March 18, 2006
Everett Herald Op-ed

Success is within each student’s reach

Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe and Rep. Dave Quall

The debate about the future of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) as a graduation requirement was intense and heartfelt this legislative session.

The moments that particularly stand out in our minds are when students sat in front of the Senate and House of Representatives education committees, and implored us to stay the course on education reform.

One student testified that she and her peers deserve our support and our courage in expecting them to meet high academic standards, and asked the Legislature to hold up its promise. She also expressed her concerns about students who struggle to pass a single test. Another student – the president of the Washington Association of Student Councils – urged us to stick with the WASL, telling us that it was the state’s job to help challenge students academically.

Lawmakers took these exchanges and other discussions to heart, passing several measures that will help ensure a meaningful diploma that signals students’ preparation for their next step in life.

When our state began education reform, we made a commitment to Washington’s students that we would provide them the opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge they’d need to graduate. As 10th-graders around Washington sharpen their pencils and prepare to become the first class required to pass the WASL, we want to assure them that the Legislature moved forward on that pledge this session by:

• Creating an independent, comprehensive study to identify the barriers to student success, so that we can target resources to those students who need them most. The study also will consider whether any additional alternative methods could augment the current assessment system.
• Ensuring alternative assessments are available so that students who struggle with traditional tests may still prove they can meet the standards measured by the WASL.
• Earmarking nearly $28 million for remediation, so that students can get extra help in before- or after-school programs, weekend classes or summer school.

Education reform has never been about one test. It’s about putting in place an assessment system that measures how well students are learning, while also recognizing that students learn differently and demonstrate their skills and knowledge differently. We bolstered that system this session by identifying several different ways in which students might demonstrate their proficiency if they do not pass the WASL or a retake, including: a portfolio of school work, a set mathematics score on the PSAT, SAT or ACT, and an approved vocational/technical track.

While we still worry about instituting the WASL as a graduation requirement, we believe that we are going to see great things from our students in the months and years to come. They will rise to the challenge, with the help of teachers, parents and communities. Students who don’t pass the WASL or an alternative assessment need all of us to help them get the necessary tools to reach academic standards.

We must be vigilant so that no student falls through the cracks. We do not want a system that inadvertently causes any student to get discouraged and give up or drop out, and we must track the dropout rate very closely to help ensure that doesn’t happen. We can learn lessons from other states that have implemented education reform. Massachusetts, which is several years ahead of us in their reform efforts and has experienced great success, has nonetheless experienced an increase in dropouts. Officials there are working to turn that around, and we must learn from their lessons.

Making this session’s achievements even sweeter is the fact that all the education interests were at the table. From former Gov. Booth Gardner — a passionate supporter of public education — to parents, teachers, students, business leaders and other education advocates, this session, everyone spoke their minds. There still may be differences, and we need to continue to listen to all stakeholders to find solutions that will help students succeed.

To this year’s 10th-graders: We believe in you. We will support you in your quest for academic success.

Editor’s note: Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, chairs the Senate Early Learning, K-12 & Higher Education Committee. Rep. Dave Quall, D-Mount Vernon, chairs the House Education Committee.

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