News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 17, 2003
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Alt Contact:  Kim Schmanke, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, 360-725-6015

Gov. Gary Locke, Superintendent of Public Instruction Announce Agreement to Help Successfully Implement the Certificate of Mastery

OLYMPIA – Feb. 17, 2003 – Gov. Gary Locke and Terry Bergeson, state superintendent of public instruction, today announced they are in agreement on several key elements needed to implement the Certificate of Mastery graduation requirement by 2008.

Locke requested legislation that would identify which content areas and examinations on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) would be used for the Certificate of Mastery. That legislation is being introduced today in the House with Rep. Dave Quall, D-Mount Vernon, as the prime sponsor.

It would establish reading, writing and mathematics as the assessment areas for the Certificate of Mastery in 2008 and add science in 2010. It would also provide for appropriate alternative assessments for diligent students and WASL retake opportunities.

“We need to focus on the basics,” Locke said. “This legislation would establish a meaningful and predictable graduation requirement while still supporting the high expectations that we have set for students in our state.”

Current state law requires that all state WASL assessments be part of the Certificate of Mastery, including listening, social studies, the arts and physical education and health.

Locke agrees these subjects are also vitally important to a quality education. “But for the Certificate of Mastery, we need to hold districts and students accountable for the basics so we will be on track five years from now,” he said.

“This bill demonstrates our recommitment to ensuring the Certificate of Mastery is implemented in a fair and equitable way for all students,” Bergeson said.

Quall, a former educator with 38 years’ experience as a classroom teacher, counselor and coach, has chaired the House Education Committee since 1999.

“The central issue here is a need to make the high school diploma meaningful again,” Quall said. “That diploma should mean that you can read, write and compute at a reasonable level. For quite a while now, students could just slide by at a minimum level and still get their diploma, and we’re going to eliminate that ability. They’re going to have to earn it before they can graduate.”

The legislation assigns the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the A+ Commission and other education groups with specific tasks to ensure the Certificate of Mastery system is ready for implementation by 2008. That includes finding the best ways for special education students and English language learners to demonstrate their knowledge and skill.


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