This year, most school districts across Washington state were forced by Secretary Arne Duncan’s selective enforcement of the No Child Left Behind Act to send letters to all parents that labeled our schools as failures. We are parents, teachers, students and community members who reject this label that has been placed on our schools. We know that our schools are not failures. In fact, their accomplishments have been remarkable, especially given the deeply flawed policy imposed on them by the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). While there are certainly changes needed for our schools – many due to the legacy of racism, class inequality, and lack of equitable funding for our schools – we believe that those changes should be directed by communities that make up local school districts, not by top-down mandates. This website will share stories and testimonials about the great things that are happening in our schools that should be supported and connect our communities so that we can organize opposition to Arne Duncan’s policies and No Child Left Behind. According to NCLB, our schools should have had 100% of students test at proficient levels in reading and math by 2014. No county, no state, and no school district has ever achieved 100% proficiency on standardized tests and, in fact, the way the tests are designed make it statistically impossible to achieve that goal. Washington, like many other states, originally had a waiver in place that would have exempted it from this absurd NCLB mandate. However, when the state legislature refused to pass bills tying teacher evaluations to test scores (following overwhelming evidence that this would not improve teaching or learning), Arne Duncan chose to punish Washington state by revoking the waiver. With the waiver gone, nearly all of Washington’s schools have been labeled failures, we have lost control of millions of dollars in federal money, and some schools will be at risk of state takeovers and mass layoffs of teachers. This kind of political game-playing has no place in our schools. Our schools and teachers should not be labeled as failures simply because we have rejected extremely flawed education policies. In August 2014, 28 school superintendents from around the state authored a letter, where they declared that their schools’ successes are not reflected in these ratings and criticized No Child Left Behind. We agree. It’s time for the voices of parents, teachers and students to be heard and respected. Endorsed by: Parents Across America (PAA), Seattle Education Website, Social Equality Educators (SEE), Wayne Au, PhD, Associate Professor of Education at the University of Washington Bothell*, Jesse Hagopian, Teacher, Garfield High School*, Kshama Sawant, Seattle City Council member*, Sue Peters, Seattle School Board Director* *For identification purposes only For more information, visit http://www.ourschoolsarenotfailing.org

There is a devastating assault on lifelong learning that not only prevents professionals from staying up-to-date in their field, at a pace that does not interfere with job constraints, it also has caused unnecessary distress in the lives of thousands of low-income seniors for whom engaging with others in a class in the arts—painting, drawing, pottery, writing, dance, or aerobics or other physical disciplines has always been a source of fulfillment. Depriving citizens of the right to learn, also deprives younger students from learning to live active and constructive lives, and the value of learning from others' life experiences. Studies affirm that active seniors live longer, more fulfilling lives, and community colleges have always been a part of that. Learning is not an assembly line experience. Low-income people must have an education to advance; yet the cost of higher education leaves too many families without the financial means. Nor can they afford the investment in time as a full-time student, often because they must work to survive, or family situations require that they care for children, elderly relatives, or both. This is the devastating cycle of poverty that only accessible, flexible, low-cost education can resolve. San Francisco City College has been there for 70 years to fill that need—until now. Since the 'repeatability' regulation took effect, City College enrollment is down 23%. While the accreditation threat has contributed to the problem, the repeatability rule has exacerbated the enrollment losses. It is a fact that some students need to repeat courses to practice and develop skills. Passing a class with a C grade hardly represents mastery of a subject. Individuals learn in different ways; some students simply need more time to develop proficiency; some learn with more repetition, or more applied experiences, increasing tech skills, literacy, and comprehension. California citizens pay taxes to support community colleges, and we want the colleges to offer freedom for every kind of student and learning community. Re-establish repeatability for performance courses, theater and dance, and in painting, drawing, and music, as well as physical education classes like aerobics, tai chi, yoga, and all classes where the benefit from continued practice is a known factor. Courses should be open to repeating; lifelong learning should always be available. It really does take a village! For high school students and GED students who dream of going to college, City College must always remain a great place to start a career! If you or your child has special education needs, City College must be here for you! If you need workforce specialization and training towards certification, City College must be here for you! If you are an artist who wants to meet, and work, and share with other artists, City College must be here for you! Veterans - City College must be here for you. Incarcerated prisoners who want to turn their lives around must have a pathway for learning through City College. California’s Community College Chancellor, Jack Scott, said “it used to be that we could be all things to all people. Those days are gone, and now we have to focus on those with the greatest need.” This intractable orientation abandons too many people in real need, in favor of corporate attitudes about who needs and uses community colleges, without assessing the needs of diverse communities. I take this personally; my career started at City College of San Francisco. Spread the word! Encourage everyone to take a class—who knows, it could change your life! I know—it did for me. Dr. Anita Grier, Trustee, City College of San Francisco Great Careers Begin at City College!

My daughter is a senior at Wasburn highschool and has been a victim of forced urine retention in the past. I don't want to see these draconian practices become the order of the day. No one should deny, delay or discourage a child from using the toilet when the urge presents itself no matter how many times the student needs to use the toilet. No limits on bathroom breaks is humane and it is how adults live. Children should be treated equally.

Education should be a priority in the U.S.

Every year parents go through stress and depression finding and registering their kids in a (yeshiva) Jewish school . Kids go through stress and humiliation next to their friends because they might not be in the same school next year because their parents can't afford the school tuition any longer. I personally go through hell every year trying to keep my kids in school and to not drop out at a very young age like most of our community children do just to end the headache and depression the whole family has every school year.

The purpose of this petition is to let decision makers at the Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL) know that many are in support of water polo being recognized as a sanctioned UIL sport. UIL adoption will increase participation, ensure equal access for student athletes, create a standard league structure and provide a safe playing environment.

LAUSD has become the laughing stock of the nation with iPadgate and the MiSiS mess. It is hard to imagine that the leadership really has students first and foremost on their minds. Schools have been in utter chaos since the failed launch of the Student Information System. Some students do not even have their schedules and have been in school for three weeks. Teachers cannot track attendance because they do not even have accurate rosters, risking critical and fundamental revenue to schools, not to mention a sense of order in classrooms and safety on campuses. The daily revelations about the improper Pearson-iPad deal make it look like LAUSD is choosing PROFITS over PUPILS. It seems no one has even answered what pedagogical value these computers and software provide students. There has not been nearly enough deliberation about the content of curriculum on the devices. In your exuberance, it seems no one has asked, “What could $1 billion have paid for?” The students and families of LAUSD need textbooks, arts classes, summer school, staff for shuttered libraries, lower class sizes for higher risk kids, and assistant principals, nurses and school psychologists. These are the things that make a difference in the lives of students. Therefore we demand RESTORATIVE JUSTICE for LA schools!

One in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be the victim of child sexual abuse (CSA) by their 18th birthday. There are more than 42 million survivors of CSA in the United States. Three million of these survivors are still children. These children could fill 46 national football stadiums. Ninety-three percent of the time sexual abuse is caused by a person who is supposed to protect you - a person in a position of trust or authority. In almost every case, the only witnesses to this crime are the perpetrator and the victim. Perpetrators often tell the child this is a secret and no one will believe them. Children rarely report abuse immediately. Often, they feel the abuse was their fault. In these cases, delayed disclosure is the norm. Most victims never tell anyone until several years after the abuse, if they ever tell at all. The four states that passed this law already are IN, IL, MO, ME, MI, AR, MS, and NV

There are a couple children who attend Crawford County R-II school(s) that have a life threatening allergy to nuts. If providing a "nut-free" environment is impossible, then please help push for the proper training of the staff to provide a "nut-aware" environment for these children. Proper cleaning supplies need to be used, all children who consume nut products must wash hands with soap and water afterwards, and all staff needs to be trained on how to properly handle a severe allergic reaction if one was to occur.

My name is Francis Barbour Jr. and my father has refused to supply his tax transcripts to my FAFSA because his wife (my step-mother) doesn't like me. I have filed taxes myself for the past three years, and haven't lived with him for eight years, but am unable to continue attending my university because I require his tax information on my financial aid application. I have a 3.5 GPA, have two years left on my degree, and have lost out on my scholarships because of this issue.

This petition is going out to all parents of students that have ridden buses driven by Ge'Quan Crews, associate bus drivers, athletic coaches and students to sign this petition for restoration of Ge'Quan to his position; which we feel was unfairly taken from him. This petition also is brought to the attention of other citizens concerned about unfairness in the school system. Please use your method of communication to let the School Board know that you don't agree with it.

The flagship campus of the University of Hawaii system is in decline because its leadership is out of touch with the students, faculty, and staff that are the University of Hawaii. We must reverse this decline by appointing citizens to the BOR leadership with the knowledge and skills necessary to help lead a class I research university forward to the benefit of the state of Hawaii.