Much has been discussed on a national level about the unprecedented Race to the Top (RTTT) competitive grants announced by the Department of Education in February 2009. Specifically, discussions revolving around the four assurances (Internationally-benchmarked standards and assessments; data systems that measure success and improve instruction; supporting effective teachers and leaders; and turning around low-performing schools) states must meet to be considered competitive for funding are a hot topic. However, discussions on how Washington state measures up to these four assurances has not been a regular conversation piece for the general public. Over the next four blogs I’ll dive into this topic and provide a Washington state scorecard for each assurance – stay tuned!
Assurance One: Washington State & Common Core Curriculum & Assessments
What’s Required?
Prior to the RTTT announcement, forty-eight states agreed to participate in the Common Core Standards Initiative led by the National Governor’s Association (NGA) and Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Together they worked to develop a set of common standards that states could adopt that would allow state-to-state achievement comparisons – incredibly, something that currently is not attainable as each state has adopted its own standards.
RTTT’s first assurance builds off this commitment by the forty-eight states and calls for adoption of the common, college- and career – ready, internationally-benchmarked standards. In addition, RTTT is also requiring that states adopt an assessment system that is aligned to the common core standards. With these tools in place, states can begin to not only compare achievement results but learn and share common practices but states will be better positioned to share high-quality tools that have helped educators and students succeed.
How Does Washington Measure Up?
Washington has made several commitments to boost the rigor of its curriculum and it’s well prepared to meet the first assurance identified by the U.S. Department of Education. Specifically, Washington was one of the forty-eight states committed to the development of a set of common standards and, in addition, the passing of HB 2261 includes several provisions that will move Washington state towards a more rigorous curriculum and better assessment systems.
What Must Washington Do to Be Competitive?
In order to stand out amongst other states, Washington needs to start moving forward with implementation of the HB 2261 and CORE 24 earlier than late 2010. It is critical that Washington stand out amongst other states in this assurance – we have the provisions to do so but must act swiftly against implementing them.
Anne Luce is a guest blogger and graduate student at Seattle University earning a master’s degree in public administration, with a focus on education.
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