Education in Seattle

Education in Seattle is an important part of many Seattleite's lives, particularly due to the high concentration of technology, engineering, and other jobs that require advanced degrees. Of the city's population over the age of 25, 47.2 percent (vs. a national average of 24 percent) hold a bachelor's degree or higher; 93 percent (vs. 80 percent nationally) have a high school diploma or equivalent. In fact, United States Census Bureau survey showed that Seattle has the highest percentage of college graduates of any major U.S. city.cite web | url=http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/american_community_survey_acs/001802.html | title=Seattle Residents Among Nation’s Most Educated | publisher=United States Census Bureau | author=Stephen Buckner | date=2004-03-10 | accessdate=2007-10-06] In addition to the obvious institutions of education, there are significant adult literacy programs and considerable homeschooling. Seattle is also the most literate city in the United States based on a study done by Central Connecticut State University.cite web | url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2005-11-28-seattle-literate_x.htm | title=Seattle reaches literacy peak | publisher=USA Today | author=Mary Beth Marklein | date=2005-11-28 | accessdate=2007-11-01]

Colleges and universities

Seattle is home to one of the nation's most respected public universities, the University of Washington. With over 40,000 under-graduates and post-graduates, UW is the largest school in the Pacific Northwest [cite news | url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9002113/University-of-Washington | title=University of Washington | publisher= Encyclopedia Britannica Online | accessdate=2007-09-28] and many of its departments are ranked in the top 10 for research universities in the United States according to the "Chronicle of Higher Learning". [cite web | url=http://chronicle.com/stats/productivity/page.php?institution=12&byinst=Go | title= Top Research Universities in the 2005 Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index: University of Washington | publisher=Chronicle of Higher Education |date=2003 | accessdate=2007-10-09] A study by "Newsweek International" in 2006 cited UW as the twenty-second best university in the world. [cite news | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14321230/ | title=The Complete List: The Top 100 Global Universities | publisher=Newsweek International Edition | date=2006-08-13 | accessdat2007-11-02 | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070315053646/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14321230/ | archivedate=2007-03-15]

The city's other prominent universities are Seattle University, a Jesuit university, and Seattle Pacific University, founded by the Free Methodists. There are also a handful of smaller schools, such as City University of Seattle, a private university; Antioch University Seattle and Argosy University/Seattle provide graduate and undergraduate degrees for working adults; and others mainly for fine arts, business and psychology. Cornish College of the Arts, The Art Institute of Seattle, Gage Academy of Art and the School of Visual Concepts offer bachelors degrees in such disciplines as dance, music, and theatre. Seattle is also served by North Seattle, Seattle Central, and South Seattle Community Colleges. "Time" magazine chose Seattle Central Community College for best college of the year in 2001, stating the school "pushes diverse students to work together in small teams". [cite news | url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1000725,00.html | publisher=Time magazine | title=Seattle Central | date=2001-09-10 | accessdate=2007-09-28 | author=Andrew Goldstein]

Primary and secondary education

Seattle Public Schools desegregated without a court order [cite web | url=http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/06pdf/05-908.pdf | title=Parents involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 Et Al. | publisher=Supreme Court of the United States | date=2007-06-28 | accessdate=2007-10-03 | format=PDF] but continue to struggle to achieve racial balance in a somewhat ethnically divided city (the south part of town having more ethnic minorities than the north). [cite web | url=http://historyink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=3939 | title=Busing in Seattle: A Well-Intentioned Failure | publisher=HistoryLink | author=Cassandra Tate | date=2002-09-07 | accessdate=2007-10-03] In 2006, a challenge to Seattle's racial tie-breaking system made it to the United States Supreme Court. [cite news | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16023204/ | title=Supreme Court takes on K-12 schools racial mix | publisher=Associated Press via MSNBC|date=2006-12-04 | accessdate=2007-09-28] Where the Supreme Court decided that race was not a legal criterion for desegregation, but left the door open for desegration formulas based on other indicators (e.g., income or socio-economic class). [cite news | url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003766015_webrace28m.html | title=High court rejects school integration plans | publisher=The Seattle Times | date=2007-06-28 | accessdate=2007-10-03] And in 2002, West Seattle's West Seattle High School made headlines in the midst of protests of the school's "Indian" mascot. Despite bitter battles between SPS and Alumni Association President and Attorney Robert Zoffel, the school would later change its mascot to the "Wildcats". [cite news | url=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/111992_indians11.shtml | title=School ban on tribal nicknames upheld | publisher=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | author=Deborah Bach | date=2003-03-11 | accessdate=2007-10-03]

econdary schools

The public school system is supplemented by a moderate number of private schools: five of the high schools are Catholic, one is Lutheran, and six are secular. [cite news | url=http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/schoolguide/search.php?search=criteria&grade_low=9&grade_high=12&school_city=Seattle&district_id=&school_zip=ZIP+code&pl_code%5B%5D=P | title=School Guide | publisher=The Seattle Times | accessdate=2007-10-03]

*Bishop Blanchet High School
*Holy Names Academy
*O'Dea High School
*Seattle Preparatory School
*Seattle Lutheran High School
*The Bush School
*Lakeside School
*Seattle Waldorf School
*Northwest School
*Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences
*University Prep

References