• Federal Dollars to Drive Innovation and Reward Results
• Basic Education Bills Move Forward
• High School Assessments and Graduation Requirements Remain Intact

Federal Dollars to Drive Innovation and Reward Results

The time for holding ourselves accountable is here. And what’s required is not simply new investments, but new reforms.

                                                                    President Barack Obama

The education components of the $787 billion federal stimulus package passed last month promise both a reprieve from draconian budget cuts and unprecedented financial incentives for reform. Of the $48.7 billion in education stabilization funds intended to help states keep education funding at 2006 levels, Washington expects to receive $1.5 billion.  

On the innovation front, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will oversee $5 billion in discretionary competitive grants. Dubbed the “Race to the Top Fund,” these grants aim to drive innovation and reward practices proven to accelerate student performance.  An additional $250 million is set aside to help states implement longitudinal data systems, while another $200 million can be used by states or districts to pilot pay-for-performance initiatives.   

While final guidelines for the competitive grants have not yet been issued, criteria are likely to include a state’s commitment to innovative reforms (e.g. charter schools, pay-for-performance), the enactment of college and work ready standards and assessments, track record in improving student performance and closing achievement gaps, and robust data and accountability systems.  We are encouraged to see the Obama administration embracing many of our long-standing education priorities. Partnership for Learning intends to leverage the stimulus package by pushing for reforms that both position our state to compete for federal dollars and strengthen the quality of our education system.   

Basic Education Bills Move Forward

Both the House and the Senate have moved beyond "title/intent only" bills (SB 6048 and HB 2261) on basic education finance and, last night, the House passed HB 2261 with amendments to include all day Kindergarten and increased graduation requirements. The bills now lay out a “roadmap” for fully funding the instructional program of basic education.

Partnership for Learning is working to ensure that any effort to redefine basic education:

1. focus on the stated goal that all students will graduate from high school college and work ready,
2. include a state-of-the-art data system that can be leveraged to drive instructional practice, track student achievement and ensure accountability for results, and
3. include a clear and transparent system of accountability for the state, districts and schools and provide the state with authority to intervene when districts and schools fail to make progress.

High School Assessments and Graduation Requirements Remain Intact

The House Education Appropriations Subcommittee has adopted amendments to a bill (SB 1646), which would have delayed the assessment graduation requirement for math and science to 2014 or potentially later. Further delays to Washington's graduation requirements are a major step backward and would only bring us closer to abandoning the promises made to our students of a world-class education. 

Accordingly, Partnership for Learning is pleased that the amendments accomplish two things:

1. The state will no longer require OSPI to develop and administer end-of-course assessments in Integrated Math I and II. Algebra I and Geometry end-of-course tests will still be developed.  This modification simplifies for students and schools what is required for students to meet state standards in math without losing any rigor in the requirement.
2. Solidifies the requirement that students must pass a state assessment in math and science in order to graduate from high school beginning in 2013.  Students will be able to use the WASL or end-of-course assessments as a means of meeting the math requirement until 2015.  This is particularly important because it provides reassurance that any delays in the development or administration of end-of-course assessments will not further delay implementation of the graduation requirement.

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