Ann Dornfeld

State Auditors Find Seattle Schools Still Needs Tighter Internal Controls

Ann Dornfeld — Thu, 23 May 2013 01:20:51 +0000

After years of sloppy bookkeeping and at times lax financial oversight, Seattle Public Schools has improved its internal financial controls, but needs to strengthen them further, auditors from the Washington State Auditor's Office told the school board in a special meeting Wednesday.

Two Seattle School Board Seats Up For Grabs In Primary

Ann Dornfeld — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:12:35 +0000

Six candidates are vying for two Seattle School Board seats in the August 6 primary election.

In Director District 5, which includes Capitol Hill, the Central Area, Beacon Hill and downtown, Kay Smith-Blum is stepping down from her board seat after one term.

District Plan To Move Indian Heritage School Angers Native Community

Ann Dornfeld — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:01:35 +0000

The latest Seattle School District plan to move the American Indian Heritage program to Northgate Mall has angered many in the Native American community.

They rallied at Wednesday night's school board meeting to protest the move, calling it just the district's latest step toward dismantling Indian Heritage.

Seattle Schools Chief Scales Back Controversial MAP Test

Ann Dornfeld — Tue, 14 May 2013 01:00:00 +0000

The standardized test that inspired boycotts by teachers across Seattle School District will be scaled back next school year.

In a letter to district staff today, Superintendent Jose Banda announced that the Measures of Academic Progress test will still be required in kindergarten though eighth grade, but it will be optional at the high school level.

Police: Domestic Violence Started Mass Shooting In Federal Way

Ann Dornfeld — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 01:34:02 +0000

Police say a quadruple murder in Federal Way Sunday night started as a domestic violence incident.

New Wash. Math Requirement May Delay Graduation For 3,730 High School Seniors

Ann Dornfeld — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:16:06 +0000

Two months before high school commencement, 9,083 seniors still haven’t passed Washington state’s new math graduation requirement.

Former Seattle Schools Official Silas Potter Pleads Guilty To Theft

Ann Dornfeld — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 22:01:53 +0000

After his re-arrest on Saturday, former Seattle Public Schools official Silas Potter pleaded guilty Monday to 36 counts of theft for directing $168,275 in school district funds to a dummy company he controlled.

Many Wash. Districts Have Been Exaggerating Graduation Rates

Ann Dornfeld — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:00:29 +0000

In 2011, the Washington Association of School Administrators named Mary Alice Heuschel Superintendent of the Year. In a promotional video for the award, Heuschel described how she helped transform the Renton School District in her five years as superintendent.

Two Seattle Head Start Programs Deemed Low-Quality, Lose Funding

Ann Dornfeld — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 23:54:32 +0000

Two Seattle Head Start programs have lost their federal funding after they failed to meet quality standards. It's the first round of contract terminations in the new push by the Obama administration to improve the early learning programs for low-income kids.

12 Wash. Districts File To Become Charter School Authorizers

Ann Dornfeld — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:35:03 +0000

Twelve Washington school districts have formally announced they’ll apply to become charter school authorizers. Bellevue, Highline, Kent, Tacoma, Spokane and Port Townsend are among the districts seeking the power to approve charter school applications in their regions. Those districts met the State Board of Education's April 1 deadline for notices of intent to apply for authorizer status.