Education

Olympia, Washington, March 13: Proponents of enabling legislation to create charter schools in Washington State succeeded today in passing a supportive bill in the state senate, by a vote of 26 to 23. Three Democrats joined all but two Republicans on the winning side. When charter schools were first proposed in Washington in the mid-1990s, the idea was novel, but Read More ›

WASL scores are here and the news is mostly good. You may guess by now that the WASL (pronounced WAHsil) is not something you do in December. It’s the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. It includes brain-teasing math questions, interesting literature selections to read and critique, demanding listening problems that require some note-taking skills, among other things. It makes you Read More ›

Some teachers are superstars. Kids and parents know who they are. Teachers and principals know too. So why not give these superstars recognition? Forget gold stars, cash awards or any other reward for past performance. Think instead about a new role for superstar teachers. When one feels ready for the next challenge, why not assign him or her to a Read More ›

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has taken a bold stand on the state’s new Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission (editorial 8/5/99). The Post-Intelligencer is alarmed because (horrors!) the Republicans “want to use the commission to debate how education reform will unfold in this state.” According to the Post-Intelligencer the “debate is over.” Why, then, I wonder, should there be a commission at Read More ›