The continuing drama of the Seattle School District looking under rocks and in backs of drawers to save money in the face of looming deficits sometimes takes on the reality television series look. Ideas are floated, a long discussion follows, then the board seems to toss up its hands and demand more information from the district administrators.
Another drama, right here in West Seattle, is simmering and we suspect coming to a boil, and that is the shotgun marriage of Pathfinder and Cooper. We only hope that the Pathfinder folks can overcome their huge egos and open their minds, while we hope the Cooper families will not be scared off by the hyperbole.
But on the agenda now is cutting the roughly $25 million cost of moving kids from home to school. Half the money comes from the state, but it is still a big tab for giving parents the near complete freedom to put their offspring in about any school in the city.
Many have said the open enrollment program should be scrapped entirely.
That would be a very bad move. Denying parents and students a better school may save some money up front but it could cost Seattle Schools a great deal more. If a parent cannot sent his child to another Seattle school, then maybe they will vote with their feet and opt for the Lake Washington or the Bellevue schools, or Kent, or even Tacoma or Everett. A parent and student denied could be simply gone.
We suggest that the open enrollment plan be kept in its entirety, with one major change.
Parents can send children to a school on the other side of town, but the parents would be required to pay the entire cost. Drive them, get the kids a car, buy a bus pass, just no more taxpayer assistance in getting the kids to that faraway school. It will save money and still leave some parental options.
Besides, forcing a student into a substandard close-by school means increased enrollment in a building that has demonstrated its inability to cope with teaching children effectively.
At least let's get a look to see it will save enough money to make it worthwhile to implement.
