The first round of SFSF funds -- roughly $670 million -- will be released soon based on Governor Gregoire's "commitment to the following four essential areas of reform:- Making improvements in teacher effectiveness and ensuring that all schools have highly qualified teachers;
- Making progress toward college and career-ready standards and rigorous assessments that will improve both teaching and learning;
- Improving achievement in low-performing schools, by providing intensive support and effective interventions in schools that need them the most;
- Gathering information to improve student learning, teacher performance, and college and career-readiness through enhanced data systems that track progress."
The federal government will not release the second round of SFSF funds -- the extra $330 million -- unless Washington "demonstrates that it collects the required data (related to the four reforms), and that it will make the data easily accessible to the public." Without legislative action this session, our state cannot do this, leaving hundreds of millions of
dollars on the table at a time when our communities and schools are hurting for resources. Further, the largest of the competitive grants -- the $4.35 billion "Race to the Top Fund" -- is designed to help drive substantial gains in student achievement by supporting states making dramatic progress on the four reform goals. To keep Washington competitive, we should align our basic education bills to these goals. I'M ASKING YOU TO TAKE ACTION TODAY TO HELP THE CHILDREN OF OUR STATE
RECEIVE THE RIGOROUS, COLLEGE AND CAREER READY EDUCATION THEY DESERVE!
Send an email...make a phone call...send a letter to your senators and representatives urging them to come together to pass legislation that includes the accountability language proposed by the State Board of Education:
- Define basic education based on college and work ready standards;
- Authorize the state to take action related to chronically low-performing schools;
- Enable a data system to track student learning and success across the P-20 education spectrum; and
- Expand performance-based teacher certification and evaluation.
Specifically, this applies to ESHB 2261, which has passed the House, but still needs approval from the Senate. Here is our chance to show our children that we adults will work together and do the right thing to ensure they have the resources to be successful.
Trish Millines Dziko
Executive Director
Technology Access Foundation |
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