
A Forensic Analysis of SPS with Vivian Van Gelder, Part 1
From Rainy Day Recess by Various
November 12, 2025 · 50 min · Season 1 · Episode 62
About this episode
The episode features a discussion with Vivian Van Gelder about the history and challenges of Seattle Public Schools over the past thirty years.
In this first installment of our three-part series unpacking Left to Chance: Student Outcomes in Seattle Public Schools (2024), hosts Christie Robertson and Jasmine Pulido sit down with report author Vivian Van Gelder to trace thirty years of reform and turmoil inside Seattle Public Schools. The story begins in 1990 with the Cresap Audit, a state-commissioned report that deemed the district “nearly ungovernable,” and follows the arrival of Major General John Stanford, the charismatic outsider...
People in this episode
Hosts: Christie Robertson, Jasmine Pulido
Guest: Vivian Van Gelder
Topics covered
- education reform
- Seattle Public Schools
- student outcomes
- forensic analysis
- historical overview
Keywords
- Seattle Public Schools
- education reform
- Cresap Audit
- Vivian Van Gelder
- student outcomes
- John Stanford
- historical analysis
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Seattle Public Schools, Cresap Audit
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