Seattle STR Grant App

RTTT P1 Proposal for the
Seattle Teacher Residency for 2013-14


1. Problem of Practice
For the questions in this section, use disaggregated data about specific
subgroups of students (i.e. African American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native
American, Latino students, students who are English Language Learners, and
students receiving Special Education services) as the basis for your answers.
Provide evidence that racial inequities and other opportunity gaps are
understood and addressed.

1a. Identify a problem of student learning that your project will impact. Describe
that problem in concrete terms including specifically which students will be
impacted.


The core problem of student learning that the Seattle Teacher Residency (STR)
addresses is that on average, academic achievement among low income students,
students of color, English language learners (ELL), and students who require special
education (SPED) is lower than that of other students. Several data document the gap
at Seattle Public Schools (SPS).

The on-time (4-year) graduation rates of students of color trail the 84% rate of white
students by 2 to 24 percentage points depending on the subgroup. The table below
documents the rates of the distinct subgroups and students of color as a whole.

2012 FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION RATES BY RACE/ETHNICITY
SUBGROUP 2012 Cohort Graduated in 4 Years Rate
GAP
(Compared to White)
American Indian 53 33 62.3% -22.2 points
Asian/Pac. Islander 831 629 75.7% -8.7 points
Black/Afr. American 781 471 60.3% -24.1 points
Hispanic/Latino 374 226 60.4% -24.0 points
Multiracial 63 52 82.5% -1.9 points
TOTAL NON-WHITE 2,102 1,411 67.1% -17.3 points
White 1,246 1,052 84.4%

Low income students (regardless of race/ethnicity) also have lower on time graduation
rates. This is important because 49 of Seattle’s public schools – nearly half - have
Free/Reduced Lunch (FRL) enrollment rates above 40%, which is the threshold for
federal Title I support.
1
As the table below indicates, the gap between students eligible

1
Appendix A shows the enrollment and FRL rate of each Seattle school (source: OSPI’s report generator at
http://data.k12.wa.us/PublicDWP/web/Washingtonweb/DataTables/StudentNeedDTViewer.aspx)
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 2 of 34

for the FRLP program and other students is over 20%.

2012 FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION RATES BY FRL ELIGIBILITY
SUBGROUP 2012 Cohort Graduated in 4 Years On-time Rate
FRL Students (all races) 1,738 1,110 63.9%
Non-FRL (all races) 1,610 1,353 84.0%
GAP -20.1 Points

Achievement gaps are seen at all grade levels. The table below shows large
performance gaps between 3
rd
through 5
th
grade students of color and other students in
Washington’s 2012 Measures of Student Progress (MSP) exam. (STR will be placing
residents in these grades in 2013-14; when they complete their residencies next
summer, they will be hired in these grades for 2014-15.)

2012 MSP PASS RATES of 3
rd
to 5
th
GRADERS BY RACE/ETHNICITY
SUBGROUP READING MATH WRITING SCIENCE
American Indian 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander 54.9% 55.3% 49.2% 52.4%
Black 37.5% 29.2% 33.3% 26.4%
Hispanic 28.3% 22.3% 27.3% 26.3%
TOTAL NON-WHITE 40.7% 36.3% 36.6% 35.6%
White 86.2% 82.2% 75.4% 88.0%
GAP -45.5% pts -45.8% pts -38.8% pts -52.4% pts

The two tables below show the percentages of 3
rd
through 5
th
grade low income, ELL
and SPED students district-wide who met the MSP grade-level standard.

2012 MSP PASS RATES of 3
rd
to 5
th
GRADERS: FRL vs. Non-FRL
SUBGROUP READING MATH WRITING SCIENCE
FRL 51.4% 43.1% 49.9% 42.5%
Non-FRL 86.5% 82.6% 78.4% 87.1%
GAP -35.0 pts -39.4 pts -28.5 pts -44.6 pts


2012 MSP PASS RATES of 3
rd
to 5
th
GRADE ELL and SPED STUDENTS
SUBGROUP READING MATH WRITING SCIENCE
English Language Learners 30.2% 22.0% 25.5% 28.5%
Special Education Students 23.3% 23.5% 28.2% 15.6%

Schools with higher than average enrollment of these subgroups tend to have lower
overall school performance than schools with lower numbers of these groups
2
(although
there are some notable exceptions).



2
According to the SPS Performance Segmentation Framework, the average performance of schools where FRL
enrollment is 40% or higher is lower than performance of other schools. See Appendix B.
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 3 of 34


Students to be Impacted by the Seattle Teacher Residency Project
Seattle Teacher Residency’s mission is to accelerate student achievement through the
preparation, support, and retention of a group of exceptional teachers who reflect the
rich diversity in Seattle Public Schools. Guided by Urban Teacher Residencies (UTRU),
3

the four Seattle Teacher Residency partners have recently completed a full year of
program development and curriculum design of a new teacher pipeline specifically
dedicated to improving student achievement at high need schools in Seattle. Twenty-
five (25) highly qualified and diverse residents have been accepted into the program
and now comprise Cohort One. They have committed the next 14 months to an
intensive classroom-based training program that will lead to a Masters in Teaching
(MIT) from the UW College of Education. After they successfully complete their
residencies, they will fulfill the commitment they have made to teach in high-need
schools in Seattle for at least five years. This first cohort of 25 residents started their
graduate level coursework in July 2013.
4
Later this month, they will be assigned to one
of five high-need schools that STR has selected as training sites for 2013-14.

Long range, STR intends to impact all of Seattle’s high-need schools. Factors that STR
considers in determining which schools are “high-need” include: Title I status;
5

enrollment of students of color, English language learners (ELL) and Special Education
students (SPED); and academic performance. While the exact number of high-need
schools may vary from year to year due to changes in demographics and performance
levels, the 49 schools where FRL enrollment is 40% or higher are the ones we consider
in our initial review (see Appendix A). These schools are potentially eligible to be
considered as training and/or induction sites (an “induction” school is one that hires an
STR-trained graduate who has successfully completed the training). Continual analysis
of district data and need will determine where residents are placed; accordingly, STR
graduates might not be inducted at the same high-need schools at which they were
trained. However, because training sites and induction sites meet the same criteria, the
high-need context in which residents are trained will be the same as that where they are
hired.

From among the district’s high-need schools, STR has selected five to serve as training
sites for the first cohort of 25 STR residents in 2013-14. The five schools are
characterized by:

 Above average enrollment of low income students, students of color, ELL and/or
SPED students;
 A need for stronger academic performance; and

3
Urban Teacher Residence Unite is the national network of high quality residencies that provides training, technical
assistance, best practices, research, networking, tools for evaluation and quality assurance and other services.
www.utrunited.org
4
These graduate level courses are being taught by UW College of Education faculty and others at Northgate
Elementary School.
5
The data show that the performance gap of low income students compared to their non-low income peers is greater
than the performance gap between students of color (as a group) and Caucasian students.
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 4 of 34

 Leadership and faculty commitment to collaborate with STR to improve
outcomes.

As the table below documents, the five STR training sites have significantly higher
numbers of low income students, students of color, ELL, and SPED students than other
schools. (The last row of the table provides comparative figures.)

School
(STR Training Site)
Total
Enrollment
FRL
Rate
Students
of Color
ELL
Rate
SPED
Rate
Hawthorne Elem
6
321 76.0 88.7% 19.3 13.1%
John Muir Elem 459 66.1 82.8% 20.2 6.5%
Leschi Elem 366 58.5 74.3% 12.6 7.7%
Madrona K8 275 71.7 81.7% 0.7 12.6%
Olympic Hills Elem 271 71.2 76.7% 21.8 18.8%
STR TOTAL/AVG 1,692 68.1% 81% 15.4% 11.0%
DISTRICT TOTAL/AVG 50,673 40.3% 56% 9.3% 12.4%
TRAINING SITES vs. DISTRICT +28 pts +25 pts +6.1 pts -1.4 pts

The following table shows the distinct student-of-color populations at the five schools.

DIVERSE ENROLLMENT AT THE 2013-14 STR TRAINING SITES
School N
American
Indian
Asian/ Pac
Islander
Black/ Afr
American
Hispanic/
Latino
Multi-
racial White
Hawthorne 321 0.3% 18.7% 41.7% 20.2% 7.8% 11.2%
John Muir 459 0.7% 19.8% 41.6% 10.0% 9.8% 18.1%
Leschi 366 1.1% 5.2% 47.3% 9.8% 11.5% 25.1%
Madrona 275 0.4% 2.9% 65.5% 6.5% 5.8% 18.9%
Olympic Hills 271 1.1% 11.1% 26.2% 25.5% 11.4% 24.7%

Academic performance of 3
rd
to 5
th
graders at the five training sites lags that of peers as
documented in the table below.

3
rd
to 5
th
Graders at STR Training Sites Meeting MSP Standard in 2013
School Reading Math Writing Science
Hawthorne 43.8% 43.2% 35.4% 44.7%
John Muir 63.6% 58.9% 47.6% 53.9%
Leschi 61.8% 45.8% 41.2% 48.6%
Madrona K8 52.3% 41.9% 50.0% 32.4%
Olympic Hills 74.2% 58.3% 60.0% 36.3%
STR Avg 3
rd
to 5
th
Graders 59.7% 51.0% 45.4% 44.9%
SPS Avg 3
rd
to 5
th
Graders 78.2% 71.0% 68.8% 74.8%
GAP -18.5 pts -20 pts -23.4 pts -29.9 pts


6
While the STR planning team considers all of these schools to be high-need, only Hawthorne and Madrona (in
italics) are listed in the RFP as high-need.
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 5 of 34

The table below shows the performance level of the five STR sites on the SPS 2011-12
Performance Segmentation framework (performance levels during the 2012-13 school
year will be available in mid-November).
7


STR Training Site
8
Performance
Hawthorne Elem 1 (Very low)
John Muir Elem 1 (Very low)
Leschi Elem 2 (Low)
Madrona K8 3 (Middle)
Olympic Hills 3 (Middle)
AVERAGE 2 (Low)

STR will have both short and long term impact at the training sites (and eventually the
induction sites). The benefits to the training sites in 2013-14 include:

 Coaching and support from STR staff
 Leadership development for mentor teachers that supports and rewards
excellence and promotes retention in high-need schools
 Strong connections with the UW College of Education faculty and access to the
latest in educational theory and research
 Multiple teachers in a classroom to allow for increased differentiation and
personalization of instruction (this is of particular benefit to the sub-groups of
students that RTTT is targeting)

Since the training sites and the induction sites meet the same criteria in terms of need,
the schools where STR graduates are hired after successfully completing their training
will be consistent with the contexts in which they were trained. These schools will be
the district’s highest priority for hiring STR graduates when they complete their
residencies in the summer of 2014.
9



1b. Describe the problem of teaching practice that your investment will impact.
Articulate a specific rationale for why you believe the problem of teaching
practice contributes to the problem of student learning.

The research is clear: teacher quality is the most important in-school factor affecting
student learning in schools,
10
and low income students and students of color are

7
The Performance Segmentation Framework (or "level system") is based on a multi-factor formula that takes into
account two categories of data: performance growth and absolute outcomes. Schools evaluated as levels 1 and 2 are
considered "low performing" and those evaluated as levels 4 and 5 are considered "high performing." The levels are
determined and announced each fall for the preceding school year. For further information see http://goo.gl/vmIHG.
8
While the STR planning team considers all of these schools to be high-need, only Hawthorne and Madrona (in
italics) are listed in the RFP as high-need.
9
Hiring is subject to vacancies, funding, the collective bargaining agreement with teachers, and SPS discretion.
10
National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, What Matters Most: Teaching for America’s Future, 1996,
http://nctaf.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/WhatMattersMost.pdf
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 6 of 34

disproportionately impacted by variations in teacher quality.
11

High-need students – low income, students of color, ELL and SPED students - do not
have equitable access to highly effective teachers. This is the specific teacher capacity
issue that the STR is designed to address through the recruitment, preparation and
retention of highly effective teachers. STR seeks to make high-need students less
vulnerable to variations in teacher quality by providing a pipeline of highly effective and
diverse new teachers for the students who need them the most.
Teacher Preparation
The core problem that STR addresses is that traditional teacher training, induction and
support is not adequate to address the problem of low student achievement in Seattle’s
high-need schools. In short, there is a mismatch between teacher preparation and the
human capital needs of high-need schools.

Traditional models of teacher education do not always prepare educators to meet the
learning needs of all public school students.
12
District and State K-12 leaders have
consistently called upon higher education to supply teachers better able to meet
districts-specific challenges. In particular, K-12 leaders have highlighted the inability to
retain and attract high quality teachers as indication of the need for higher education to
better align preparation with district need.

The University of Washington, College of Education has been a national leader in
pioneering clinical approaches to teacher education including a focus on preparing
teachers for diverse, high poverty urban schools. Despite this movement of some in the
field of teacher education in general, and the UW COE in particular, a need still exists to
create district-specific and deeply embedded models of teacher preparation. One of the
key reasons for this is that traditional models of teacher education do not always
prepare emerging educators for these specific environments.
13
While traditional
university-based programs may offer well-designed opportunities for prospective
teachers to simultaneously learn content and pedagogy, those experiences may still be
disconnected from the real-life experience in a classroom.
14
As a result, many teachers
enter the classroom unprepared to work with high-need students and may not have the
knowledge of community and culturally relevant pedagogy that will enable them to teach
effectively in these schools.
15





11
Teachers, Schools, and Academic Achievement, Rivkin, Hanushek, Kain, 2005,
http://hbanaszak.mjr.uw.edu.pl/TempTxt/HanushekRivkinKain+Ecta+2005.pdf
12
Traditional admissions criteria, for example, are often based on academic background, test scores, and other
factors that have not been linked to teacher effectiveness. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/
teachercharacteristicsjuly2011.pdf and http://www.dartmouth.edu/~dstaiger/Papers/w14485.pdf
13
While there is growing attention to residencies as a pathway to improving teacher quality, there are responsive,
well-designed traditional programs. Different approaches can and do exist along with traditional entry ways in the
same district, including Seattle. At UW, there are currently master’s degree certification programs in elementary,
secondary, and special education which could be considered traditional university post baccalaureate programs and
an alternative certification program for Teach for America teachers.
14
http://www.aspeninstitute.org/sites/default/files/content/docs/pubs/FINAL.CREATINGANDSUSTAININGUTR.PDF
15
Center for Teaching Quality report, page 8: http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/HE/mf_nationalstrategyforumreport.pdf
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 7 of 34

Other Teaching Practice Issues
Additional factors that contribute to low achievement at high-need schools include:

 Comparatively low retention of teaching talent at high-need schools negatively
impacts performance; and
 The demographics of the student population are not reflected in the teaching
corps;
 Teacher isolation prevents teachers from developing their practice through
shared expertise and professional community.

Teacher Retention
Nationally, 50% of urban school teachers leave their jobs within three years, and
underperforming schools have the lowest teacher retention rates. Moreover, teacher
retention at high-need schools tends to be lower than at other schools. Studies
consistently show that teachers who are better trained and more experienced are less
likely to be serving academically disadvantaged students.
16
Teachers who take
positions in high-need schools and become more skillful over time are more likely to
leave these settings to teach in higher achieving schools (or even leave the profession).
The “revolving-door effect” that results from high teacher turnover disadvantages
students by continuously placing new and inexperienced teachers in their classrooms;
thus the schools that need effective educators the most are often the least likely to have
them. As a result, the schools that need effective educators the most are denied the
benefits of the growing effectiveness of promising teachers.
17


The focused preparation that includes the intensive year of classroom-based training at
a high-need school, the STR faculty support that STR residents receive, and the six-
year commitment that residents make to high-need Seattle schools will increase the
retention rates at these schools. Increasing retention will coincidentally result in an
economic benefit to the district.

Teacher Diversity
The diversity of the SPS student enrollment is not reflected in the teaching corps.
Currently, 20% of teachers in SPS are people of color as compared to 57% students of
color (and higher in high need schools). Research, including a 2004 study by the
National Education Association, confirms that increasing racial and ethnic diversity in
the teaching force is directly linked to closing the achievement gap. A literature review
shows three benefits result from bringing more teachers of color into American
classrooms:

 Teachers of color produce better academic results for students, notably
students of color.
 Teachers of color provide positive effects on teaching and the classroom.

16
The association between low teacher retention and low school performance is documented at http://goo.gl/Vcnmg,
http://goo.gl/XYI0N and http://goo.gl/EtjwR
17
http://www.stanford.edu/~sloeb/papers/ExplaingtheShort.pdf
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 8 of 34

 Teachers of color provide needed teachers in hard-to-staff schools.
(Villegas, A.M., & Irvine, J.J., 2010)

The teachers that STR brings into the district will more closely reflect the diversity of the
students in the nigh-need schools and we expect that the recruitment and screening
practices that STR deploy will impact the district’s own processes. (See section 2f
below for details.)

Isolation
Teacher isolation is a pervasive problem in most schools. Classroom structures are
based on turn-of-the 20
th
century assumptions about efficiency. These structures are
detrimental to a teacher’s work life and often prevent educators from developing
instructional leadership skills that support student learning. Convening with a
community of educators that have common student achievement goals eliminates
isolation and provides opportunities for reflection and feedback. The results are
improved skills and enhanced ability to assess what children need to reach higher
standards.
18
Research on teacher leaders, those who work with other educators to
improve instruction, indicates that collaboration helps change teachers’ practice in ways
that may impact student outcomes.
19


The STR requires intensive collaboration among teachers, and will prepare residents
who are skilled at co-planning, co-teaching, and collaborative analysis of student
learning data. They will be better equipped to participate in and lead teacher teams in
meeting the needs of diverse learners, including ELLs and students requiring Special
Education services. Through a cohort model for both Residents and Mentors,
opportunities to collectively reflect on the work are an integral component of the
residency program. Residents participate in coursework together and are placed in
cohorts are Partner Schools such that their own learning is a process by which they
share and reflect on experiences that connect what they have learned in coursework
and its application in classrooms. Mentor-teachers as well will be continuously brought
together to build a unique learning community of district-specific teacher-educators who
will reflect on implementation of the program and the value added to both their own
practice as well as to student learning.

1c. What is the current analysis of existing teaching capacities? What current
capacities exist to use strategies that raise academic outcomes for specific
student subgroups?

High teacher mobility and relatively low effectiveness present challenges in some of the
district’s high-need schools. As documented in section 1a, there are too many low
income, students of color, ELL and SPED students who do not have equitable access to
highly effective teachers. The commitment of all four governing body members is to
create opportunities for highly competent educators to impact students who have the
greatest need. The Seattle Teacher Residency will help the district this do this.

18
https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2012/01/24/the-detriment-of-teacher-isolation/
19
See http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/Transformingteaching2012.pdf and http://www.mspkmd.net/index.php?page=09_2b
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 9 of 34

For the 2011-2012 school year, nine new teachers were hired at the five schools that
are now designated as the STR training sites for 2013-14. Eight of these nine teachers
were rated “Proficient” or “Innovative” by their principal. These ratings are based on
summative evaluation ratings based on Charlotte Danielson’s “Framework for Teaching”
which was adopted by Seattle Public Schools as their evaluative framework.

With respect to measuring performance differences between STR graduates and
teachers who enter SPS through other pathways, we plan to use summative evaluation
ratings consistent with Washington’s new teacher evaluation requirements (Washington
Senate Bill 5895). Starting at the end of STR graduates’ first year of teaching, and
annually thereafter, we will compare the ratings of teachers who enter through STR with
the ratings of teachers who enter SPS through other pathways and who started the
same year in other high-need elementary schools. We also will use student growth to
compare residents against their traditionally trained peers. Lastly, we will look at site-
specific survey data around metrics of school culture. For the connection to the district’s
newly adopted instructional and leadership framework, please see the answer to
question 2(c).


2. System Level Plan – Theory of Action
For the questions in this section, demonstrate how specific actions expand
systemic opportunities and support for specific subgroups of students (i.e.
African American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Latino, students who
are ELL, and students receiving Special Education services).

2a. Identify specific actions to address the problem of teaching practice and who
should take those actions (e.g. which particular central office staff, school
principals, teacher leaders, etc., in which high needs schools).

Theory of Action Based on What Students Need
In general, what students at Seattle’s high-need schools need is the educational support
required to be successful in school and in life. Stated another way, these students need
an equitable educational system that responds strategically to performance and
opportunity gaps that affect subgroups across the system. While there may be no
single “silver bullet” or strategy to eliminate the gap, no sustainable progress can be
made without fundamentally changing human capital systems. A core component to
review is teacher recruitment, training and support. We believe that a system that
wants to impact high-need schools and students would be well-served to hire teachers
who:
 Are familiar with the social contexts and educational challenges of the local high-
need population
 Demonstrate cultural competence vis-à-vis the distinct subgroups in the high
need schools
 Receive quality clinical training directed at improving achievement of students of
color, ELL and/or SPED students in high-need schools where they were “field
tested” and demonstrated their ability to impact student achievement
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 10 of 34

 Are committed long-term to improving outcomes among high need students in
the district

The Seattle Teacher Residency STR is a human capital strategy designed to improve
performance at Seattle’s low performing, high-need schools. It is a teacher recruitment,
training, induction and support system that will create a sustainable pipeline of teachers
prepared for the specific context of low achieving schools with high populations of
students of color, ELL and/or SPED students.

The theory of action is that a rigorous, district-specific, classroom-based training
program that embeds the work of teacher preparation directly into practice at high-need
schools, and which focuses specifically on the needs of students of color, low income,
ELL and SPED students, will improve academic achievement of these students and
narrow the opportunity gap.

Urban teacher residencies (UTRs) adapt the medical residency model to teacher
preparation. UTRs are systemic solutions designed to accelerate student achievement
through the training, support and retention of excellent teachers. UTRs blend a full year
of classroom apprenticeship with aligned, graduate-level course work and an intensive
resident/mentor partnership. Distinguished from traditional teacher training programs,
residencies are built around field-based work supported by theoretical learning, as
opposed to university-based studies accompanied by field experiences.

Of the many attributes of the residency approach, foremost is the model’s ability to be
“district-responsive.” This approach better enables a school district to prepare
teachers to meet the needs of the student population.

This month, 25 residents are being assigned to classrooms of 25 strategically selected
teacher-mentors with whom they will work closely for the full 2013-14 school year. At
the same time, residents take graduate level coursework in which STR/UW faculty will
help them integrate their experience consistent with academic theory and best
practices. Each resident has made a 6-year commitment to high-need SPS schools:
one year of residency followed by five years of teaching.
20


The STR curriculum committee, comprised of university and district educators, has
done innovative work developing the course sequence for residents. The curriculum
integrates theory and practice with particular attention to issues of inequity. It reflects
Common Core standards, SPS’ new teacher evaluation framework, and Washington
state competencies for teacher education. Coursework and tasks are embedded in the
context of working with children. Two documents, “STR Residency Gateways” and
“Core Practices and Principles,” reflect key elements of the curriculum (see Appendices
C and D).



20
Employment is subject to successful completion of the residency, vacancies at high need schools consistent with
the candidates’ qualifications, the collective bargaining agreement with SEA, and SPS hiring policies and discretion.
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 11 of 34

Expanding Opportunities for Students of Color
In developing the STR curriculum, the curriculum team embedded a strong focus on
cultural awareness and responsiveness. The objective is to cultivate in the residents an
awareness of how their own racial identify informs how they view and relate to children
in their classrooms. A focus on social justice with attention to issues of race and equity
has been integrated throughout both the content and the foundational courses, including
those that address classroom management and the social/cultural foundations of
education. Rather than targeting any specific subgroup of students, STR aims to
prepare residents to be able to adapt to the cultural, economic and community context
into which they are hired.

By emphasizing an asset model and the relational aspects of teaching, the curriculum
reinforces the need to make connections not only with students, but also with families,
communities, and colleagues. With this foundation, teachers will plan their instruction
mindful of the backgrounds and cultures of their students, the nature and extent of their
needs, and the ways they can access resources to meet those needs.

In Seattle, nearly 60% of students are students of color; yet only 20% of teachers are
teachers of color. Research documents the impact that a diverse teaching force can
have on the performance of students of color.
21
Accordingly, STR committed to
recruiting qualified cohort members who much more closely reflect the diversity of the
student body. By targeting diverse referral sources and specifically engaging diverse
communities, STR created a cohort for the 2013-14 school year in which 60% (15) of
the 25 residents are highly qualified residents of color.

Race/Ethnicity Cohort One Residents
American Indian/Alaska Native 0
Asian/Pacific Islander 4
Black/African American 6
Hispanic/Latino 1
Multi-racial 4
White 10

Expanding Opportunities for ELL and SPED Students
Over 120 languages/dialects are spoken by SPS students and an increasing number of
students require SPED services; thus teachers qualified to teach ELL and SPED are in
high demand and STR is designed to respond to that need (among others).

All high-need students in the STR training sites will benefit from having two, committed
adults in the classroom (the resident and the mentor-teacher). The increased
differentiation and personalization of instruction that results from this will be a particular
advantage for ELL and SPED students.


21
See Assessment of Diversity in America’s Teaching Force (http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/he/diversityreport.pdf).
For other research confirming the academic impacts of highly effective teachers of color, see http://goo.gl/LkPq1.

Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 12 of 34

The STR curriculum incorporates effective, research-proven strategies for supporting
ELL and SPED needs learners. Residents will have a strong background in both when
they are recommended for their initial teacher license and Elementary Education
Endorsement. In addition, all STR residents are required to earn a second endorsement
related to teaching ELL or SPED students. (We call this the “1+1” model). Content
includes an attention to SPED law, understanding IEPs, classroom management
focused on a positive learning environment, and ELL strategies. The residents will learn
how to engage in lesson modification and adaptation to meet the needs of individual
learners. This includes changes to the curriculum, lesson delivery, use of strategic peer
partnering and the physical instructional environment.

With respect to ELL, the residents will develop a foundation for the teaching and
learning of EL students with basic knowledge and understanding of the students’
cultural and linguistic diversity, funds of knowledge, second language acquisition,
academic language and levels of English proficiency. Drawing upon this base, residents
will develop those instructional practices that facilitate both their English learner
students' access to the curriculum (for example, making content comprehensible) and
development of the English language. Some of the core practices include: writing and
addressing language objectives in a lesson, providing comprehensible input (e.g., use
of visuals and graphic organizers), structuring student-to-student talk for English
language development; accessing and building background knowledge (for example,
using students' funds of knowledge as a basis for instruction; drawing upon the
students' native languages to support learning; and structuring small group work for
both content and language learning). Next, the focus will be integrating these core
practices into literacy, math, and other content instruction. The model for SPED is much
the same.

Roles of the Partners
Creating a new pipeline of teaching talent specifically trained and committed to
improving student achievement requires numerous actions by a multitude of teams and
individuals. While SPS is a core participant in the project, STR was conceived, planned
and launched through a close and effective working partnership with three other
organizations: the Alliance for Education, the University of Washington College of
Education (UW CoE), and the Seattle Education Association (SEA). There are also
numerous other collaborators and participants. To clarify and confirm specific roles and
responsibilities, the partners developed and executed a Memorandum of Agreement
(MOA). While information about partners’ roles is presented immediately below, the
MOA in Appendix E provides additional detail.

Project Governance and Program Design
The governance team is comprised of the leaders of the four partners.
22
Together they
are responsible for strategic planning, resource development, advocacy,
ambassadorship, and approval of major policies.

22
Representatives of the four partners who comprise STR governance team are: the SPS Superintendent Jose´
Banda, the district’s Planning Director Clover Codd, Alliance CEO Sara Morris, UW College of Education Dean Tom
Stritikus, and SEA President Jonathan Knapp.
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 13 of 34


The 10-member design team is comprised of SPS administrators, principals and
teachers; UW CoE administrators and faculty; the SEA president; and the STR project
director.
23


Guided by Urban Teacher Residence United
24
(UTRU), the STR Design Team devoted
a full year to program design and curriculum development. Team members committed
hundreds of hours to producing these deliverables and bring the project to launch:

 Design of a fully accredited clinically-based curriculum leading to a graduate degree
from the UW College of Education and certification from the state of Washington’s
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

 A program infrastructure that reflects the best practices in the residency field and
includes, among other elements, the criteria and processes for selection of
residents, mentors and school training sites;

 Selection of:
o 25 highly qualified and diverse residents from a variety of backgrounds who now
comprise STR Cohort One;
o Five schools that meet the “high need” criteria established by the design team;
and
o 25 experienced Mentor Teachers who have records of achievement in high- need
schools and who are committed to supporting residents on their paths to become
superior educators.

Role of SPS Staff
 Mentors: The mentors are experienced teachers at the five STR training sites
who are among the most effective educators at those schools. They have been
invited to serve in this all-important role by virtue of their strong performance in
high-need settings. They will be the key to the residents’ teaching careers by
providing day-to-day training, mentoring and guidance through the entire school
year. For additional details about the critical role and activities of the mentor-
teachers, see question 2-F below.

 Principals: Principals provide leadership at the five STR training sites. STR
received proposals from 9 principals to become training sites. We selected five
high need schools based on a number of factors including enrollment levels of
low income, student-of-color enrollment, and ELL and SPED students, as well as

23
Design Team members include (from UW CoE) Elham Kazemi, Associate Dean of Professional Learning (also co-
chairs Curriculum Team) and Ken Zeichner, Director of Teacher Education/ Boeing Professor of Teacher Ed; and
(from SPS) Dan Dizon, Director of Recruitment; Nate Fitzpatrick, Strategic Programs Officer; Paul Robb, Professional
Development Program Manager; Mark Perry, Principal; Concie Pedroza, Principal; Christopher Drape, Star Mentor; &
Carmela Dellino, Regional Executive Director.
24
Urban Teacher Residence Unite is the national network of high quality residencies that provides training, technical
assistance, best practices, research, networking, tools for evaluation and quality assurance and other services. See
www.utrunited.org
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 14 of 34

the principals’ commitments to improving teaching and learning, using data to
inform leadership and instruction, and supporting STR goals and values. We
expect principals to welcome the project and the residents into their schools and
assure that the culture embraces them as contributors to their schools’ academic
achievement goals. They will collaborate with the STR curriculum coordinator
and faculty, and will support the teacher-mentors who will provide day-to-day
training and guidance to their assigned residents.

 SPS Leadership, Cabinet and Administrators: SPS recognizes STR’s immense
value and systemic contributions to our strategic goals. As such, the project is
strongly supported at every level of the district including the school board.

o Superintendent Jose´ Banda fully endorses the project and its objective to
become a pipeline for new teacher talent and has committed resources to
sustain the effort long term.
o The Office of Strategic Planning oversees this strategic effort and investing in
teachers is one component of the Strategic Plan. Clover Codd is a lead
Cabinet member for this project.
o The Professional Development Staff have utilized the expertise of the STAR
Mentors in program and curriculum design. Members of the STAR team are
on the advisory and design teams. STAR Mentors will support residents
through on-site demonstration lessons and core content.
o A Manager of Recruitment is designated in HR to be a point of contact to
ensure all SPS hiring practices, timelines and commitments are followed for
Seattle Teacher Residents.

Role of the Alliance for Education including Project Staff:
The Alliance for Education is Seattle’s local education fund
25
which has been the
district’s strategic partner since 1995. The Alliance was one of the three initiators and
ambassadors for the project, and has been co-leading the initiative since 2011. The
Alliance provides an organizational home for STR; as such, the project director and staff
are employees of the Alliance. In addition, the Alliance’s CEO, Grants Director, and
CFO will continue to devote significant time to project planning, resource development
(including cultivation and solicitation of institutional grants and individual gifts), and
budget management. The specific roles of STR staff are as follows:

 Program Director, Marisa Bier, Ph.D., leads the development and ongoing
management of the residency program and is responsible for the effective
implementation of the program. This includes management across all dimensions
of the program, building and maintaining collaborative, solutions-oriented
relationships with the university, school district, local education fund, host
schools, community organizations, teachers union and principals’ association.
Responsibilities include management of program development and

25
Local education funds (LEFs) are community based organizations in high poverty school districts across the United
States that work with their school districts and communities to improve public education for the nation's most
disadvantaged children. http://publiceducation.issuelab.org/home
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 15 of 34

implementation, attending to finance and budgeting, hiring and supervising of
Residency staff, and program governance. The Program Director is also
responsible for overseeing Resident progress evaluation and making final
program decisions regarding Resident performance. Other duties include: staff
committees and work groups; makes policy recommendations; coordinates
participation of design team members at out-of-state UTRU training events
including site visits to other UTRs; recommends course corrections as needed;
manages project evaluation and performs a wide range of other tasks to assure
the success of the project.

 The Recruiting and Admissions Coordinator is responsible for working with the
STR Program Director and other members of the Seattle Teacher Residency
Team to support the recruitment and admission of residents to the program.
He/she facilitates recruiting efforts, provides outreach to STR partners to support
recruiting, manages recruiting inquiries and activities, and coordinates with UW
CoE to support the application and interview process (Selection Day
26
) for future
residents. The role also includes coordination of selection process and
admission to the program, providing Resident candidates with necessary support
in registering for graduate school, enrolling in the program, seeking financial aid
opportunities, and other relevant information.

 The Field Director is responsible for ongoing program development and
improvement, specifically focused on developing and managing three key
aspects of the residency: (1) the supervision and evaluation of residents, (2)
curriculum integration, and (3) mentor and partner school support. The Field
Director provides essential on-the-ground support to residents and mentors, and
collaborates with training leadership in partner schools to ensure fidelity of
program implementation. He/she will work closely with Instructional Coaches to
ensure consistency of Resident progress evaluation.

 The Curriculum Coordinator position (.5 FTE) is responsible for faithful
implementation of the residency curriculum. This includes assuring coherence
with SPS curricula and practices and coordinating mentor professional
development and support. He/she oversees curriculum implementation,
collaborates with UW faculty/ coursework instructors to align theory and practice,
provides essential on-the-ground support to residents and mentors, and
collaborates with leadership in partner schools to ensure fidelity of program
implementation. The Curriculum Coordinator works closely with the Field Director
to ensure curriculum integration.

Role of the University of Washington College of Education
The Dean of the UW College of Education, Dr. Tom Stritikus, has been a co-leader in
this initiative since planning began over two years ago. The college has contributed

26
Selection Day is held in the spring. It is when qualified residency applicants are invited for onsite interviews of STR
applicants and assessing their performance on several assigned tasks by 25 to 30 evaluators from UW, SPS, SEA,
the Alliance and representatives of diverse education stakeholders.
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 16 of 34

hundreds of hours in the last 24 months to project governance, planning, project design,
proposal writing, and curriculum development.
27
College faculty members lead the
graduate level coursework which started in July 2013 at Northgate Elementary School
and will continue through the completion of second endorsements for all candidates.
The College estimates that candidates will complete 80 credit hours by the end of the
program.

In addition, the College will create opportunities for residents and SPS staff from the five
training sites to engage in ‘learning rotations’ where they will learn about other
opportunities for high-quality instruction for high poverty youth. College faculty and staff
will also participate in project evaluation next summer.

The Dean of the College will ensure that superintendents from the Road Map districts
are made aware of the innovative training model and participate in ongoing discussions
about the benefits to student learning and possibilities for scaling the model.

The Associate Dean for Professional Programs, Dr. Elham Kazemi, who is also an
Elementary Mathematics faculty member, co-chairs the Curriculum Team. Dr. Kazemi
will ensure that the preparation program is built upon solid evidence of effective teacher
education practice and that the College’s other teacher preparation programs benefit
from what STR is learning.

The Managing Director of Teacher Education, Patrick Sexton, will ensure that STR
meets the requirements of an approved preparation program in the state, that the
program remains on solid administrative footing within the University of Washington,
and that process such as admissions, stipend disbursement, certification, etc. are
integrated across all of the STR partners.

Role of the Seattle Education Association (SEA)
The president of the SEA has been an active partner and contributor to the leadership
and design of STR. In addition to serving on the 4-member governance team, he is an
active member of the Design Team and the Advisory Council. The SEA president and
staff:
 Provide a channel of communication with the National Education Association and
the Washington Education Association;
 Promote STR as a potential site to highlight and contribute resources;
 Identify and pursue NEA-related grant opportunities;
 Provide insight into schools with a strong culture and climate whose teachers
are both highly qualified (innovative) and have strong mentorship potential;
 Generate member support through ongoing communication and engagement of
members in the design and implementation;
 Assure that provisions are made and requirements met for hiring residents in
conformity with the CBA between SPS and SEA.


27
Design Team members from UW CoE include: Elham Kazemi, Associate Dean for Professional Programs (who
also co-chairs the Curriculum Team) and Ken Zeichner, Boeing Professor of Teacher Education.
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 17 of 34

2b: Articulate a rationale to support why the specific actions will result in
increased teacher capacity.

The STR program represents a comprehensive strategy for maximizing teacher
effectiveness for high-need students. Strategic recruitment and selection creates a
talent pipeline of highly effective teachers to fill vacancies in high-need schools. A
carefully designed and demanding residency experience optimizes new teacher supply
by ensuring that candidates engage in meaningful clinical preparation and rigorous
assessment of effectiveness prior to becoming a teacher of record.

The placement of STR graduates in high-need induction schools upon completion of
their year-long training concentrates effective teachers where they are needed the most,
while inductee support promotes continued professional growth and increased teacher
effectiveness. The residency model also calls for mentors, master teachers who serve
as teacher educators in the residency program. The role of mentor is a meaningful
career-ladder position that supports and rewards excellence. Furthermore, it allows a
district to retain, leverage, and extend the reach of its most highly effective teacher
leaders in high-need schools.

Our confidence that this program will result in systemic impact and increased teacher
capacity stems from several factors. One is that before and during the project’s design
year (2012-13) STR received (and continues to receive) invaluable training, technical
assistance, and other support through Urban Teacher Residencies United, the national
network of high quality residency programs.
28
The 120+ hours of training, site visits,
consultation and other technical assistance has informed our goals, policies,
procedures, resident, mentor and site selection criteria, and other essential program
elements. Because our program is so well-informed by the experience and best
practices in the national field, we are confident that the systemic impact of the project
will be consistent with other residency projects documented below.

One of the critical program elements informed by our participation in the UTRU network
was the resident recruitment and application processes. STR applicants were required
to complete an application posted on the UW Website and submit three references. In
addition, they were required to respond in writing to essay questions about their
motivation. For example, one question asked how their experience(s) with people who
come from backgrounds different, or with people who have had experiences different
from their own (i.e., race, ethnicity, economic status, religion, sexual orientation,
disability, etc.), impacted them and prepared them for teaching in an urban school.
Another question asked them to consider the STR vision statement and provide specific
examples on how their values and personal story align with it. (See Appendix F.)

After a thorough review of 65 applications, 45 applicants were invited to participate in
“Selection Day,” an intense day of activities that addressed all of the challenges and
complexities of teaching in a high-need elementary school in Seattle. Candidates
participated in a variety of activities, both individual and group, that addressed the

28
See www.utrunited.org.
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 18 of 34

challenges of teaching across several content areas and the important connections
teachers need to make to address inequities for students. Thirty-five STR stakeholders
(including STR staff, UW faculty, representatives of community agencies, and SPS
principals, teachers, and central office staff) participated on the interview and
assessment team. Rubrics were developed for each activity to facilitate ranking of the
candidates. This intensely rigorous resident selection process is one of the reasons,
among others, that we believe the program will achieve the targets we have set.

Ensuring that STR Graduates are Placed in High-Need Schools
STR’s fundamental purpose is to improve teaching and learning in high need schools.
While hiring and school assignments are within the independent discretion of SPS and
subject to the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), SPS and the SEA are among the
core partners in STR’s governing body. As such, they are firmly committed to improving
achievement at high-need schools and to seeing that qualified STR graduates are
placed in those schools consistent with the purpose and goals of this project.

Provisions related to the hiring of residents who successfully complete their year of
residency and become certified are in section 10 of the formal agreement between each
resident and STR, a document to which SPS is a signatory. Among other things, the
agreement obligates the resident to apply for openings at the district’s high-need
schools when they are posted each spring.

SPS will provide a contingency teaching contract to all satisfactorily performing
Residents. The issuance of contingency contracts to residents is subject to approval by
the SPS Board of Directors.

Evidence of Impact
Residencies aim to prepare teachers who are highly effective from day one in the
classroom. Data and individual program evaluation reports from early adopters of the
residency model confirm that urban teacher residencies (UTRs) are preparing strong
new teachers. At the districts being served, these programs are impacting teacher
retention, teacher diversity, principal satisfaction, and, most importantly, student
achievement.

 A Chicago-based residency, the Academy for Urban School Leadership
(AUSL), accepts some of the lowest performing schools in the state. In five
schools, the percentage of students meeting achievement standard increased
between 8 and 60 points.
29

 A report about performance of students taught by graduates of the New York
residency program called “New Visions for Public Schools” shows that
graduates outperformed their peers on the Regents Learning Environment and
Comprehensive English Exams.
30

 Boston students who have math teachers who were trained in the Boston
Teacher Residency and who have four to five years experience after their

29
See http://www.ausl-chicago.org/about-results.html
30
See http://www.utrunited.org/EE_assets/docs/Measuring_Impact_UTRU_Final_2_2013.pdf
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 19 of 34

training significantly outperform students taught by other veteran Boston math
teachers.

It is also noteworthy that the teaching practices integrated into the STR curriculum are
closely related to the instructional practices that have been implemented at a School
Improvement Grant (SIG) site, Lakeridge Elementary in Renton, with major
development and implementation support from UW’s Mathematics Education Project.
Widespread use of these practices has resulted in dramatic gains in student
achievement and in professional growth. In just 2 years, the percentages of students
meeting MSP standards have increased as follows:

 3rd grade from 29.5% to 63% (+33.5 points)
 4th grade from 23.8% to 47% (+23.2 points)
 5th grade from 20.3% to 56% (+35.7 points)

School level data also indicates much stronger instructional quality in the primary
grades, indicating that students will be entering 3
rd
grade and beyond at a much better
starting point.

As indicated in question 1b, evidence suggests a relationship between teacher retention
and school performance. Nationally, 40 to 50 percent of new teachers leave within 5
years, and the turnover rates are much more pronounced in urban schools, with nearly
50 percent of new teachers leaving in 3 years.
31
Recent data from other residency
programs run counter to these trends. UTRU Network programs average 85 percent
teacher retention after 5 years. As with any professional, teachers who experience
success are more likely to be satisfied in their careers and are less likely to leave their
schools or the profession. The relationship between teacher retention and school
performance reinforces our motivation to build a training program that produces
teachers who experience success. As such, the retention rate of STR graduates is a
metric we will closely monitor.

2c. How does the investment complement the district’s current strategies? For
example, how does it connect to district-adopted instructional frameworks, and/
or align to RTTT-D commitments and assurances (CCSS and NGSS
implementation, 8th grade Algebra enrollment, etc.).

The Seattle Teacher Residency offers a critically needed talent pipeline specifically
trained to improve the performance of high-need schools. The program aligns with
several other strategic initiatives of the district.

In 2010, SPS was awarded the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grant aimed at increasing
teacher effectiveness and ensuring that highly effective teachers are placed in some of
the district’s most struggling high-need schools. The human capital strategy outlined in

31
See http://www.utrunited.org/faqs/teacher-residencies-and-residents
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 20 of 34

the TIF grant places an emphasis on the recruitment, induction support, and retention of
teachers.

In 2012, SPS began collecting data on teacher effectiveness. SPS measures teacher
effectiveness according to the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching. The
framework has a four tiered rating system that differentiates performance across the
domains. In 2013-14, SPS will be transitioning to the state’s model (8 criteria). The
process will include measures of student growth.

SPS is also collecting data about retention rates in high-need schools and analysis is
still underway. While this analysis is still underway, we believe the STR is a strategy
central to helping Seattle recruit, prepare, support and retain a high quality teaching
corps. Residents will be trained specifically for the district’s diverse population and
school context; as such, this context-based clinical training and induction support will
foster success and career satisfaction. Moreover, the residents, as a condition of their
acceptance into the program, commit to teach in these schools for at least five years
after successful completion of residency training.

The requirement that residents obtain secondary endorsements in ELL and SPED will
generate an increasing number of teachers with the specific qualifications necessary to
improve the achievement of the students most in need. As documented in number 3c
below, the project will monitor and track resident and inductee performance. Evaluations
will be conducted consistent with SPS policies and procedures and the CBA.

In addition to implementing the TIF grant and the strategies outlined therein, SPS is
embarking on an initiative to transform the way the district conceptualizes and manages
the human resources function. The district is partnering with the Urban Schools Human
Capital Academy
32
to support the strategic efforts to attract and retain the highest
caliber talent throughout SPS. Among other things, this partnership will strengthen the
ways the district uses data to capitalize on our human capital efforts.

2d. How will the investment help create personalized learning environments and
develop content and pedagogical knowledge with a priority to ELL, math &
science?

The residents will be taught using leading-edge clinical methods of preparation and high
quality mentorship to learn how to create personalized learning environments. The
model of teaching practice guiding the residency is an ambitious one. Residents will be
learning how to orchestrate learning environments where students are intellectually
engaged and socially supported to express their disciplinary ideas, to make sense of big
ideas in the subject areas, and to develop robust skills and knowledge needed to excel
in school and develop positive identities in the classroom. Too often approaches to
provide individualized instruction to children have bypassed the teacher. While we are
optimistic about using technology to create personalized learning environment,

32
Information about the Urban Schools Human Capital Academy is at http://ushcacademy.org/
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 21 of 34

equipping teachers the specific skills needed to adapt and modify instruction is needed
if we are to realize the full benefits of personalization.

Methods instruction in the residency will be interwoven with ELL methods so that
residents learn from the start how to plan and enact instruction that is personalized and
differentiated. Residents will also be learning how to engage families and build on the
resources students bring to school, also enabling an asset-based view of children's
needs. Content institutes in mathematics and science will ensure that residents have a
strong foundation in Common Core mathematics and NEXT Gen Science. Throughout
each content area, residents will be taught specific practices that facilitate
personalization through formative assessment and student-focused teaching strategies.

The methods courses will be based at one of the residency schools, enabling residents
to learn how to teach math and science, along with other core elementary content, as
they work with children and get high quality feedback from Residency faculty. These
teaching methods will enable residents to connect content knowledge with practice and
learn, under expert guidance, how to tailor instruction to individual children.

It is important to note the multi-pronged impact of the investment on
personalizing learning environments via the methods described above. The
children in the residency classrooms will experience the most direct and
immediate benefits. The skilled-adult to student ratio will be lower than district
averages in these classrooms. Students in future classrooms of teacher
residents and their mentors will also benefit, as all educators in the system learn
and improve their practice as described above.


2e: How will this investment align to Learning Forward standards by providing
sustained job-embedded professional learning where educators engage in
inquiry, reflection and receive ongoing feedback?

One of the challenges districts face is that teacher education programs have not seen
individualization as a central part of the work with future teachers. One of the
innovations of STR is that teacher training occurs in an embedded context which
provides the future teachers with the tools needed to individualize. Because the
program will build the capacity of future and current teachers in both ELL and SPED,
teachers will be better able to individualize in ways that truly meet the needs of
students.

STR focuses on teacher development at the resident, mentor and school levels. With a
focus on preparation IN and FOR high-need schools, the goal is to build capacity not
only in classroom instruction, but also in attending to children’s needs within a school
community.

Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 22 of 34

As defined by the Learning Forward Standards
33
, STR provides “professional learning to
increase educator effectiveness” both in teacher preparation and teacher leadership by
addressing several of the standards for professional learning.

Residents are learning within the context of a learning community. Completing their
14-month preparation as a cohort, they are in a subset of the larger learning community.
The program requires intensive collaboration; it will prepare residents to be skilled at co-
planning, co-teaching, and collaborative analysis of student learning data. As a result,
they will be better equipped to participate in and lead teacher teams in meeting the
needs of diverse learners, including ELLs and students requiring SPED services.

All residents complete coursework together and are continuously engaged in
collaborative discussions on pedagogy and practice. They rehearse teaching together,
observe each other in classrooms, and provide feedback to each other. Staff from STR
will convene them at respective schools to discuss experiences and share learning. In
addition, they will be expected to become part of the school community at large,
participating with their mentors in the professional learning contexts at their schools.

This standard is also demonstrated in the support provided to mentors including
professional development in teacher leadership and curriculum review. It is essential to
the success of the residents that their mentors view themselves as both teacher
educators and classroom teachers. The entire mentor corps was brought together for
two days in August for program orientation, role development, and tactical training on
coaching residents and starting the school year. In addition, the Mentors will be
convened one full day each month as a professional learning community (PLC) for
reinforcement of these skills and gathering of program feedback.

Another standard, learning designs, parallels the foundation on which the STR
curriculum is built. Residents are provided with practical experiences that integrate
“theories, research, and models of human learning”. The curriculum is designed such
that Residents learn particular practices and discuss understandings of educational
research and theories of learning, and then put those into practice. STR embeds
coursework into the context of elementary classrooms. For example, residents learn
specific teaching methods, like eliciting students’ mathematical thinking, in a cycle that
includes specific practice with the children in their classrooms mediated by both
mentors and professors. The cycle works like this: residents watch an exemplar of a
specific practice, learn the theory behind the practice and explore how it fits with
everything else they are learning about teaching mathematics, they rehearse the
practice, they try it out with a small group of children supported by teacher educators,
they debrief the experience, they have more practice, etc.

Another feature of this learning design is that children, residents, mentors and faculty
are all learning at the same time. For example, residents learn a particular way of
teaching Math and the rationale behind it for eliciting students’ mathematical thinking;
they then apply this by working with a small group of children to “practice” the strategy.

33
http://learningforward.org/standards-for-professional-learning#.UeSGQ1O7bRY
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 23 of 34

By actively participating in the interactions between children and residents, mentors and
course instructors are both deepening their understanding of the methods and honing
their skills as teacher educators. The ultimate value is that children are supported with
individualized and/or small group instruction as they practice the mathematics.

STR addresses the outcomes standard by aligning outcomes with educator
performance and student curriculum standards. The STR curriculum considers both
Common Core standards as well as standards for teacher preparation; it integrates
student curriculum and educator performance standards as defined by the district’s
teacher evaluation framework to make the link between educator learning and student
learning explicit. Alignment has been a top priority for the district and university
educators who co-developed the curriculum and who will lead the coursework.


2f. How will the district engage in collaboration with stakeholders, including
families, communities of color and culturally specific community based
organizations? How will the teacher association be involved?

Diverse Stakeholders
Collaboration with diverse education stakeholders is at the core of STR values and
strategy. This was demonstrated most vividly in the recruitment and selection of
residents documented above. The major contributor to our ability to create a resident
cohort 55% of which is comprised of residents of color was the work of the STR
Advisory Group. The Advisory Group was formed and facilitated by the STR staff to,
among other reasons, assist with recruiting diverse cohorts. The majority of resident
inquiries this past spring resulted from word-of-mouth. We attribute this to the richness,
diversity and commitment of the Advisory Group.

The Advisory Group membership includes representatives from the SEA, UW Office of
Minority Affairs, SPS teachers and principals, Rainier Scholars, City Year, UW Dream
Project, McERA (a parent advocacy group), Casey Family Programs, School’s Out
Washington, the Martinez Foundation, and the City of Seattle’s Department of
Education. These groups serve diverse populations and, as such, they are effective
recruitment partners. In addition, this group will continue to serve as expert counsel on
program implementation and effectiveness. At each regular meeting, program updates
and data will be provided. Feedback is then invited regarding implementation and
possible course corrections to make improvements.

The project also engaged diversity programs at higher education institutions. Numerous
presentations were given in undergraduate classes including several presentations in
the UW Dream Project classes, the UW Pipeline Project, and undergraduate education
and minority affairs classes.

STR reached out to diverse community organizations such as City Year, Rainier
Scholars, El Centro de la Raza, Vietnamese Friendship Association, and College
Success Foundation.
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 24 of 34


Involvement of the Seattle Education Association in STR
The Seattle Education Association (SEA) is among the four lead partners that comprise
the governing body of STR.

We are proud to be the first urban teacher residency in the country whose governing
body includes an educators union.

The SEA had been participating on the STR Design Team from the time it was
convened in August 2013. As the SEA president’s enthusiasm about the project grew,
he inquired about the possibility of joining the governing body. The STR director had
conversations with him about it and clarified the roles and responsibilities of governing
body members. After consideration by the 3 founding partners, STR invited SEA to
become a core partner.

The decision has clearly paid off. STR leadership gains important insights about the
CBA and labor's perspectives on teaching and learning in general and HR
administration in particular. An additional and tangible benefit was that SEA secured a
grant for STR from the National Education Association. Since the decision has proven
to be a great benefit, we recommend that other UTRs consider inviting labor as a
partner, and we would be pleased to share our experience.



Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 25 of 34

3. Evidence of Progress

3a: Provide an exact number of how many students, teachers and leaders your
project will impact. Include a list of schools that will be impacted. (Note: This
investment fund is focused on RTT’s High Needs Schools in Addendum 1)

The table below identifies the number of teachers, students and administrators that will
be impacted at the five STR training sites in 2013-14. While all five schools meet STR’s
high-need criteria (see section 1a above), only Hawthorne and Madrona are listed as
high-need for RTT purposes (per Addendum 1 of the RFP).
34


Scope of Impact at the 2013-14 STR Training Sites
School # of Teachers
35
# of Students
36
# of Admin Staff
Hawthorne* 22 305 1
John Muir 24 434 1
Leschi 21 365 1
Madrona K-8* 23 320 2
Olympic Hills 21 261 1
Total: 111 1,685 6
*Hawthorne and Madrona are the RTT high-need schools listed in Addendum 1 of the RFP.

See section 3b for additional discussion about impact.

3b: Which RTT-D goals and measures will your project impact? Please propose a
specific performance target that you are committed to achieving for at least two
Goal Areas or Performance Measures from the RTT-D grant. Use Table 1 below.

The STR program will have clear and measurable impact on the 2013-14 STR training
sites. The three RTT-D goal areas we selected for this project are:

A. Percent of students attending schools with Washington state achievement index
ratings of ‘very good’ or ‘exemplary’
B. Number and percent of students by subgroup with a highly effective teacher of
record
37

C. Number and percent of students by subgroup with an effective teacher of
record
38


34
Among the 5 STR high-need training sites in 2013-14, only 2 (Hawthorne and Madrona) are on the list of RTT
high-need schools; however, all 23 Seattle RTT schools are likely to be training or induction sites in future years.
35
Teacher data is from “Classroom Teacher Demographic Summary” in the OSPI K-12 Data and Reports site for the
year 2011-2012.
36
Student enrollment figures are from the May 2012 count available through the OSPI K-12 Data and Reports site.
37
A teacher is deemed “highly effective” based on all’ proficient’ ratings with at least one ‘innovative’ rating for the
2011-2012 evaluation year in the four domains of the Charlotte Danielson Framework.
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 26 of 34


The three tables that reflect the targets for each of these goal areas are in the
separately attached file named STR GOAL TABLES. When reviewing these tables,
please note:

 ESD staff requested that the tables be limited to the RTT high-need schools
hosting STR training in 2013-14. As requested, Tables 1A, 1B and 1C reflect
targets only for Madrona K-8 and Hawthorne Elementary schools.
39
However,
we will track the same metrics for the three other STR high-need schools where
residents are assigned this year (see section 1a for the demographics and need
of all five schools).
 To underscore STR’s long-term impact goals, we have expanded the template by
two columns to reflect two additional years of projected impact (2015-16 &
2016-17).

Short-Term Impact
Even though the 25 residents receiving classroom-based training in 2013-14 will not be
teachers of record until the 2014-15 school year, we anticipate impact at their STR
training sites this school year as documented in the goal tables in the separate
attachment. The students in the classrooms where residents are placed in these two
RTT schools will benefit by having both a resident and an experienced teacher-mentor
supporting their learning. However, the benefits of STR go beyond the residents’
classrooms to impact the entire school communities.
40


 Mentor-teachers will realize leadership development that supports and rewards
excellence and promotes their retention;
 Strong connections with the UW College of Education faculty provide exposure
to the latest in educational theory and research;
 The best practices being implemented by the program will influence the schools’
administrators and other teachers; and
 The whole-school investment in the residents will result in reflective teaching
practice in all classrooms and increased teacher effectiveness.

In addition to progress in the three goal areas documented in the separately attached
tables, we expect that this impact will be evident in the teacher evaluations, the
Washington State Achievement Index, MAP and MSP scores.





38
A teacher is deemed “effective” based on ratings of all proficient in the 2011-2012 evaluation year with no “basic”
ratings in the four domains of the Charlotte Danielson Framework.
39
Among the 5 STR high-need training sites in 2013-14, only 2 (Hawthorne and Madrona) are on the list of 23 RTT
high-need schools; however, the 21 other SPS RTT schools are likely to be training or induction sites in future years.
40
A major reason for this is that selection of the training-sites was based on an application from the principals in
which they documented how the whole school community is committed to student growth, teacher development and
the STR.
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 27 of 34

Medium and Long-Term Impact
STR will have impact for: (a) future students in the 2013-14 training sites; (b) students in
the schools in which STR graduates are hired to teach; and (c) the district as a whole.
There is also a long term benefit to the field of teacher education as the designers learn
from it and disseminate effective practices.

Future Students in the 2013-14 Training Sites:
STR intends to continue the residency training model in these schools. The model will
be improved based on data and evidence from this first year; thus future students in
these schools will benefit from an enhanced model. The professional development in
which those staffs participate is designed to improve educator practice in the long term.

Future Students Assigned to STR Graduates’ Classrooms:
Residents are being trained for the specific context of Seattle’s underachieving schools
serving high numbers of low income, students of color, ELL and SPED students. Even
if the schools that hire the STR graduates after their training are different than where
they were trained, the schools’ contexts (e.g., demographics, achievement levels, etc.)
are the same.

Seattle Public Schools:
STR’s context-based training and post-induction support will contribute to greater career
satisfaction, higher retention and improved student performance for years after the
induction of each cohort. STR graduates will be more diverse than the current teaching
force and will thereby provide students with more images of successful adults with
whom they can identify.

HR practices at the district will be impacted through STR’s strategic approach to
recruitment, talent development and retention. HR department managers actively
participate in the design, implementation and evaluation processes. They already
report that STR is giving them insights and ideas about new ways of doing things.

Over time, the majority of the district’s Title I high-need schools (which is nearly half of
all schools in the district per Appendix A) could receive STR graduates and realize
direct impact of the program. In addition, Seattle schools will ultimately save on costs
related to teacher turnover because, as a condition of acceptance into STR, residents
make a commitment to teach in high-need Seattle schools for five years after they
successfully complete their residencies.



Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 28 of 34

3c. Complete table 2 below to detail the data collection plan. What formative,
interim and summative data will you collect and analyze?

TABLE 2: DATA COLLECTION PLAN
The table below relates specifically to the goal areas described in tables 1A, 1B and 1C
in the separate attachment.

Data Type Source Specific Measures
Who collects?
When? How often?
Students taught
by Effective and
Highly Effective
Teachers
Summative
evaluation
data
For the 2012-2013 school
year, “effective” and
“highly” effective
designations will be based
on Danielson Framework.
For the 13-14 school year
and beyond, a target for
the total ‘score’ from the
state evaluation will be set.
SPS will collect this data
annually before the start
of the upcoming school
year. The data should
be more rapidly
available as SPS
switches to the online
eVal tool.
41

Percent of
students
attending schools
with Washington
state
achievement
index ratings of
‘very good’ or
‘exemplary’
Washington
State
Achievement
Index Report
Ratings will be pulled from
the report.
SPS will collect the
report when it is
released annually.
Rating on
‘Professional
Collaboration and
Culture’
SPS annual
staff survey
% score SPS will collect the data
after results from the
annual staff survey are
compiled.

A core theory of action of STR is that students taught by novice STR teachers (i.e.,
those in their first year of teaching) will outperform similar students that are taught by
non-STR novice teachers (all else equal). In the absence of random assignment of STR
teachers across the district, we propose to test this hypothesis using a quasi-
experimental quantitative design. We will also compare the summative evaluation
ratings of our STR Residents hired into full time positions and compare them with those
of other novice teachers teaching in high-needs schools.

Monitoring
The project will collect multiple data strands and conduct multiple forms of analysis to
ensure the work is headed in the right direction and to make course corrections as
needed. Both student data and resident data will be tracked, analyzed and used to
evaluate the effort, improve the program, and disseminate results.

41
Beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, Seattle Public Schools will be using the online eVal tool the State of
Washington has implemented for the statewide evaluation system. An interim evaluation tool will be used for the
2013-2014 school year.
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 29 of 34


SPS will collect and reflect on aggregated and disaggregated attendance, discipline,
classroom-based assessment, and standardized assessment data for all students.
These data from STR classrooms will be collected at multiple points throughout the year
and compared to school historical data, as well as with data from similar classrooms
across the district. Program designers will look for patterns of performance across the
entire student data picture to ensure a deep understanding of trends at each level.
Analysis to determine impacts of the program on students at the training sites will be a
major driver in program change and improvement. Similar data will be collected and
analyzed for the classrooms in which STR graduates are placed after they are hired as
teachers of record.

The College of Education will collect resident data including course grades, mentor and
coach evaluations of performance and growth, and performance on the state mandated
edTPA, a national performance assessment for pre-service teachers (similar to the
National Boards for experienced teachers). The college tracks applicant and selected
candidate characteristics including ethnic and racial diversity and previous academic
performance. The college also monitors in-service placement, hiring, and retention
trends. SPS and resident satisfaction will be closely monitored. Program designers will
compare data for residents with data from its other programs and similar models in
other states. Analysis will identify trends in performance that can be linked to specific
opportunities to learn. Both midcourse corrections and long term program improvement
will result.

This combination of data, collected at various points during the year, will inform the
direction and focus of the program.

The UTRU Data Literacy Initiative
Data IQ in the STR program will be enhanced by STR’s participation in UTRU's 2013-
2014 Data Literacy Initiative. STR was honored this month by being invited to join just
three other residencies in this initiative. The project aims to strengthen the data
practices throughout the program including the literacy skills of residents, mentors and
STR graduates. STR was chosen alongside 3 other residencies - Boston, Denver and
Chattanooga - all far more established relative to Seattle. UTRU's selection of STR was
articulated as based on the quality of our leadership, the unique (and functional) nature
of our 4-party partnership, our demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement
and our overall potential for success.



Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 30 of 34

4. Timeline for Taking Action
Research, planning and design of STR began in 2010. Funding proposals were drafted
and submitted in 2011 and formal program design and curriculum development began
in 2012. Recruitment and selection of mentors, residents and training sites was
completed this past spring. In July, Cohort One – 25 highly qualified residents – began
the program.

Summer 2013
o Residents are oriented and begin their graduate level coursework in July. STR
Instructors, comprised of UW College of Education professors and district
teachers, will lead the classes. Some classes are conducted at Northgate
Elementary School. Residents are introduced to methods of literacy and math
instruction with opportunities to practice with children in the Summer Learning
Program at Northgate. There is instruction about working with English Language
Learners (ELL) and establishing positive learning environments.

o In August, residents meet their assigned teacher-mentors and begin work in the
classrooms for 4-days each week through the end of the 2013-14 school year.

SEP-DEC 2013
o SPS classes begin. For four full days each week, residents work with their
mentor-teachers in their classrooms. Residents and mentors will also have
protected meeting time each week. They will use the time for planning, reflection,
review of students' work, and analysis of data. They will also collaborate on
projects and assignments from the coursework.
o On Tuesday evenings and all day Fridays, the residents will convene with STR
instructors for their coursework and de-briefing of their work. The coursework will
actively integrate with residents' clinical experience in the classroom. The
instructors will be joined, where appropriate, by SPS teachers and staff who have
solid grounding in both the theory and practice of teaching. Instructors will model
the pedagogy that residents will be expected to apply in the classroom.
Residents will be expected to integrate the skills and knowledge of the
coursework with their work in the classroom.

JAN-MAR 2014
o Classroom and coursework continue
o STR staff and committee recruit & select Cohort Two residents for 2014-15
o STR determines training sites for 2014-15

APR-JUN 2014
o Classroom and coursework continue
o SPS identifies schools that will have teacher vacancies in 2014-15; STR staff and
committee determine appropriate ones for induction of qualified Cohort 1
graduates; induction protocols are finalized; SPS opens the application period for
these vacancies
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 31 of 34

o Non-certificated Cohort 1 residents will complete: (a) the Teacher Performance
Assessment (TPA);
42
and (b) the WEST E, the state-required content exam in the
subjects for which teachers are licensed.
o The project evaluation will be conducted per UTRU's Quality Standards for
Teacher Residency Programs and other methods developed by the partners.
o Performance evaluations of Cohort 1 residents will be conducted consistent with
SPS policy, UTRU recommendations, and the collective bargaining agreement
(CBA) between SPS and the Seattle Education Association.


Sustaining STR beyond This Grant
Project partners intend STR to be a sustainable pipeline that brings high quality
teaching talent into high-need public schools for years to come. The program has been
deliberately structured to be privately capitalized in the early years, gradually expanding
to a shared public/private funding model over time. All of the planning year funding for
2012-13, and most of the Cohort One funding (2013-14), is from private philanthropy.
The proportions of private vs. public funding will change over time as shown in the chart
below.


FUNDING RATIOS 2012 TO 2019
100% privately funded initially, with public support increasing each year; school district funds 51% by year 5.


The SPS Superintendent has committed to funding increasing percentages of the
budget until the district’s share reaches 51% by 2017-18. Other partners are making
significant contributions as well. The Alliance is providing a home for the project and, as
lead fundraiser, has been pro actively reaching out to numerous potential supporters for
the 2013-14 budget and beyond. To date, the Alliance has been successful in securing
just over $1 million from 12 different organizations and individuals to support the
residency for the 2-year period from July, 2012 through June, 2014; this includes all of
the funding needed for the design year that just concluded (2012-13), and about 50% of
the funding needed for launching Cohort 1 (2013-2014). See the budget narrative for
details. Race to the Top resources would provide critically important funds to support
the project this year. The UW College of Education will continue to contribute numerous
university resources, including faculty, curriculum expertise, and state policy advocacy.

42
The TPA is Washington’s mandatory performance assessment based on state teaching standards; it will inform
how well STR prepares teachers vis-à-vis state standards of competence; the data will be used to revise/improve the
program each year.)
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Private Philanthropy
Local
State
District Budget Allocation
Other Federal Funds
Race to the Top
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 32 of 34

The SEA has secured a commitment from the NEA for 2013-14 and has committed to
participating in resource development in the coming years.

Private philanthropy sees great potential in STR as evidenced by commitments from the
Bezos Family Foundation, the Boeing Corporation and several private donors. Some of
these commitments already extend into 2014-15 and beyond. In addition, the Paul G.
Allen Foundation is considering a multi-year commitment presently.

Residencies in other cities have grown from modest beginnings and some now train as
many 100 residents annually (e.g., UTRs in Boston and Memphis).
43
In Boston Public
Schools, about one-third of all new teachers are trained through Boston Teacher
Residency. To extend STR’s systemic impact on high-need Seattle schools, the
steering committee will be formalizing a long range plan later this year that will include
increasing the number of residents and schools served, consistent with capacity and
resources.


5. REFLECTION AND COURSE CORRECTION:
 How will data be shared across districts and the region and used to inform next
steps and needed course corrections?
 How will key stakeholders, including communities of color, be engaged in the
process of determining course correction?
 Please describe any formal arrangements to share data, monitor results, and
collaboratively assess the need for mid-course changes in the program with other
districts or organizations

Information about the project’s ongoing data collection, analysis and course corrections
is described in section 3c above (in the paragraphs immediately following Table 2).

Program leadership will convene the Road Map districts to deepen and share learning
from the program. The STR team looks forward to collaborating with RTT/ESD staff on
a communication and convening plan that aligns with other funded projects and
leverages the collected efforts of partner districts.

Initial conversations about the impact of the STR model have already occurred among
the UW College of Education and leadership in Highline and Tukwila school districts.
With respect to Highline specifically, its current superintendent, Susan Enfield, was a
key participant in the early thinking around the residency initiative and we would be
pleased to participate in ESD-facilitated conversations to facilitate potential
collaboration.

In addition, the College of Education will leverage the learning from this work with other
teacher education pathways within the college and other institutions. The College of
Education is an active member of the Washington Association of Colleges of Teacher
Education (WACTE). The twenty institutions that train teachers are in regular

43
http://www.utrunited.org/EE_assets/docs/Measuring_Impact_UTRU_Final_2_2013.pdf
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 33 of 34

communication about the field of teacher preparation. Innovations are a constant topic
of cross institution sharing and collaboration. In recent years WACTE has hosted
speakers from other residency programs, most notably the Boston Teacher Residency.
The model impressed WACTE institutions. We will suggest a follow-up conversation
with WACTE about STR, to be held at one of the organization’s quarterly meetings.

The STR Advisory Council established this past year will continue to be a source of
important and diverse input. The council is comprised of multiple key stakeholders,
including communities of color, and one of its key functions is to provide input and
feedback about implementation and needed course corrections. At each regular
meeting, program updates and data will be provided. Feedback is then invited
regarding implementation and possible course corrections to make improvements.


6. Budget Narrative
The Seattle Teacher Residency (STR) represents a collaborative effort of 4 partners:
Seattle Public Schools, the Alliance for Education, the UW College of Education and the
Seattle Education Association. This proposal is submitted by Seattle Public Schools;
however, the Alliance for Education (AFE) has been providing a home for the project
since work began in 2011. The Alliance has taken the lead in raising and managing the
funds to date, and has employed all of the paid project staff. While SPS is a critical
partner in this project, the district’s HR and other commitments to it are in-kind, as
documented in the budget (projected at $160K). As such, most of the funds that may
be awarded through this proposal will be subgranted to the Alliance. The Alliance will
maintain any subgranted funds in a restricted fund accounted for according to Generally
Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), as it does all other funds for STR and its other
programs. The Alliance documents and tracks all expenses by program code
consistent with GAAP. Any RTT P1 funds subgranted to the Alliance will be managed
as part of the STR restricted fund and will be expended and documented per GAAP
protocols. Each year the Alliance engages independent auditors who verify the integrity
of the Alliance’s accounting system, compliance with internal controls and accuracy of
financial reporting.

Column E (“Description”) of the separately attached budget template provides
explanations of all project costs including personnel.

Column C (“Other Funds”) in the separately attached budget includes In-Kind
commitments of SPS and SEA. We cannot quantify the in-kind commitments of UW
College of Education personnel because it is against University of Washington policy to
quantify in-kind financial commitments in grant proposals through which the University
will not receive direct funding. However, as evidenced in the proposal, the College of
Education has made a sizable investment in STR. Faculty and administrators across the
college have committed tangible resources to ensuring the project is a success. As
described in section 2a of the narrative, the Dean, Associate Dean for Professional
Programs, Managing Director of Teacher Education, and Boeing Professor of Teacher
Education along with numerous faculty members play leadership roles on STR
Seattle Teacher Residency Project Page 34 of 34

Executive, Advisory, Design, and Curriculum teams. The college has also hired faculty
to teach all of the resident courses, supervise all of the resident practicum and provide
professional development to all of the elementary school staff in participating schools.

Column C also includes expenses supported by numerous grants and personal gifts
committed toward the $1.2 million 2013-14 STR budget (not including in-kind).
Commitments for the 2013-14 project year to date total $576,000 and include the
following:

FUNDER 2013-14 PLEDGE
Stanford Endowment
$206,403
Bezos Family Foundation
$100,000
Runstad Foundation
$ 15,000
Boeing
$ 90,000
Philanthropic Partners for Public Education
$ 75,000
4 Private Gifts
$ 90,000
TOTAL $ 576,403

The $451,000 grant for RTT funds, if funded, will represent a significant step toward
meeting the budget and programmatic needs of the Seattle Teacher Residency project
this year. Additional (though smaller) proposals are pending with other funders that, if
also granted, will balance the budget and provide the financial footing that this important
systemic work requires.

Please note that the separately attached budget file has two tabs: tab 1 is the
annotated budget using STR’s row labels (line item descriptions in column A); tab 2 re-
organizes the expenses per the row labels/line items in the Scoring Guide. If this file is
to be printed, please print both tabs (each tab prints to one page).



Thank you for the opportunity to apply for these funds and for considering this proposal.

Seattle Teacher Residency Project Steering Committee
Clover Codd, Executive director, Strategic Planning, Seattle Public Schools
Tom Stritikus, Dean, College of Education, University of Washington
Sara Morris, CEO, Alliance for Education
Jonathan Knapp, President, Seattle Education Association