ARLINGTON — The Arlington City Council came to a consensus on its new Mayor Pro Tem and expressed reservations about a proposed Learning Lab project.
During their Jan. 11 workshop, council members Debora Nelson and Chris Raezer wasted no time in voicing their reservations regarding the Learning Labs that Jan Link, director of Academic Link Outreach, proposed Jan. 4.
The Learning Labs would be established on site in Snohomish County middle and junior high schools, with a director and volunteers working in each school to engage students and teachers, and require parent and/or guardian involvement in student success.
Link cited the support of state legislators such as Rep. Mike Sells and Sen. Steve Hobbs for the program, and asserted that such programs represent a “last chance” to lift up struggling students before high school.
Raezer expressed surprise that Link presented the proposal to the council rather than the Arlington School Board, while Nelson reported that she’d spoken with a teachers in another city who was “not comfortable” with the proposal.
“This is a private business bringing this proposal to us, rather than the school district,” Nelson said. “Besides, the legislature has a lot to do, in terms of passing funding for basic education. I’m not willing to sign off on this.”
Fellow council member Jan Schuette agreed with Nelson, citing what she’d heard from three people at two other schools districts about the Learning Labs.
“Both of those districts already have similar programs to work with at-risk kids, and the Learning Labs are more expensive than what they’re spending,” said Schuette, who noted that funding for the Learning Labs would be provided through the Department of Commerce at $60,000 per school, per year. “And the Department of Commerce has indicated they don’t have that kind of money. I’d table this until we hear from the school district.”
Prior to this issue, Raezer suggested Nelson as his successor as Mayor Pro Tem.
Raezer served as Mayor Pro Tem from 2014-15, and Nelson is the next-most senior council member who hasn’t yet served in the role.
Schuette seconded Raezer, and elaborated on “the enormous amount of time Debora has devoted to this city,” including her role on the Puget Sound Regional Council and her selection of Snohomish County’s representative for an upcoming national training academy.
The Mayor Pro Tem will be officially selected Jan. 19.
