Say what you will about the No Child Left Behind Act, but I think we all can agree that the Dept. of Education’s final decision to use a single formula to calculate graduation rates is a pretty darn good idea.

But just how no-nonsense are we talking? According to Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, states must begin using a single graduation-rate formula, which counts the percentage of ninth-graders who earn a diploma within four years, by 2011. The uniformity is intended to shine a light on the nation's dropout problem and force schools to take steps to ensure that more students earn diplomas.

Sort of a no-brainer, right? Though I hate to toot Washington’s horn (oh, who am I kidding? I love it!), we’ve been way out ahead of the feds on this issue. Gov. Gregoire was part of the initial group within the National Governor’s Association who signed on to using a single graduation rate in 2005.