The Advocate
The Advocate is updated in the first week of every other month September through May, containing articles relating to private school issues, representation, and local-to-national news relevant to independent schools.
Oregon CAPE: the need to raise student proficiency
While the NAEP report is heartbreaking, and the NCSL report is challenging, they should motivate all of us to implement education programs and systems that are personalized and that focus on mastery of material before moving on. That should be the new bedrock of our schools, where learning is constant and time is the variable. Personalized learning should be the new status quo.
What is the primary threat facing the future of private education?
Ian Symmonds & Associates compiled the top seven threats based on results from their survey in January. The list yielded some surprising responses: Financial model, cost, and expense structure. Culture wars and political polarization. Faculty and staff recruitment...
Legislative Update
The session has been busy and policy-heavy. Legislators slowed down policy requests during the two COVID years, but they are making up for it now! WFIS is building connections and successfully working with legislators and state agencies to support and make additions to bills.
The call for “Ending Isolation Practices in WA K-12 Schools”
The League of Education Voters hosted a webinar on the use of restraint and isolation. Luckily some of our schools were in attendance to help clarify the difference between private schools and the Nonpublic Agencies cited in The Seattle Times article. Legislators are...
Gov Inslee recognizes Feb 2023 as Private Schools Month
Sure feels good to be appreciated!
Share your experience – Transitional Kindergarten
Early learning and childcare programs around the state are experiencing localized challenges and benefits with the growth of Transitional Kindergarten (TK) in the K-12 system. Lawmakers have asked for more information about what is happening on the ground for existing...
Political Polarization: How are school districts responding?
Today, the American School District Panel released the latest results in a report, 2022 American School District Panel survey, reflecting the country's political divides. Key findings include: Political polarization about LGTBQ+ issues, critical race theory, and...
Private school NPAs in Olympia
LtoR: Dominic Jimenez, CHILD School; Carrie Fannin, CHILD School; Jeffrey D. Woolley, Dartmoor School; Suzie Hanson, WFIS; Dr. Melodee Loshbaug Brocks Academy; Rachel Kier, Brocks Academy & Dan Loshbaug.WFIS has shared detailed concerns with legislators about the...
Legislative Update
The legislators are writing many policy bills this year. They are also writing the State's Budgets. Thus far, a handful of bills will impact private schools. Here are a few of them: Senate Bill 5315: Sets new rules about mandatory compliance visits from OSPI to...
10 people you didn’t know were PEABs
Excellent educators from both public and private K12 schools are invited to join a Professional Educator Advisory Board (PEAB) to strengthen Washington State's college and university educational degree programs on behalf of all students in our state. These people,...
Transitional Kindergarten
Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is a new public school program that allows four-year-olds to join Kindergarten classes. It was designed to catch children who do not have access to early learning options and therefore arrive at Kindergarten without the skills necessary...