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House Republicans stand firm
on academic standards as
education bills pass
House Republicans are
pleased with some of the education bills passed by the House today,
feeling many of the ideas they put forward will help students meet state
academic standards.
“We not only stood strong by our important academic standards today – we
took steps to provide students, parents and teachers new tools for
success in reaching them,” said Rep. Gigi Talcott, ranking Republican on
the House Education Committee. “I believe in our students and feel any
retreat from our academic standards would be unfair to them. It is not
legislators who have raised the academic bar – our world economy demands
it. We cannot go back to the days of graduating students who aren’t able
to read, write or do eighth-grade math.”
Beginning with the class of 2008, students will have to pass three
sections of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) –
reading, writing and math – as a requirement for high school graduation.
Some of today’s education bills that passed in the House would allow
students to demonstrate these skills through alternative pathways such
as:
Some of today’s education
measures also would provide students, parents and teachers new tools in
meeting academic standards:
-
releasing students’
actual WASL tests to guide remediation;
-
providing individual,
immediate diagnostic testing for 9th and 10th grade students;
-
giving all students an
academic advisor to guide and track their progress; and
-
offering additional
learning opportunities through extra specialized classes or
tutoring.
House Republicans unveiled
their “Commitment to Washington” prior to the session which includes
helping every student achieve academic standards by offering remedial
classes, tutors, and expanded learning opportunities, and providing
various pathways to earn a meaningful high school diploma.
“When we traveled the state on our listening tour we consistently heard
from parents that they support academic standards. They want us to
provide the tools needed to help every student achieve high standards,
and make the WASL a reliable barometer for measuring the success of our
students and schools,” said House Republican Leader
Richard DeBolt.
“Republicans put forward solid ideas – not proposed studies – to address
WASL concerns and academic standards. It’s nice to see many of these
measures pass today in bipartisan fashion.”
House Republicans remain cautious about the impetus of Senate Bill 6618
which would study the WASL. The measure has been hailed by some as a
compromise between pro- and anti-WASL groups.
“As long as this bill is not the bed in which proposals that seek to
water down, postpone or eliminate the WASL will be planted, then I see
value in studying what leads students to succeed or fail,” said DeBolt,
R-Chehalis. “But we cannot allow a WASL study or other measures to pave
the road for retreat from our academic standards. Retreat is not an
option.”
House Republicans were worried earlier in the session when a series of
Democrat-backed bills were introduced that would have abandoned academic
standards. These measures included: eliminating the WASL graduation
requirement, delaying the use of the WASL for a graduation requirement
until 2010 or 2014, permitting a “collection of evidence” to count
instead of the WASL, and other concepts that erode state academic
standards.
“Sadly, these bills conveyed a lack of trust and faith in our students
and teachers. I did not share this view and continue to believe in the
abilities of our students to achieve,” said Talcott, R-Tacoma. “Our
students are competing for jobs with their peers from other countries
who are hungry for economic opportunities. Our students must meet this
challenge head on – and the Legislature needs to support them in the
process.”
A full view of the Commitment to Washington can be found at: http://hrc.leg.wa.gov/priorities.htm.
The legislative session began on January 9 and is scheduled to run 60
days.
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For more information, contact:
John Rothlin, Staff
Director - (360) 786-7254
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