Washington State Board of Education reacts to Dorn proposal
Posted on 19. Nov, 2009 by Mike.
The Washington State Board of Education just sent out this response to Superintendent Randy Dorn’s proposal to delay math and science graduation requirements until 2015 and 2017.
We have tremendous math and science based industries in Washington - yet our K-12 math and science education isn’t reaching this same standard of excellence. Pushing back graduation requirements or lowering standards is shortchanging the opportunities for our children to participate in the very career fields that helped to define our great state.
And, the chair of the Washington State Board of Education, Mary Jean Ryan, issued this statement:
This call for delay is not the right direction for our state. State leaders must commit- once and for all- to doing the hard work needed to help kids master math and science. Delays just create distractions. If history is a guide more delay will only serve to distract. Three years ago the State punted on math and since then achievement levels have dropped. Delay is not a winning game plan. There is much work to do but this is not the way to begin.
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Superintendent Randy Dorn proposes another delay
Posted on 19. Nov, 2009 by Mike.
Superintendent Randy Dorn is proposing another delay in math and science requirements until 2015 and 2017. In a press release, here’s one reason he gave for the delay:
“It doesn’t take a mathematician to see that we have a big problem in our state. Less than 50 percent of our 10th graders are passing the math and science exams,” said Dorn, who noted 10th graders’ passing rate on the reading and writing exams is more than 80 percent. “We need to be fair to our students and give them time to learn the new standards. It’s simply a matter of doing what’s right.”
In addition, he submitted this op-ed to the Seattle Times outlining his proposal for pushing back the math requirement until 2015 and science until 2017.
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Economic update: state budget down another $760 million
Posted on 19. Nov, 2009 by Heather.
The Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council released updated revenue forecasts for the 2009-11 biennium. The news is not good. Revuenes are down an additional $760 million from September’s forecast. What does that mean? In short, the state is facing a $2.55 billion deficit. The 2009-11 budget passed in April included $31.39 billion worth of expenditures. The revenue forecast today put collections for 2009-11 at $28.84 billion. So, $31.39 billion minus $28.84 billion is $2.55 billion. And that $2.55 billion needs to be trimmed during the 2010 legislative session. Yikes!
