There are few things more important than our children's education. As a parent of school-age kids, I'm steeped in concerns about the size of their classes, which teachers they get, how I can fit in volunteer hours to support their school, and so many other things having to do with the education and learning of my children.
And yet this is a particularly challenging time for public education. The double-dip recession has led to budget cuts upon budget cuts. In this issue of the magazine, our education issue, we asked the League of Education Voters to explain why they joined in the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Initiative 1053, which requires a two-thirds vote in the state legislature to raise any tax or fee. It's an education issue, they explain, because it hampers the ability of state government to raise more money to fund education.
In the "Fridge Door" section of the magazine you'll find information about Seattle's Family & Education Levy, which is up for renewal on the November ballot. The Levy provides critical support to students and their families, and we urge you to vote "yes." We also have a story about the Seattle School Board race and encourage you to go to www.SeattlesChild.com to find all of the candidates' full responses to the questionnaire we sent out. Their answers were thorough and thoughtful and deserve a read by anyone who cares about public education in Seattle.
Finally, our main feature story talks about international education – the demand for it, attempts to expand it, and why budget cuts are slowing progress on this front in the Seattle School District.
Working on this issue was an education for me. I hope you'll learn something, too.
Ruth Schubert
Managing Editor
