Today and always.

If you don’t know how—a great place to start is by registering yourself online. You have to be 18 years old and you have to have an address and US citizenship. If you’ve got those things covered, you’re golden. Here’s the link.

If you don’t know who to vote for—there’s plenty of online material for your perusing. Personal favorites of mine are The Stranger Endorsements, Fuse’s Progressive Voter Guide and of course League of Education Voter’s list of Education Champions.

If you don’t know why you should vote—I’ve got reasons for that too. Not only are these races important, but you’re important. It’s important that you vote. According to statistics, by 2015 (FIVE YEARS FROM NOW) one third of the eligible voting population will have been born in the 80’s or later. One third! We could move mountains, us young people. Check the full article here by our friends at Washington Bus and Rock the Vote.

You’ve got until 5pm today to turn those primary ballots in!

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Paramount Duty, directed by Peter Vogt and produced by LEV co-founder and president Nick Hanauer, is an honest, awe-inspiring film that compares the life of students from public schools such as Holmes Elementary and Lewis and Clark High School, to the lives of students from private institutions like Epiphany School and Lakeside School.

This riveting documentary dishes out real-life facts that reinforce the extreme importance of access to early education. It also emphasizes that based on a family’s income level; access to early education can vary greatly. The first five years of a child’s life is the optimal learning time for social, mental and academic development.

Washington State governor, Christine Gregoire, insists that access to early education increases the chances of a young person growing up to have healthy relationships, stable families and a successful life. With more funding directed at early education, we’ll see fewer teenage pregnancies, more high school graduates, less drug and alcohol use, higher rates of college attendance, reduce the number of prisoners and higher rates of family formation.  It’s incredible what gains society can make by investing in young kids!

With this small step, yields incredible results and outcomes. But the issue is much more complicated. We don’t want to be just throwing money away; we want to invest in programs that have consistently showed measureable progress such as, The New School at South Shore. Nothing is free. That especially includes education.  So, we must invest our money wisely.

You can stream the whole movie, Paramount Duty here.

You can learn more about The New School at South Shore by watching this introduction clip, Pre-Kindergarten – 3^rd grade: A New Beginning for American Education.

You can also follow a fellow LEV staffer, Hannah Lidman’s blog on early education and K-12 finance.

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For the third summer in a row, LEV is excited to host a Rainier Scholar. Each year, the Rainier Scholars program invites 60 fifth-grade students of color in the Seattle Public School District to embark on an 11-year journey to prepare them for success in school, college and life. This year, we’re hosting Laura Del Villar-Fox, a rising-senior, who will get to experience activism and politics in action. Below, Laura writes about the Rainier Scholars program and why it has been an important part of her life.

For the past 6 years or so, I have been involved in a program called Rainier Scholars. Never heard of it? Unfortunately, not a lot of people have. Rainier Scholars was jump started by Mr. Bob Hurlbut about eight years ago in hopes of replicating a similar program called Prep for Prep in New York. Rainier Scholars aims to

“cultivate the academic potential of talented and motivated young scholars from ethnic minority backgrounds. By offering access to exceptional educational opportunities and ongoing comprehensive support…”

Each year, after looking through fourth grade WASL scores, Rainier Scholars invites students of color who have passed the reading portion to apply to the program.

After receiving my letter, I was asked to go through several rounds of interviews as well as write an essay or two before being accepted as a Scholar. But once this process had been completed, and I was officially accepted, the real work began.

The summer before my 6^th and 7^th grade year was spent in class, 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, for 6 weeks. This extra schooling was also continued throughout my 6^th grade year, but was only on Wednesdays and all day Saturday. Altogether, this added up to be more than 500 additional hours of homework and was an equivalent of 120 days of school. This intensive academic portion is meant to prepare the scholars for a college-like environment, as well as provide them with the extra-schooling necessary to be accepted into the competitive independent schools throughout Seattle.

Once the academic portion is completed, the program requires us to attend about two leadership retreats per year where we are able to study significant leaders throughout history as well as discover important traits that each leader possessed (including ourselves). Along with these retreats, Rainier Scholars assists Scholars by matching them with internships each summer at businesses and organizations such as local law firms, medical clinics, and non-profit organizations (such as LEV).

On top of all of this, Rainier Scholars provides college support throughout each Scholar’s high school career by providing counselors that meet up with students monthly and SAT prep courses and by working closely with each of our schools to help insure the goal and promise of their program—to send each and every one of us to college.

Luckily, I already knew what I was getting myself into when I applied since my older brother had been one of the first to go through the program. My parents encouraged me to apply because it enabled him to attend Lakeside, one of the top private schools in the state. Also, my parents, at the time, had recently gone back to school to receive their bachelors at the UW (and had been the first in either of their families to earn a college degree).

Realizing the importance of education, my parents wanted to set an example for their children by showing the great effect education can have on your career options as well as your quality of life; and they managed to show me this first-hand by working themselves up from being janitors, to becoming a lawyer and an administrator at the Department of Social and Health Services. Growing up around such inspiring people has helped mold me into a hard-working individual—prepared for a program such as Rainier Scholars.

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On Thursday July 8^th, the room was buzzing with the voices of about 70 youth, parents, activists and leaders from King County. All convened to share culture and to confront adult community leaders about how the effects of institutional racism affect young people’s education and quality of life.

It was hosted by a group called Youth Undoing Institutional Racism (YUIR). YUIR is a youth-centered, youth-run initiative started out of the Seattle Young Peoples Project (SYPP) back in 1999. YUIR meets weekly to empower youth with tools, support, resources and experience to organize for social change. Read up about YUIR here at their website.

If you have a chance to attend there next event, you should. It was rad. After opening with traditional Samoan dances and some spoken word, young people got down to business by posing challenging questions to some of Seattle’s top community leaders. Here’s the list of adults on the panel:

Glen Harris from the mayor’s Race and Social Justice Initiative

Julie Nelson from the Seattle Office of Civil Rights

Nick Metz, Deputy Chief of the Seattle Police Department

Larry Evans, a legislative aid for Larry Gossett

Sili Savusa from the Highline School Board

Questions posed by young people were deep and direct. Questions like “why do schools not teach the histories of People of Color as much as they teach white history? Why do police mistreat communities of color? Why does immigration status bar students from getting financial aid for college? Why is our prison systems spending money to lock people up, but not rehabilitate? Why aren’t teachers evaluated on their understanding of racism? Who keeps police accountable to communities of color? And on and on, like that. Great questions all around!

The answers were honest, too. Nick Metz acknowledged our city’s history of racial division. Julie Nelson said squarely “We need cultural competency training all over this city.” We heard alarming statistics about King County’s prison system—King County is 5.8% black, however 45% of incarcerated youth are black. AND, in the last 10 years incarceration rates have been cut in half but the racial disparity continues to GROW.  We heard about changing the ways schools communicate with parents and families. Most paperwork sent home is only in English, which is a huge burden for parents and families where English is a second language.

At the end, all the community leaders present committed to meeting back with YUIR at least 4 times a year in the future to further the conversation (Metz said he wanted to meet more frequently).

As YUIR’s button pins declare, it was a brilliant night of “Speaking Truth to Power.” This group of young folks and their mentors engaging issues of racism in schools and juvenile justice (pointing out the history of linkage between these two institutions) was powerful!!

For a full review of the Q and A’s, check it out here.

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This summer, LEV managed to reel in 5 new interns who have helped out by joining in on doorbellings as well as writing for the LEV blog.

Here’s a bit more about them:

Stina Janssen

School: Willamette University (now my beloved alma mater)

Studied: Music & American Ethnic Studies, with a dose of Women’s & Gender Studies and Spanish classes tossed in for good measure.

Favorite Subject: Anything taught with a liberatory pedagogy :)

Why are you interning at LEV: Because education justice is a foundational component of the multi-faceted struggle for a more just and healthy society. Unjust Education has been used as a tool to reinforce exploitative social stratification, but it’s power and potential are to truly transform how we do life together. Because I believe in education’s ideal potential, I want to plug myself into the pragmatic, collaborative work of restructuring our education system, learning about policy reform strategies and community organizing first-hand. It’s an honor to spend a summer in the well-oiled and supportive organization that is LEV (even if our trusty printer jams occasionally). It’s inspiring to see all the different ways people engage in healing a broken but promising system, out of hope and trust and love.

What does the future hold? Educating in D.C. public schools for the D.C. Rape Crisis Center through Lutheran Volunteer Corps, starting August! And after that, hopefully more organizing/education/racial justice solidarity work.

Spare time? Loving community; making noise I like to call music (with people); cooking & deep talking with food, a dark microbrew, and chocolate; reading & wishing I could inhale books like I do ice cream.

In Kindergarten…? I pretended I could speak every language in the world. I would speak gibberish in public places and tell people I was fluent in languages such as Russian and Cantonese. My mother would have to explain to awed strangers that I was making it up. Apparently, my accents were quite convincing.

Favorite TV shows? I admit to temporary addictions to The L-Word, whenever in need of a vicarious love life.

Favorite Quote: Cornel West says pithily, “Justice is what love looks like in public.

Stella Day

School: University of Oregon

Major:  Public Policy, Planning and Management with a Political Science minor.

Favorite Subject: I am especially interested in social policy, specifically education and child policy.

Why are you interning at LEV: I am interning at LEV because I am passionate about reforming our education system. I believe that change and progress in our society begins with access to quality education and opportunities for every student.

What does the future hold?  After graduation next year I plan to travel and teach English abroad. I want to pursue a masters degree in Education and Social Policy and work in the educational policy field.

Spare time? I enjoy biking, hiking, playing tennis, skiing, and playing violin.

In Kindergarten…? I wanted to be a fire fighter just like my Dad.

Favorite TV shows? Greys Anatomy and 30 Rock

Favorite Quote: “Be happy in this moment for this moment is your life”

Laura Hagen

School: Claremont McKenna College

Major: Economics and Philosophy

Favorite Subject: Ethics

Why are you interning at LEV: To gain experience in public policy, specifically the role of non-profits in enacting meaningful change in government policies

What does the future hold? Finishing my senior year at CMC

Spare time? In my spare time I enjoy playing/coaching soccer, yoga, boating, watching the World Cup, reading, crossword puzzles and hanging out with friends

In Kindergarten…? I wanted to be a professional soccer player

Favorite TV shows? LOST, Grey’s Anatomy, Weeds, anything on Discovery Channel during Shark Week

Favorite Quote: “It isn’t what you do but how you do it” –John Wooden

Jaunita Flessas

School: University of Washington-Bothell Campus

Major: Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences with a focus in Global Studies

Favorite Subject: Marcoeconomics

Why are you interning at LEV:  I am an advocate  for education because I believe access to a quality education is a human right and that the qualiy of education needs to be improved if the future generations of this country are going to be able to compete in the global marketplace. LEV is a great organization and I believe they are doing a wonderful job at helping Washington schools reach this goal.

What does the future hold? I want to finish my senior year at University of Washington Bothell Campus and get into a good law school.

Spare time? Going out to the movies, bike riding, reading, learning languages

In Kindergarten…? I wanted to be an archaeologist because I loved the Indianna Jones movies and learning about history.

Favorite TV shows? The Good Wife, Two and a Half Men, How I Met Your Mother, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report

Favorite Quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world” –Ghandi

Laura Del Villar-Fox

School: Seattle Prep

Favorite Subject: Anything arts related…sometimes math.

Why are you interning at LEV: I’ve grown up in a home where education is the highest priority; so being able to be a part of an organization that values our education just as much, is an honor.

What does the future hold: The chances of me ending up at the UW in the next year is extremely high, seeing as both my parents and brother attended the school.

Spare Time: I have been doing Mexican Folkloric dance for the past 12 years with a local non-profit group called Joyas Mestizas, I’ve been drumming for the past 4 years and I love to draw in my spare time, especially graffiti.

In Kindergarten…? I wanted to become a chef…but that ended pretty quickly.

Favorite TV shows: The Office, That 70’s Show, really anything that can make me laugh.

Favorite Quote: “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”

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We’ve all seen the ads, DeVry University, University of Phoenix, ITT Technical Institute… the list goes on and on. We know these schools are unique and different from a traditional 4 year university—many offer classes online, are shorter in duration and promise to help place you in your field of work after graduation. They benefit a growing population of low-income and working individuals who require the offered flexibility to further their education.

What also sets these universities a part from traditional colleges and universities is that they make a profit. All other schools, public or private, 2-year schools or 4-year schools, are non-profit organizations.

Recently, for-profit universities have come under heavy scrutiny from congress for abusing federal student aid funding. About 75% of for-profits’ school revenue comes from federal grants and loans.

What we’re seeing in the national trends among college-goers is a little alarming. Roughly 10% of people attending an institute of higher education go to for-profit colleges like DeVry. However, that 10% utilize 24% of the federal student aid. This 24% amounts to something close to $26 billion of tax payers monies that are going into the pockets of for-profit university entrepreneurs.

Frontline recently did a segment called College Inc. that interviewed “education entrepreneurs” to learn more about the world of for-profit education. It raises flags about universities’ recruitment tactics, the price of degrees and the promise of work after college.

If you are considering some form of post-secondary education, its worth your while to watch the Frontline segment! We’ll also be following and posting what congress has to say about the future of profit-generating universities so stay tuned.

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The Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce says so!

Not only are they guaranteeing that there will be jobs, they are also predicting HOW MANY jobs will be available to you, you personally, depending on how far you are through school. Take a look at some of the data here… it is intriguing to say the least. Table here.

In 2018:

If you went the distance for a graduate degree, there will be: 353,000 jobs available to you

If you graduated college with a bachelor’s (4 years of college): 730,000 jobs

Got your associate’s degree (2 years of college): 853,000 jobs

Finished some part of college: 399,000 jobs

Have graduated high school: 888,000 jobs for you

Dropped out of high school or are still finishing up: 325,000 jobs

But take a closer look at the table! It also shows WHICH OCUPATIONS those jobs are available in.

The field with the most available jobs: office administrative support (think Michael Scott!) with 519,000 jobs up for grabs. This field is also relatively friendly to people without college degrees: 229,000 of the 519,000 are slated for people who finished some college or less.

The field with the smallest amount of jobs available in 2018: social scientist (only 21,000 jobs, half of which will require a graduate degree!)

Bottom line: there will be jobs. Twice as many jobs for people who have some level of college education. And those jobs are primarily available in the healthcare, education, science and technology, and professional office management fields. This isn’t groundbreaking information, per say, but it is interesting to consider that of the 51 states, Washington has the 6^th highest percentage of jobs that require post secondary schooling.

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Esther. She’s 99 years old and is hitting the streets to collect signatures in order to get initiative 1098 on this November’s ballot.

Here’s why. Due to recession, Washington’s been cutting back funding for education. Slowly but surely its taking its toll on our schools—class sizes are going up, sports and extracurricular fees are increasing, electives are disappearing, and we don’t have the money to replace textbooks. Not to mention, statewide college tuition is rising and programs to help subsidize students are diminishing.

1098 would create a new and steady funding source for public education.

What’s 1098? It’s a revenue-generating initiative that would tax Washington’s top income earners. That means that if you make over $200,000 dollars a year, you’re getting an additional tax on your income. And guess what, that only applies to 3% of Washington’s population.

In addition to taxing our state’s high-earners, this initiative will cut property tax by 20% and eliminate the Business and Occupation (B&O) tax for 375,000 small businesses. This means tax breaks for more local businesses.

Back to Esther. How incredible is this woman? If you’re 18, sign up here to get the initiative on the November ballot.  If you’re not 18 and want to help out, e-mail me! We’ll be out on the streets, just like Esther, making sure Washington can approve I-1098 this fall.

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On Saturday June 5^th, history was made in Seattle. Over 200 people attended Mayor McGuinn’s Citywide Congress (indoors! Despite the gorgeous weather) to hash out what we think are Seattle’s biggest issues.

Over the past five months, League of Education Voters and the Mayor’s office have been collecting input from community organizations across Seattle. We asked everybody two questions:

1. If we took the next five years to improve Seattle by investing money into programs that serve youth and families, what would that look like? What is your “dream” version of Seattle?
2. What are the problems facing your community that are preventing us from achieving that goal?

The people spoke on behalf of youth and families. Young people spoke, too. When the youth who attended were asked to sift through the lists and lists of issues people had with public schools, this is what they said were the most important items:

Curriculum:

1. less busy work, more learning
2. new generation of students need a new curriculum
3. more elective classes like art and music
4. exempting alternative high schools from district wide curriculum alignments

Teacher Quality:

1. Eliminate the teacher tenure process
2. Change lay-offs based on seniority, keep the best teachers and not the oldest
3. Include student feedback in teacher evaluations
4. More diversity in our teaching pool

Job Training/Internships:

1. More opportunities for activities outside of schools

Immigration Reform/Dream Act

1. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to attend school
2. We need more teachers who are bilingual
3. More interpreters in our schools for family outreach

Early Learning should be required and free for all, its easier to learn when you’re young

Mentoring/Academic Support

1. More mentors in our schools
2. More help when students need it
3. More tutoring, classroom support and home visits

For the full list, here is the link. It’s worth checking out—this document will govern how Mayor McGuinn plans to spend the money raised in 2011’s education and families levy.

The Mayor’s next steps are to take Seattle’s priorities and create task forces to dive deep. You can track the progress of these committees on the website here.

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Have something you want to say? Been trying to get some face time with the Mayor? Tomorrow is your chance… Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods and the Seattle Youth Commission are hosting a Youth Town Hall from 12:00-3:00 at the Vera Project. Peep the flyer below:

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