Governor Gregoire

Streamlining Education Governance in Washington

maureen — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 12:38:26 -0600

House and Senate Bills Aim to Restructure State's Education System

Over the past two weeks, details have emerged from Gov. Chris Gregoire’s plan to streamline Washington’s education system. Bills in both the House and Senate have been introduced to dramatically improve our system’s current education “silos” and move to a more centralized system of transparency and accountability focused on student achievement—-reform Washington desperately needs. The following is a breakdown of the education governance legislation currently in the works.

In the Senate, SB 5639, which was passed by committee on Wednesday, February 16, proposes to:

Establish a new Department of Education (DOE) as an executive branch agency to focus on policy, programs and services supporting student achievement, which is managed by the Secretary of Education—a position appointed by the Governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate.
Create a P-12 Education Council to advise the Secretary of Education.
Maintain the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) as a constitutionally-elected office with supervision over public schools, but require SPI to cooperate and coordinate with the new DOE.
Abolish and transfer the powers, duties and employees of the following state agencies to the DOE: Department of Early Learning, State Board of Education, Professional Educator Standards Board, and Quality Education Council (some powers and duties to be given the P-12 Council).
Abolish the following agencies: The Early Learning Advisory Council, the Achievement Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee, the Office of Education Ombudsman, and the Washington State School Directors Association.

In the House, the situation is more complicated and includes multiple bills: HB 1973, HB 1974, HJR 4220 and HB 1849. There is some question about which bills will move forward in the coming week before the committee deadline.

HB 1973: This bill would move early learning, K-12, community and technical colleges, and the Higher Education Coordinating Board into a newly-created Department of Education. The bill would make SPI, a statewide-elected official, reportable to the new department secretary (a gubernatorial appointee).
HB 1974: This bill modifies the duties of the Quality Education Council and several education agencies. Furthermore, the bill abolishes the Professional Educators Standards Board and transfers its powers, duties and functions to the SPI.
HJR 4220: This bill proposes an amendment to the state Constitution to eliminate the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
HB 1849: This bill would establish the Washington State Education Council to provide strategic oversight for the public school system. OSPI would supervise this council.

In both the House and Senate, each of these proposals represents a step in the right direction and a distinct piece in reforming Washington’s education governance puzzle. An empowered executive branch of government, responsible for education in Washington state, will eliminate the “silos” and disparate accountability within our education system and forge a more cohesive plan to make sure all students graduate college and work ready.

Partnership for Learning is very supportive of legislation to reorganize and streamline our state’s education governance—particularly, the Senate’s vision for a comprehensive, P-12 Department of Education that includes the integration of the Professional Educator Standards Board and the House’s vision for dissolving the elected position of State Superintendent. Over the next few months, we will be working with state leaders to ensure any legislation passed contains the most high-impact strategies to accelerate student achievement in Washington state.

What's in the Governor's Education Governance Proposal?

maureen — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 18:01:05 -0600

On Wednesday, January 5, Governor Chris Gregoire’s outlined her legislative plan for education – a plan that is structured on establishing student-centered, streamlined policies that are innovative, flexible and provide clear lines of authority and responsibility. Her plan reflects the current economic climate in Washington by focusing on establishing more cost-effective, efficient systems and accountability structures.

The Governor’s plan identifies three key areas for K-12 education reform, including:

Consolidation of eight state education agencies into one comprehensive state-level education system, The Department of Education, that will be overseen by a Governor appointed Secretary of Education. The department will run the entire Washington education system.
The constitutionally protected Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), renamed the “K-12 Division,” and the elected position of State Superintendent will remain. OSPI and the State Superintendent will report directly to the Secretary of Education. The specific role and responsibilities of this division under the new system remain to be determined.
Establishment of “Launch Year” a program designed to bridge the gap between a student’s senior year of high school and first year of career training or college.
Development and adoption of a system-wide strategic education reform plan.

In addition, the Governor’s legislative plan includes specific higher education reforms, including:

Authority for public colleges and universities to set tuition;
Adoption of the National Governors Association “Complete to Compete” accountability measures and metrics for public colleges and universities.
Creation of an incentive system for higher education institutions to meet state’s baccalaureate degree completion targets.
Recognition of student credit for college-level academic work completed at high school, community college, or four-year university through Advanced Placement programs, credits earned when a student transfers, or skills demonstrated through proficiency exams.
Establishment of the Washington Pledge Scholarship Program, a program funded by voluntary donations by individuals and businesses, designed to provide financial assistance for low-and middle-income students to earn a bachelor’s degree.

The Governor’s proposal appears to be a step in the right direction. Washington’s education governance system has become blurred, fragmented and dispersed among multiple education leaders and agencies. Partnership for Learning has long supported the idea of streamlining education governance and is pleased that the Governor has taken up this issue.

In the coming months, Partnership for Learning plans to work with the Governor and her staff to ensure her proposal contains the most high-impact strategies to accelerate student achievement in Washington state.

The Governor’s legislative policy brief, supporting documents and press announcement can be accessed here.

Gov. Gregoire Announces Changes to Washington's Education Governance System

maureen — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 16:00:02 -0600

For Immediate Release: January 5, 2011

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire today outlined a series of strategies she’s proposing to ensure Washington students receive a seamless, quality education from early learning to career.

“As the first person in my family to go to college, I personally know the value of education,” Gregoire said. “I am one of thousands, even millions of stories of a good education making the difference – in life and career. Of all the duties of the state, none is more important than an education.”

Gregoire today announced her intention to create a single, cabinet-level Department of Education that will unite the state’s multiple education agencies to ensure priorities are aligned, and the focus remains on students. The new department will have full authority to run the entire Washington state education system, and will be led by a secretary who will implement effective evidence-based, student-centered best practices.

“We don’t have an education system in our state today,” Gregoire said. “We have a collection of agencies that deal with education. And those agencies – from the Department of Early Learning to K-12 programs to the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges and the Higher Education Coordinating Board – spend much of their time trying to get their policies to line up with one another. Their focus is not always the same. It should be. And they should have only one priority – educating our kids from early learning to career.”

Gregoire also announced her proposal to offer more options to high school seniors, recommending the 12th grade become a “launch year” to a student’s career – noting that 35 percent of high school seniors carry less than a full class load, and only 25 percent of students capable of taking advanced courses do so.

“We must require our schools to offer more rigorous and relevant courses to seniors – whether they are hands-on classes that bring students closer to a technical certificate, or advanced courses that lead to college credit,” Gregoire said. “By making the last year of high school the first year of career training or college, we can give our seniors an advantage in a competitive world. At the same time, we save students and their parents tuition costs – which saves taxpayers, as well.”

Gregoire added that getting more students to graduate from college is critical to our state’e economic future, given that two-thirds of the jobs created in the next eight years will require college-level education. To meet the demands, Washington state will need 6,000 more bachelor’s degree graduates a year.

“As we face the realities of a financial crisis and a historic budget shortfall, we need to keep the doors of our colleges and universities open, make education accessible and increase graduation rates” Gregoire said. “That’s why I will be following the recommendation by our Higher Education Funding Task Force, and propose that we link state support for our colleges with tuition flexibility.”

Gregoire’s proposal would limit tuition increases when state support grows, but if the state is unable to adequately support higher education in tough times, schools will have the ability to raise tuition, ensuring they keep their doors open and continue to offer a quality education. Under this proposal, if state funding is at or above a set baseline, tuition can’t exceed the 60th percentile of that university’s state peer group.

In addition to tuition flexibility, the task force recommended, and the governor supports:

Creating opportunities for more Washington residents to earn bachelor’s degrees;
Helping low- and middle-income Washington students earn a bachelor’s degree by creating the Washington Pledge Scholarship Program; and
Increasing accountability and performance in higher education

To increase accountability, Gregoire will introduce legislation that would commit the state to adopting and reporting metrics through the National Governors Association’s “Complete to Compete” initiative – Gregoire’s initiative as chair of the NGA. Those schools and universities that can show improvements in student outcomes and student progress would be able to apply and compete for funds included in Gregoire’s new $5 million Baccalaureate Performance Incentive Program. A similar program, the Student Achievement Initiative, invests another $10 million for our community colleges.

“These are performance-driven funds – colleges and universities will compete for them on the outcomes and results they achieve. They must show they are advancing more students toward graduation – like increasing freshmen retention rates and getting them through college-level math courses,” Gregoire said. “We must know what works, so we don’t pay for what doesn’t. Our ultimate goal is to deliver on the promise of education – a rewarding and successful career.”

Additionally, Gregoire announced she will direct the new Department of Education to take the series of studies and reports completed over the last six years, focusing separately on early learning, K-12 and higher education, and combine them into a single set of strategies and measurable outcomes to ensure a seamless education.

“We must create a single Washington education system focused on student learning,” Gregoire said. “We must step up and lead to build and maintain the world-class education system Washington deserves.”

To learn more about Gov. Gregoire's education governance proposal, please read this policy brief.

To read Supt. Randy Dorn's response, please visit OSPI's website.

Gov. Gregoire finally signs basic education legislation

maureen — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:50:35 -0500

Gov. Chris Gregoire signed Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2261--the basic education finance bill passed by the legislature last month--today in Olympia.

For more information, check out this news release prepared by a broad-based coalition of parents, business leaders, community members and education stakeholders, after the bill signing.

State Business, Education and Nonprofit Leaders Call for Reforms Necessary for Stimulus Funds

maureen — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:45:55 -0500

Wondering what we’ve been up to the last couple of days at Partnership for Learning? Well, here’s your answer: Last Friday, we took the message we’ve been trying to shout to the rooftops to the next level and assembled a diverse group of the state’s education leaders to tell Gov. Gregoire and the Legislature that if Washington doesn’t pass key education reforms this session, our state won’t be competitive for crucial stimulus funding.

Click the image at right to read the letter our group sent to Gov. Gregiore.

Governor Gregoire weighs in on Basic Education Finance

maureen — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:42:41 -0500

Publicly, the governor has remained relatively silent on Washington’s attempts to reform basic education finance. That was, however, until yesterday. Putting her stake in the ground, Gov. Gregoire sent a letter to Speaker of the House Frank Chopp and Senator Lisa Brown broadly outlining her support for certain components of the House and Senate basic education bills (HB 2261 and SB 6048). Regardless of where you stand these issues, having the governor weigh in on basic education finance is long overdue. Here’s a breakdown of her stance:

Raising High School Graduation Requirements: Gregoire supports phasing-in the State Board’s CORE 24 proposal. Nice.
Using a Model or “Prototypical” School Approach to Funding: Gregoire supports this approach to bring clarity to the education funding structure and, more importantly, for the transparency it provides taxpayers. In theory, this is good.
Data and Accountability: Gregoire supports using data to inform key education decisions, but does not support an accountability system tied to that data. Sad.
Early Learning: Gregoire doesn't support it being included in the definition of basic education. I can see her point, but doesn’t this fly in the face of her “Washington Learns” findings? Just saying...
Highly-Capable and AP Programs: Ditto.
Reforming Teacher Compensation: Gregoire doesn’t see clear agreement on performance-based pay, so she doesn’t support it. That’s frustrating.
Basic Education Funding Timeline: Gregoire says we simply don’t have the state dollars to begin six-year implementation of fully funding basic education during the 2011-2012 biennium, as previously suggested.

Throughout Gregoire’s letter, the effect of the economic downturn in her rational is painfully apparent, which is unfortunate, since funding basic education is supposed to be the state’s paramount duty—regardless of Washington’s fiscal status. Where's the willingness to innovatively reprioritize other state funds to make sure our education system delivers on its promises to students? Read the letter and let me know what you think.