It looks like the Seattle school board plans to vote January 22 to shut down a popular program for gifted students at Washington Middle School.  For years this successful academic program, founded in 1978 and known as the Highly Capable Cohort program (HCC), has served Seattle students with advanced instruction in STEM subjects like math and science, as well as English, history and other core classes.  Needless to say, the program is popular with Seattle parents who want public education to challenge students to reach their highest potential.

For some reason Seattle school board members now want to cancel it.  And the board wonders why public schools are losing students, and why Seattle has one of the highest private school attendance rates in the country.  Even many school district employees send their own kids to private schools.  To attract families and challenge students to excellence, the board should be adding more opportunities like HCC, not cutting them.  Then Seattle Schools (with a $1 billion budget; $19,700 per student) can provide what public officials routinely promise - access to a great public education for every child.