defined as schools with 50 percent or more of students receiving free or reduced cost lunches.
KBCS Program Director Bruce Wirth hosts a discussion on I-1351 with the Yes on 1351 campaign supporter, Shannon McCann, a middle school Special Ed teacher in the Federal Way school district and No on 1351 supporter, Chad Magendanz, Washington State Representative from the 5th district.
Visit our Elections page for KBCS’ coverage of issues and candidates in the upcoming election.
