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Anderson appointed to
governor’s 'Washington Learns'
education task force
Rep. Glenn Anderson
announced today he has been appointed to serve as the House Republican
member on the Washington Learns steering committee. Washington Learns is
a comprehensive 18-month effort to thoroughly examine Washington’s
education system and find ways to improve it. Gov. Gregoire has
committed to personally chairing each of the committee’s meetings.
“Since I was elected I
have been advocating for Washington to take a long, hard look at our
state’s education system – both its strengths and where there is room
for improvement,” said Anderson. “Our globally competitive economy is
demanding a higher standard of educational achievement from all of us –
parents, teachers and children. This in-depth study will give us an
opportunity to examine it all, from early learning programs to K-12
schools and higher education. What we find will help us evaluate the
results of the state’s 12-year, multibillion-dollar investment in
education reform and decide where to go from here.”
Washington Learns, signed
into law last month, will take an intense and exhaustive look at
Washington’s education governance, curriculum and financing systems,
from preschool through college. The group will focus on answering three
questions:
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Is Washington using
its existing education resources efficiently?
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What defines the
quality citizens want in early childhood education, K-12 schools and
higher education?
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What must change to
achieve the quality citizens want?
The committee will then
identify what is working and what is not, and propose legislative and
other changes accordingly.
Anderson said he also sees
this study as an opportunity for people with differing political
viewpoints to come together and make significant progress on results and
accountability in Washington’s education system.
“The education of our
children and young adults should not be a partisan issue,” Anderson
said. “Using our children’s education as a political wedge issue serves
no one, least of all the kids. That’s why I am encouraged to see people
from across the political spectrum coming together to build
relationships in the interest of what’s best for the future of children
across the state.”
Washington Learns kicked
off its work with an education summit June 3.
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For more information, contact:
Bobbi Cussins, Public
Information Officer - (360) 786-7252
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