While touring a Vancouver-area middle school, Gov. Christine Gregoire made it clear that she plans to make science a priority, as well as math.

She told the Covington Middle School students, while touring their science projects, that science should not only be  rigorous, but fun, according to a story in The Columbian.

Gregoire started making this tour immediately after leaving the WSSDA convention  last week, with a copy of  the Washington Learns report in firmly in hand. While math will be a priority, first next week at the State Board of Education meeting and then six weeks later when the legislature convenes, Gregoire made it clear that science will be in the spotlight too.

While just half of the Class of 2008 passed the math WASL on the first try, only about 35 percent passed the science WASL, a must-pass test come 2010.

For the first time, someone hinted at just what Gregoire's "downpayment" on the state's ed plan may cost. Rep. Bill Fromhold, D-Vancouver, told The Columbian, he expects it to be in the $400 million to $500 million range. He'd like it personally, to be a little higher, he said.