District 81 Forum Tonight

Two years ago, the Spokane School Board faced citizens in public forums to find out how to improve schools.

The testimony went into a strategic plan, now 1 year old.

Board members say they got such a good response from those forums that they’ve decided to hold another one.

Tonight, the public is invited to attend what’s being called an open community forum in the North Central High School auditorium from 7 to 9 p.m.

“We are going to spend 99 percent of the time listening,” said District 81 board President Rob Fukai.

He said the board wants to stay in touch with the community’s expectations of schools and teachers.

The district’s strategic plan went into effect a year ago, and board members hope the public will comment on whether it is making the schools better.

The board is willing to change the plan based on what it hears, Fukai said.

Board members said they need to hear from the community to understand what issues are important in education. Some issues might include school safety or emphasis on basic skills such as reading.

, DataTimes