Gov. Gregoire unveils education proposals

For Immediate Release: January 18, 2010

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today unveiled reforms designed to give all children access to a quality education regardless of income level, raise instruction standards and provide a focused approach to ensuring high student achievement.

�Our children will face a globally competitive economy when they grow up, recession or not,� Gregoire said. �We must give them the tools to succeed. These proposals are going to make sure every child will get a quality education, from our youngest learners to high school seniors.�

The reforms for K-12 that Gregoire proposed will improve student achievement and make Washington more competitive for federal Race To The Top dollars. Specifically, they will:

�Extend the evaluation period for a new teacher from two years to three years

�Develop criteria and standards to evaluate teachers and principals

�Require schools with the lowest performance over time to engage in turnaround process overseen by the state following one of four federal models for improvement

�Expand the type of providers for alternative routes for teacher and principal certification

�Encourage school districts to use local funds to pay teachers for closing the achievement gap or developing innovative programs for science, technology, engineering and math

Gregoire�s early learning reforms will ensure all 3- and 4-year-olds in the state will have the opportunity to go to preschool. Her All Start program will require all preschools be certified by the state, require programs that accept state funds to meet additional criteria and provide financial assistance for low-income families. Under All Start, the doors of the state preschool program � the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) � would be open to all parents who can afford to pay.

�We�ve had some early success in reforming our education system,� said Mary Jean Ryan, Chair of the Washington State Board of Education. �The legislation presented today represents the next step in our efforts to improve student achievement for all of our children.�