Saturday, September 28, 2013

Seattle Public Schools to Shut Low-Income Students Out of Walk Zones?

Seattle Public Schools' proposed new boundaries would push many children out of neighborhood grade school walk zones and onto buses. And these changes would disproportionately affect Title 1 (low income) schools, with 28% of Title 1 neighborhood grade schools losing walk zones compared to only 12% of non-Title 1 schools. As usual, Southeast Seattle is also disproportionately affected, with most of the schools losing their walk zones located here.

While Seattle Public Schools should not be shutting any children out of walk zones and onto buses, they should be trying especially hard to keep low-income communities within city-approved walking distance of their local schools. Higher family income is already correlated with higher performance in school, and recent studies also suggest a connection between fitness and academic success. As recently noted in the New York Times Well blog, a University of Illinois study found that nine and 10-year-olds did better at memorizing facts if they were physically fit, and the Journal of Pediatrics reported that a study of about 12,000 Nebraska public school students in fourth through eighth grade showed that fitter kids did better on standardized tests.

Nevertheless, Seattle Public Schools is pushing students at seven Title 1 schools out of their official city-approved walk zones to their nearby neighborhood grade schools and onto buses to faraway schools. Yet another layer of inequity is that this will increase the use of diesel buses in areas already disproportionately plagued by diesel exhaust and other pollution (as near I-5 and Boeing Field on Mid Beacon Hill).

Based on my initial review of the data (presented below), these are the neighborhood grade schools losing their walk zones:

• Maple (Title 1)
• Beacon Hill International (Title 1)
• Dearborn Park (Title 1)
• Graham Hill (Title 1)
• Kimball (Title 1)
• Northgate (Title 1)
• Roxhill (Title 1)
• BF Day
• Green Lake
• John Stanford
• North Beach

Shutting all these Title 1 schools out of walk zones violates almost all of Seattle Public Schools' guiding principles:

• "Ground decisions in data." (No. The data, presented in tabular format below, shows that the changes disproportionately shut low-income schools out of walk zones.)

• "Create boundaries that reflect equitable access to services and programs." (These SE Seattle boundary changes do not improve access to existing services and programs, but definitely create income and racial INEQUITY in terms of walkability.)

• "Maximize walkability." (No -- the exact opposite.)

• "Enable cost-effective transportation standards." (No -- this will take children out of walk zones and put them on buses the district has to pay for.)

• "Maintain key features of New Student Assignment Plan (e.g. opportunities for creating diversity within boundaries, choice, option schools, feeder patterns)." (There is no evidence this will be the case. SPS is proposing changing Dearborn Park into a language immersion option school, but they admit they have no plan in terms of funding, curriculum, or timeline. I asked this question several times at the Mercer meeting.)

• "Minimize disruptions by aligning new boundaries with current attendance area boundaries when feasible." (No -- the exact opposite.)

• "Be mindful of fiscal impact (costs and savings)." (No -- it will cost more to bus students to faraway schools than to let them walk to their local school.

• "Be responsive to family input to the extent feasible." (We can only hope! Absolutely no one at the Mercer meeting approved of these changes. There is huge outcry from SE Seattle about how bad these changes are to our community.)

Based on the turnout at the Mercer community meeting on Monday as well as School Board Rep. Betty Patu's monthly coffee chat today, there will be too many of us banding together against this plan for the district to ignore us. Make your voice heard, and email these groups with your comments today: GrowthBoundaries@seattleschools.org; schoolboard@seattleschools.org

P.S. Please let me know if I have gotten anything wrong below. The district makes it extremely difficult to understand how the boundaries are changing (the changes are not overlaid on the maps). Also, the new maps do not include walk zones. I did the best I could to parse all the data. Thank you!

Schools Keeping or Losing Walk Zones:
Neighborhood Grade SchoolLosing walk zone?Title 1 SchoolCity of Seattle School Walk RouteCurrent Map w/ Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapNotes
AdamsNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapLost Adams walk zone would become part of Loyal Heights walk zone
AlkiNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapAlki retains its walk zone
Arbor HeightsNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapArbor Heights retains its walk zone
BagleyNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapBagley retains its walk zone
Bailey GatzertNoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapGatzert retains its walk zone.
Beacon Hill IntlLosing walk zoneTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapBeacon Hill families in D6 of the Thurgood Marshall growth map would be forced out of the Beacon Hill walk zone to be bussed to Thurgood Marshall..
BF DayLosing walk zoneNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapBF Day students in east Wallingford will lose their walk zone and need to be bussed to Green Lake
BlaineNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapBlaine retains its walk zone.
Broadview Thomson K-8NoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapBTK8 families moved into Viewlands would be in the Viewlands walk zone.
BryantNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapNorth Bryant families would be in the walk zone for Wedgwood
Cedar ParkNoNoN/AN/AProposed Growth MapCedar Park not yet open
CoeNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapCoe retains its walk zone.
Concord IntlNoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapConcord Int'l retains its walk zone.
Dearborn ParkLosing walk zoneTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkN/ADearborn Park would become an option school, and its entire attendance zone would be bussed to Van Asselt.
DunlapNoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapDunlap retains its walk zone.
EmersonNoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapEmerson retains its walk zone
Fairmount ParkNoNoN/AN/AProposed Growth MapFairmount Park not yet open
GatewoodNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapGatewood families who would be moved to Fairmount Park would be much closer to Fairmount Park than Gatewood
Graham HillLosing walk zoneTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapGraham Hill families in C2 of the growth Emerson map are in the Graham Hill walk zone but would be bussed to Emerson
Green LakeLosing walk zoneNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapGreen Lake students in E-F 1-2 of the Green Lake growth zone will lose their walk zone and need to be bussed to Bagley
GreenwoodNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapGreenwood retains its walk zone
HawthorneNoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapHawthorne retains its walk zone
HayNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapHay retains its walk zone.
Highland ParkNoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapHighland Park families in the SW corner of the zone will be in the walk zone for Roxhill
John MuirNoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapJohn Muir retains its walk zone.
John RogersNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapJohn Rogers retains its walk zone
John StanfordLosing walk zoneNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkN/AJohn Stanford families must bus to Green Lake as John Stanford becomes an option school
KimballLosing walk zoneTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapKimball families in B-C 3-4 of the Kimball growth map are in the Kimball walk zone but would be bussed to Maple
LafayetteNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapLafayette retains its walk zone
LaurelhurstNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapLaurelhurst retains its walk zone
LawtonNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapLawton retains its walk zone.
LeschiNoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapLeschi retains its walk zone.
LowellNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapLowell retains its walk zone.
Loyal HeightsNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapLoyal Heights retains its walk zone.
Madrona K-8NoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapMadrona retains its walk zone.
MapleLosing walk zoneTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapMaple families in F-G 6 of the Maple growth map are in the Maple walk zone but would be bussed to Van Asselt
McDonaldNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkN/AMcDonald walk zone families enter the Green Lake walk zone
McGilvraNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapMcGilvra retains its walk zone.
MLKNoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapFamilies in the southern end of the MLK walk zone would be moved into the Dunlap walk zone
MontlakeNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapIf any Montlake families move into Stevens zone, they would be in Stevens walk zone.
North BeachYesNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapNorth Beach families just north of Golden Gardens would move to Loyal Heights and not be in that walk zone.
NorthgateLosing walk zoneTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapNorthgate walk zone families in E7 of the Northgate growth map would be bussed to Viewlands.
Olympic HillsN/ATitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapUnclear if Olympic Hills is technically losing its walk zone, since no new city walk zone has been established for Cedar Hills. Some families will need to travel further to get to Cedar Park, up to about 10 blocks total and across LCW.
Olympic ViewNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapOlympic View retains its walk zone.
Rainier ViewNoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapRainier View retains its walk zone
RoxhillLosing walk zoneTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in Pink Roxhill families in D3 of the Roxhill growth map would be in the bus zone for West Seattle Elementary
SacajaweaNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapSacajawea retains its walk zone
Sand PointNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapSandpoint retains its walk zone
SanisloNoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapSanislo retains its walk zone
Schmitz ParkN/ANoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapSchmitz Park is moving 3 blocks south to Genesee Hill, so the previous walk zone no longer applies.
StevensNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapStevens retains its walk zone.
Thurgood MarshallNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapThurgood Marshall retains its walk zone.
Van AsseltNoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapVan Asselt families being moved into the Wing Luke zone would be in the Wing Luke walk zone
View RidgeNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapView Ridge retains its walk zone
ViewlandsNoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapViewlands retains its walk zone.
WedgwoodNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapWedgwood retains its walk zone
West Seattle N/ATitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapWest Seattle Elem. Families in D-E 3 of the West Seattle growth map will be moved to Fairmount Park, which does not have a walk zone established yetpublished on the SPS site
West WoodlandNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapWest Woodland retains its walk zone
WhittierNoNoWalk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapWhittier retains its walk zone.
Wilson Pacific ElemNoNo N/AProposed Growth MapWilson Pacific is not yet open.
Wing LukeNoTitle 1Walk routeCurrent Map with Walk Zone in PinkProposed Growth MapWing Luke retains its walk zone

4 comments:

  1. Excellent blog post. Thank you. Before I become outraged any further... does anyone have any idea what is the real reason behind the pan for these changes?

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  2. Thank you, this is very informative. My kids would be forced to travel 2x further to school and cross a major arterial with twice the traffic under the new proposal and I am livid (switch from Kimball to Maple).

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  3. I believe the majority of the changes in the South end boundaries are because of the conversion of Dearborn Park to an option school. That one change is causing almost all of the domino effect.

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  4. Note that I have added North Beach to the list of schools losing walk zones. I've updated the list and the calculations; here are the changes:

    * 28% of Title 1 neighborhood grade schools losing walk zones compared to only 12% (--previously listed as 10%--) of non-Title 1 schools.

    * Out of the 11 (--previously listed as 10--) schools citywide that are losing walk zone areas, 4 are on Beacon Hill.

    * Including the entire Beacon Hill area, 4 out of our 6 neighborhood schools (67%) are losing walk zones, compared to 13% (--previously listed as 10%-- )for the rest of the city.

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