Back for day two fo the Quality Education Council meeting. Meeting materials are still available here. TVW continues to carry the action live.
9:05am-10am
Race to the Top Status and Work Plan — Judy Hartmann and Edie Harding
- About 50 districts have signed on so far, most of them smaller in size.
>>Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe asked about the Common Core standards. Sen. Curtis King asked for an estimate on the cost of assembling the application. Ms. Hartmann did not have a concrete number but said a number of people are working very hard.<<
10am-10:20am
Review of Work Plans & QEC Input: Highly Capable — Shawn Lewis
Work plan document available here
>>Concerns over gifted/talented being narrowly defined, not just academic talents. Cultural competency training concerns were also brought up.<<
10:30am-10:40am
Review of Work Plans & QEC Input: Early Learning — Shawn Lewis
Work plan document available here
>>Sen. McAuliffe said she hopes the working group represents a diversity of ideas, not just those who want early learning included in basic education.<<
10:40am-11:10am
Review of Work Plans and QEC Input: Local Levy Working Group — Paula Moore
>>Sen. Joseph Zarelli wondered why the QEC would suggest to local districts how to use local funds freed up by increased state funding for transportation and MSOCs (materials, supplies and operating costs). Sen. Eric Oemig agreed. Dr. Jane Gutting stressed the importance of getting to a system where local levy funds are truly used just for supplemental items.<<
11:10am-11:50am
Debrief May Meeting/Discussion of Next Meeting Priorities
- Rep. Skip Priest offered a proposal from Reps. Bruce Dammeier, Marcie Maxwell, Pat Sullivan and himself, which includes suggested prioritization of topics. The top three priorities they suggest for the 2010 work plan are 1) closing the achievement gap, 2) LAP/Bilingual/ELL and 3) classified staff. The implementation of 24 credits for high school graduation was suggested for the 2011 work plan.
- Staff also presented a work plan.
>>Members discussed prioritization of topics, and all members agreed for the need to do so. Sen. Zarelli expressed his frustration at the lack of decisions that have been made; this body should focus on items that it will actually make decisions about. Rep. Priest shared his same frustrations. Other members expressed other frustrations around focus, prioritization and overall plan.<<
11:50am-12:05pm
Public Comment
Lynne Tucker, re: gifted/talented education — need to expand definition, also look at early learning; include diverse representation on work group
12:55pm-1:50pm
Building Bridges Update and Work Plan for Recommendations to QEC under ESSB 6403 — Annie Blackledge
1:50pm-3:20pm
Classified Staff Discussion — Isabel Munoz-Colon, Gordon Beck, Tom Kuehn, Andrea Cobb, Dennis Small, Kate Davis
3:20pm-3:40pm
Discussion of Priorities, continued
- Sen. McAuliffe presented her suggested priorities for the 2010 work plan, along with the Race to the Top goals. This priority list includes 24 credits for high school graduation, in addition to closing the achievement gap, LAP/bilingual/ELL programs and increasing instructional hours.
>>Mary Jean Ryan said closing the achievement gap should be a goal, and improving LAP and ELL programs can help reach that goal; similarly with increased instructional hours. Increasing high school graduation credits to 24 works toward the goal of high school graduates being prepared for college and career. Sen. Oemig added the importance of metrics and data. Dr. Gutting highlighted the value of fiscal information from the funding work group, so that as the QEC begins to make recommendations, members understand the cost.<<
Sen. McAuliffe, Ms. Ryan and Rep. Maxwell will take the lead on developing goal language for the 2010 work plan (closing the achievement gap, college- and career-ready high school graduates).
