- Letter from Larry
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- Legislators Consider School Funding Options
- Partnership Welcomes New Policy Manager Caroline King
Letter from Larry: Teachers of the Year Prepare Students for College and Work
Last week, nine outstanding teachers were recognized
for their incredible contributions to Washington students. Each came
from a different region of the state, many taught different subjects
and all had different approaches for reaching and teaching students.
One aspect, however, united these amazing educators: Every single one
of them demonstrates a commitment to preparing all students for the
world of college and work.
We believe these teachers have much to offer in their communities
and the state at large. That's why, this week, we will announce a new
partnership with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(OSPI) to help these teachers meet with other educators to share best
practices, and help to increase excellent teaching and student
engagement across the state. We're also working on a project to utilize
and connect with winners from previous years, so stay tuned.
What does accountability mean in Washington education? What does accountability mean, in general? Webster’s tell us it’s “an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to ‘account’ for one’s actions.” But as the State Board of Education is learning, in education, that’s only the beginning.
In the 2005 session, the Washington Legislature tasked the State Board with setting criteria to identify schools and districts which are successful, in need of assistance, and those where students persistently fail. And, to identify schools and districts in which improvement measures and appropriate strategies are needed. Since that time, the State Board has been studying the barriers to school improvement that exist in Washington state, as well as developing an "Accountability Index" that will help focus assistance to schools and districts in need of improvement.
What they’ve found in research is disheartening: One in every 14 Washington students attends a low performing school.
To date, it has been unclear who is responsible when students fall through the cracks and drop out. Our state’s current accountability system for student performance is a patchwork of local, state and federal requirements that are defined primarily by the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) and local high school graduation requirements. OSPI operates a voluntary assistance program to struggling schools and districts. But right now, good data is insufficient, making broad system performance assessment difficult. And, year after year, only 74 percent of students who start high school graduate four years later.
The State Board hopes a state-wide Accountability Index (AI) will change this. Similar to our federal education accountability system, the AI will attempt to do three things:
- Set performance improvement goals and indicators to measure improvement and student performance in Washington’s education system.
- Create a tiered system, with four levels to demonstrate school improvement and the need for assistance.
- Provide targeted strategies for chronically underperforming schools.
When the state places schools on the AI, they will be examining public
data such as the number of teachers teaching outside of their
certification, student WASL performance, access to rigorous courses and
graduation, college-going and remediation rates. This will be done with
the intention that the public and those outside the education sector
can understand the position of their local schools.
For the schools that are classified as “chronically underperforming,”
Mass Insight—a Massachusetts-based consultant to the State Board—is
developing a blueprint for state and local partnerships to turn these
schools around. The blueprint will include recommendations for reform
and possible processes—dubbed “Innovation Zones”—for the state to work
with schools to create the greatest positive change.
For example, a traditional school improvement approach might adjust the
school schedule within the same length school day and year. With the
Innovation Zone, however, turnaround leaders could expand the school day
and year and reinvent the schedule to fulfill their turnaround plan.
They might increase the amount of time in the school day or year for
students to learn and teachers to collaborate on instruction. Creating
the flexibility and local control necessary to foster operating
conditions, this approach complements student interests and the mission
of the school, according to the State Board.
While many often view the concept of educational accountability as a
means to penalize schools or call attention to deficits, the State
Board emphasizes that a primary aspect of an accountability
system should be continually recognizing and rewarding improvement.
What’s next? The State Board is currently seeking public and educator
input on their draft concepts for the AI and will use the input to
shape a final proposal, which will be presented to the state
Legislature in the 2009 legislative session.
So what does accountability in Washington education mean? The State Board believes that no student should fall through the cracks and no school should fail its students.
We would have to agree.
For a complete report on the State Board’s proposed Accountability Index and their commitment to help schools succeed, visit their website.
Click on the picture below to see a sample of the proposed Accountability Index.
Legislators Consider School Funding Options
In early December, the legislature’s Joint Task Force on Basic
Education Funding must submit its recommendations for overhauling the
funding of Washington’s K-12 school system. After hearing proposals
from a wide range of stakeholders, a bipartisan group of legislators (Senator Tom
and Representatives Hunter, Sullivan, Jarrett, Anderson and Priest)
have developed a new Basic Education Funding Proposal.
There is much to like in their proposal:
- It’s a comprehensive, system-wide approach to a complex issue, after years of trying to address these challenges in piecemeal fashion.
- It recognizes that the public will not support additional school resources without increased accountability for results.
- It proposes that we replace our antiquated teacher compensation system with one that allows differential pay to recognize performance and market factors.
- It eliminates many inequities that have been built into the current system over time and tries to bring some rationality to state funding for educational support services.
- It phases in new policies and funding over a six year period to allow appropriate planning and reduce the impact on the state budget over time.
However, there remains an 800-pound elephant in the classroom: the
bottom line. The proposal will require significant new
resources devoted to K-12, but no one knows exactly how much. In
their plan, the lawmakers say that K-12 funding should return to its
historic level of approximately 50 percent of the state general fund
from today’s 35 percent.
The problem is that, with legislators facing a $3.2 billion projected
budget deficit, no one knows where that money will come from.
Legislators will have to answer that question. In addition to their own
sense of urgency about improving our schools, pending lawsuits
regarding the adequacy of state school funding will exert additional
pressure on them to act.
With the impending collision of increased funding demands and scarce
resources, the 2009 legislative session promises to be not only one of
the most contentious in recent memory, but also one of the most
important ever for the future of our schools.
To learn more about the Joint Task Force on Basic Education Funding, visit the legislature’s website.
Partnership Welcomes New Policy Manager Caroline King
We are pleased to announce that Caroline King has joined the Partnership for Learning team as our new policy manager.
Caroline brings a wealth of experience to her new role. From designing
a management and leadership program for urban educators at Harvard
University, consulting for education-focused foundations, and working
directly with public schools, she has spent much of her career
accelerating student performance and closing the achievement gap.
Caroline's passion for education stems from a year she spent teaching
in Ecuador after college. Her students were the first in their families
to attend high school. During her return trips to Ecuador, she has
watched her former students graduate from high school, pursue dreams in
college and the workforce, and transform their lives and communities.
"Partnership for Learning has been a leader in championing education
reform efforts that prepare all of Washington's children succeed in
school and life," said Caroline. "I'm excited about the opportunity to
devote my skills and energy to helping the business community, parents
and educators continue to improve our education system. My hope is that
Washington schools and educators will be recognized as the best in the
country."
Please help us welcome Caroline and look forward to hearing from her soon.