A+ Washington: A Way Forward for All Students

2011 November 7
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ESN has released its suggestions for the upcoming years in education called A+ Washington: A Way Forward for All Students. With this plan, ESN has crafted aspirational, yet achievable, strategies to spark change in Washington’s P-16 education system, to be implemented over a six-year time period. Our intent is to build a system in which every Washington student has an excellent start, attends an excellent school, is taught by an excellent teacher, and achieves at high levels.

We recognize our state is experiencing a deep and persistent recession, resulting in budget cuts and job losses. People and organizations are challenged by the economy and its implications, yet with such challenges come great opportunities for change.

Washington urgently needs to take action to improve education and eliminate opportunity gaps. These investments will result in a skilled, knowledgeable workforce and new job creation. We need comprehensive and realistic strategies that will prepare all Washington students for the future. We need strategies that will define what our state and the education community can do together to prepare children for school, improve high school graduation rates, send more children to community colleges and universities, and provide the opportunity for all students to achieve their best futures.

We need to move fast and do as much as we can, as quickly as possible. With the support of parents, educators, advocates, and business and community leaders, we can create a future that every child deserves. Our children cannot wait, and neither can their future employers.

Building on Work Already Done
Since 2009, Washington legislators passed three key bills that A+ Washington intends to build on. House Bill 2261 established a new definition of “basic education” and a pathway for education reform in the state. It also expanded the school day, established a transparent school funding model, and developed an accountability system. House Bill 2776, passed in 2010, addresses the technical details of HB 2261—specifically the development of a new funding formula around a funding model that sets numeric values for average class sizes and phases in class-size reductions and all-day kindergarten. Also in 2010, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 6696, which calls for the implementation of key provisions and reforms designed to accelerate student learning, improve educator performance, and track college-readiness by developing a robust accountability system and adopting Common Core State Standards.

Many Washington organizations, individuals, and studies have argued for changes to the P-16 education system. There have been calls to improve teaching and learning, particularly around closing the opportunity gap between and among students of color and white students, and between students from places with few financial and educational resources and students from more affluent places. Similarly, accurate and consistent data systems and analysis have been identified as helping better monitor and hold accountable those responsible for educating our students.

We are realists and we understand the political and fiscal realities of our time. These strategies build on the hard work and policy direction of recent legislatures and the critical policy work already underway. It extends beyond that work to identify specific strategies and phases, including low- or no-cost actions our state can take now to improve educational outcomes. We also identify which recommended strategies will require new legislative authority or funding.

Funding Will Be Required to Achieve Our Vision & Desired Outcomes
Turning this vision into reality and achieving the benchmarks will require adequate state funding, as well as new ways of delivering education to our young people. The Legislature has already provided funding for some of the Strategic Actions; others will require new revenue. For a summary of the range of funding that will be required for statewide implementation of A+ Washington, please see the full report.

It Will Take the Whole Community, With Clear Roles for Everyone
Making A+ Washington a reality will take everyone’s help – the Legislature, state agencies, school directors and administrators, educators, parents, community members, and students. These strategies focus on the role of state government in creating educational improvement, particularly on legislative policy action, funding, and education agency implementation. Yet we know that school districts and schools are where it all happens – and these recommendations will affect how schools are governed and managed. We also know that change can start at the local level, and we encourage such innovation and the establishment of local examples highlighting successful policies, programs, and practices that can be scaled up at the state level.

Statewide Dialogue
As a coalition, we know part of our role is to hold a statewide discussion about the steps called for in each strategy. To broaden the input, we will reach out across the state to parents, educators, students, community members, advocates, business leaders, and elected officials.

We would like to stress that A+ Washington represents our best thinking at this time, incorporating and balancing the feedback we’ve received to date. It is our intention that this is a working, living document – though its platform of reform is clearly centered on five broad strategies. We expect the document and diversity of support will become stronger the more we hear and learn from others.

Educators Are Valued
ESN greatly values our educator workforce. Teachers, administrators, and parents are the life blood of our educational system. In crafting these strategies, we have drawn on feedback from many educators and policymakers as well as our respectful and nuanced understanding of the complex issues and challenges facing our education system and the people who work in it.

Defining Responsibilities
In the specific strategies outlined, ESN has identified who the responsible entities are for achieving successful outcomes. By responsible entity, we mean the lead entity that must take initial action, particularly at the state level, to make these changes happen. ESN also recognizes that in fully implementing these actions, all levels—from the Legislature and state agencies to school districts and school boards to educators, parents, and students—will need to be involved if we are to succeed.

Read ESN’s full plan as a PDF:
A+ Washington: A Way Forward for All Students [English]
A+ Washington: A Way Forward for All Students [Spanish]

ESN’s 2012 Policy Priorities

2011 October 19
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Effective Teachers and Leaders

Teacher and principal effectiveness has a greater impact on student learning than any other factor in a school system. To ensure effective educators are in every classroom and every school building, we support the following:

Teacher and Principal Evaluation Pilots (TPEP)

Implement an educator evaluation system that incorporates multiple measures of student growth, and uses this robust evaluation system to determine critical staffing decisions. We will focus on supporting effective implementation through funding for evaluation training and professional development so that educators understand and trust the new evaluation system.

Measuring Student Growth to Inform Instruction
Direct the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop a student growth model. Prioritize High-Impact K-12 Investments In these challenging economic times, it is more critical than ever that we prioritize our resources to those policies that increase student learning and close the achievement gap. We recommend prioritizing the following investments:

  • Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS)
  • Full-Day Kindergarten
  • Common Core State Standards & Assessments
  • Washington State Graduation Requirements: Career & College Ready
  • Mentor Program for Beginning Teachers (BEST)
  • Continued phase-in of Basic Education as defined in ESHB 2261 and SHB 2776

View ESN’s 2012 Policy Priorities as a PDF

Legislature adjourns sine die

2011 May 26
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Lawmakers adjourned sine die last night on the final day of the 30-day special legislative session. Below is a summary of ESN’s legislative accomplishments and media clips during session.

Action Update: Important Revisions to Feb. 21 Advocacy Day in Olympia

2011 February 15
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Due to the number of exciting events going on in Olympia on Monday, February 21st, we have decided to combine forces to offer a new itinerary for the Excellent Schools Now Advocacy Day in Olympia.

Please note: Participants will no longer meet at the General Administration Auditorium at 10:00 a.m.

New Advocacy Day Itinerary

9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

You are invited to the second annual Ethnic Education Summit from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Columbia Room of the Legislative Building in Olympia. This free program includes a continental breakfast and lunch.

To attend the Ethnic Education Summit please register online.

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Take part in a noon rally on the Capital steps put on by the Washington State PTA.

2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

You are invited to come visit with legislators from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Excellent Schools Now will train and equip you with information, tools and materials.

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Join the commissions on Asian Pacific American Affairs, Hispanic American Affairs, African American Affairs, and the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs at their Ethnic Commissions Legislative Reception. The reception is from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Black Box Theater, Washington Center for the Performing Arts (512 Washington Street SE) in downtown Olympia.

Enjoy live music and dance performances. Hors d’oeuvre and Washington wines will be served.  Please RSVP to Pam Morris at 360-725-5664 or pmorris@caa.wa.gov .

For information on parking or “Dash” shuttle service for the day, please visit: http://www.leg.wa.gov/legislature/Pages/Parking.aspx

Status of Common Core State Standards

2011 February 9
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State lawmakers in Olympia are considering legislation to authorize the Superintendent of Public Instruction to implement the Common Core State Standards. Below is a map showing the status of Common Core State Standards across the country.

As you can see, 41 states (in orange) have fully adopted the standards. Washington and Maine have provisionally adopted the standards.

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