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Your position paeprs appear to be thoughtful. However, I see little to no concern for the students in Bellevue schools who are not college bound, and who are struggling with academics, language, culture and lack of family support and are being labeled failures long before high school. We have an enormous gang problem in parts of Bellevue. These are dis-enfranchised students that the school district and the community are ignoring and failing to serve. To be assured a strong economic future, these students need to be supported in preparation for vocational/technical training beyond high school. For many of them college is not the answer. Apprenticeships, trades training, vocational institutes are the post secondary door to success. Bellevue is failing these students long before they become a drop-out statistic. Our drop out rate, when adequately measured and admitted to, is an embarrassment to all of us!