Tacoma aims to spread innovation districtwide

Tacoma wants to capitalize on what school officials say is a growing reputation for originality by becoming Washington state’s first district-wide Innovative School Zone.

“Innovation is part of the Tacoma brand,” said acting Tacoma Superintendent Carla Santorno.

The designation, created by the 2011 Legislature, is largely symbolic and offers no additional state funding. But Tacoma officials say if they win the right to fly the innovation flag district-wide, it could help spur changes at some of the city’s struggling high-poverty schools.

For one thing, it would allow Tacoma to seek a six-year waiver from some state regulations that control everything from the school calendar to school credits.

Washington state has already taken note of some of Tacoma’s schools. In November, it named four of them to a list of state-designated Innovative Schools.

Now, Tacoma is asking for all 54 of its schools to be invited to the club. Tacoma has also submitted applications for innovation designations at more individual schools, including two Montessori schools (Bryant and Geiger), and three schools (Foss High School, Giaudrone Middle School and McCarver Elementary School) in various stages of the International Baccalaureate program.

The idea that creative education is “only good for some kids is not acceptable,” said Tacoma School Board President Catherine Ushka-Hall. She said the board wants to ensure that innovative teaching is accessible to all kids, in all parts of the city.

“Will the Innovation Zone be the end-all, be-all? No,” she said. But Ushka-Hall said the designation will ensure that Tacoma is part of the school improvement conversation statewide.

To new School Board member Karen Vialle, innovation means finding a way to boost student achievement and remove the fear factor that too often plagues public education.

“If something looks like it’s failing, adjust it,” she said. “If it needs to be tweaked, tweak it. If it doesn’t work, we can learn from it.”

One goal of Innovative School designation, according to the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, is to counter the perception that Washington state is an “innovation backwater” when compared with other states.

Washington is one of a handful of states that do not allow charter schools – a reform favored by federal education officials. Charters receive public money but operate largely independent from local school boards.

Washington voters have said no to charters at the polls, and charter measures have also failed in Olympia in past years. A charter bill introduced this legislative session has again divided lawmakers.

Partly because of the lack of charters, Washington failed to secure any coveted federal Race to the Top grants for its K-12 school system. In December, the state did win $60 million from the federal government, aimed at early learning. The grant will help prepare children for kindergarten.

OSPI says that the Innovative Schools program is designed to counter the perception that schools in Washington are “hidebound by onerous state laws, district policies and union contracts.” Supporters say the Innovative School and Zone designations are a chance to show what can be accomplished under existing systems.

The November round of designations recognized individual schools and honored them for their innovations. Applications for the second round closed in January, and winners are due to be announced March 1, said Robert Butts, OSPI’s head of policy and planning. Changes could then be implemented beginning next fall.

This second round will focus on the creation of new programs, with an emphasis on schools that promote so-called STEM education – science, technology, engineering and math. This round allows up to 10 designations in the Puget Sound region; at least half are to focus on STEM.

Butts said Tacoma is one of seven school districts that applied for second-round designation – and the only one to ask for a district-wide Innovation Zone. Other applicants are from Vancouver, Battle Ground and Highline districts in Western Washington, and Toppenish, Mead and Richland in Eastern Washington.

Schools in the first round earned recognition that they’re doing a good job, and they will be able to employ an Innovative School logo. Schools in the second round will earn recognition and will be able to apply for waivers from some state regulations.

Schools might ask for changes in the way they measure high school credits. Or they could ask for an alternative school-year calendar, as many already do. But Innovation Schools or School Zones would be able to obtain waivers for the entire six-year period that the designation lasts, instead of renewing waivers annually, Butts said.

Under the legislation, school districts must develop applications in cooperation with parents, communities and employee unions.

Tacoma Education Association President Andy Coons said the Innovative School idea is something the teachers union can support.

“We want our schools to be innovative,” he said. “We want them to be tailored to the kids they serve.”

He points to an initiative at Baker Middle School to have the entire faculty participate in national board certification for teachers – a program that is nationally recognized for its rigor and its goal of improving teaching. He said the idea came from staff at Baker, which is on the state’s list of low-performing schools.

Coons said the Baker teacher project is an example of innovation that relies on raising teacher quality to create school reform.

Coons said that a districtwide Innovation Zone in Tacoma would be a morale booster for teachers in the city and could give them “a sense of pride that they are working in a progressive district.”

“There has been a lot of negativity around Tacoma schools,” said Coons. “This is a new page forward. There’s new leadership. We need to tell some of the positive stories.”

Santorno agreed, and said Tacoma will not be limited by whatever state officials decide.

“Even if the state comes back and says ‘No,’ it will not preclude us from moving forward,” Santorno said.

Debbie Cafazzo: 253-597-8635
debbie.cafazzo@thenewstribune.com

The initial round of the state’s Innovative Schools designations were announced in November. That designation recognized individual schools for their creative approach to education.

Six Pierce County schools were named in three school districts.

Tacoma Public Schools: Helen B. Stafford Elementary School, Lincoln Center at Lincoln High School, the Science and Math Institute (SAMI) and the School of the Arts (SOTA).

Sumner School District: Bonney Lake High School.

Clover Park School District: Clover Park High School.