Seattle, WA
Seattle Public Schools axes gifted learning over racial equity – The Heartlander
(The Lion) — If there was ever any doubt that “equity” was code for “worse education,” Seattle Public Schools has officially confirmed it.
In its crusade to achieve racial equity, SPS is effectively axing its gifted learning program, and even the teachers aren’t happy about it.
Back in 2021, SPS started developing its new “Highly Capable Neighborhood School Model,” which keeps advanced learners in the same classroom as their less academically inclined peers.
Hypothetically, teachers would provide additional services to the gifted students while providing regular instruction to everyone else.
The problem?
“I was a classroom teacher for 14 years,” said Reby Parsley of the Washington Association of Educators of the Talented and Gifted. “It’s really hard to provide services to students when you have a group of kindergarteners learning phonics and then you have a kindergarten[er] that’s, like, fluently reading Harry Potter.”
Seattle’s gifted learners were those who tested in the 98th percentile or higher and simply needed a different learning environment.
Previously, those students could attend a highly capable cohort (HCC) school with similarly advanced learners, and parents were grateful for the opportunity.
“It was a real lifesaver,” recalled Katie McAllister, whose son learned to read at age 4. “I don’t know what would’ve happened if he was in a neighborhood school because he can be really frustrating (to the teachers around him) if he’s not challenged.”
Now, gifted learners will experience exactly that.
According to The Seattle Times, teachers also will be required to create individualized learning plans for every single student – something no one has the time or resources to do.
Though the new model is worse for students, parents and teachers, it does claim to improve one thing: racial equity.
White and Asian students perform better on average in Seattle – and nationwide – than Hispanic and black students, and therefore are slightly overrepresented in HCC schools.
“Numbers would suggest that within our city … predominantly white children are more gifted than other cultures and races, and we know that is absolutely not true,” said Kari Hanson, SPS’s director of student support services.
When the Seattle school board voted to phase out HCC schools in 2020, even black parents protested, but were accused of being “tokenized.”
Sadly, public schools nationwide are dumbing down their academics for the same reason.
Chicago’s school board recently considered a pro-neighborhood school measure to prevent students from testing into “selective enrollment” schools – ones with much better academic outcomes.
Other districts are axing advanced math classes and homework, and inflating grades, all in pursuit of equal outcomes across racial demographics.
However, not all communities are taking the changes lying down.
In March, San Franciscans won a huge victory at the ballot box, approving a measure to reinstate algebra in 8th grade, nearly a decade after it was removed for the sake of equity.
1994
December 15, 2025 (10:43 pm)
Would be interesting to know how many casings the police department finds weekly, monthly, and yearly…. gunfire is either being reported more often and checked upon by the police, or increasing in frequency.
Seattle, WA
Evacuations ordered in 3 south Seattle suburbs after levee fails after week of heavy rain
SEATTLE (AP) – Officials ordered immediate evacuations in three south Seattle suburbs Monday after a levee failed following a week of heavy rains.
The evacuation order from King County in Washington state covered homes and businesses east of the Green River in parts of Kent, Auburn and Tukwila.
Emergency shelters have been set up at the following locations:
- Auburn Community and Event Center, 910 9th St. SE, Auburn, WA, 98002
- Ray of Hope Shelter, 2806 Auburn Way N. Auburn, WA, 98002
- Evergreen State Fairgrounds, 14405 179th Ave. SE., Monroe, WA 98272 (Open 24 hours) – Pets welcomed
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning covering nearly 47,000 people.
“Conditions are dangerous and access routes may be lost at any time,” the weather service said in a post on X.
The levee breach followed a week of heavy rain and flooding that inundated communities, forced the evacuations of tens of thousands of people, and prompted scores of rescues throughout western Washington state
Copyright 2025 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved.
The Seattle Mariners have emerged as one of two front-runners in trade talks with the St. Louis Cardinals for utilityman Brendan Donovan, The Athletic’s Katie Woo reported on Saturday.
Drayer: How Polanco’s departure impacts Seattle Mariners’ offseason
Woo reported a league source said trade discussions between the Mariners and Cardinals have been heating up since the Winter Meetings, and that switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje and outfielder Lazaro Montes – two of Seattle’s top-seven prospects, per MLB pipeline – are two names St. Louis has inquired about, among others.
The Cardinals will not trade Donovan unless they are “blown away” by the return, and it’s believed they are looking for at least two prospects, per Woo’s reporting.
The San Francisco Giants were the other of the two front-runners Woo named. She also said that both the Mariners and Giants remain engaged in talks with the Arizona Diamondbacks about second baseman Ketel Marte.
Can the M’s give up what Arizona wants for a Ketel Marte trade?
Donovan, who will turn 29 next month, has two years of club control remaining. He’s played every position except catcher during his four-year career, with the majority of his time coming at second base and left field. He would figure to mainly factor in at second base and third base for the Mariners, who have young players like Cole Young, Ben Williamson and Colt Emerson vying for time at those positions.
Donovan was a first-time All-Star in 2025, batting .287 with a .353 on-base percentage, .422 slugging percentage, .775 OPS, 32 doubles, 10 home runs and 50 RBIs in 118 games. His 13% strikeout rate ranked in the 92nd percentile of big league hitters and his 13.4% whiff rate in the 95th percentile, per Baseball Savant.
Over four MLB seasons, Donovan has a career .282 average with a .361 on-base percentage, .411 slugging percentage, .772 OPS, 97 doubles, 40 homers and 202 RBIs in 492 games. He won the NL Gold Glove for utility players during his rookie season in 2022.
As for the prospects Woo reported the Cardinals inquiring about, the 22-year-old Cijntje is Seattle’s No. 7 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The unique pitcher had a 3.99 ERA and 1.22 WHIP while holding opponents to a .207 average, striking out 120 batters and walking 51 in 108 1/3 innings pitched over 26 appearances (23 starts) across High-A and Double-A in 2025.
The 21-year-old Montes is considered to be the best power-hitting prospect in the Mariners’ farm system and is their No. 3 overall farmhand, per MLB Pipeline. The slugging outfielder hit .241 with a .354 on-base percentage, .504 slugging percentage, .858 OPS, 19 doubles, seven triples, 32 home runs, 89 RBIs, 83 walks and 169 strikeouts over 131 games across High-A and Double-A this year. Montes finished tied for third in home runs among minor leaguers across all levels.
The report that the M’s are one of the top contenders for Donovan came on the same day as they lost out on re-signing their top remaining free-agent target, second baseman/designated hitter Jorge Polanco, who reportedly agreed to a two-year, $40 million deal with the New York Mets.
More Seattle Mariners offseason coverage
• Backup catcher target emerges for Seattle Mariners, per reports
• Drayer: Mariners’ plan for 2B and 3B coming more into focus
• Salk: What we know and think about Seattle Mariners’ offseason needs
• Why Nolan Arenado could make sense as a Seattle Mariners trade target
• Drayer: Mariners’ plan for 2B and 3B coming more into focus
• The one move Passan says could make Mariners the AL favorites
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