McAuliffe vows to continue efforts to create ‘responsive’ education system

OLYMPIA – Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, will continue to chair the Senate committee on early learning and K-12 education, and said today that she is focused on an agenda that will promote a seamless education system that is responsive to all students’ needs.

“These first years are critical. If we do it well in those years, our children should be well-prepared for the career or college of their choice,” McAuliffe said.

Senate Democrats, who will hold a 32-17 majority when the 2007 legislative session begins on Jan. 8, have created two education committees: the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee, which McAuliffe will chair, and the Higher Education Committee, chaired by Sen. Paull Shin, D-Edmonds. McAuliffe said the two committees will often meet jointly to consider issues affecting the entire education system.

“Our education system should be seamless: high-quality early learning opportunities, excellent public K-12 schools that address students’ strengths and challenges, and a higher education and work force training system that fulfills the needs of our students and economy,” McAuliffe said. “Creating a responsive system that moves students smoothly through their educational experience will take a coordinated effort from both education panels.”

Under McAuliffe’s leadership, the Early Learning & K-12 Committee will consider several crucial issues this session, including how to implement the recommendations of Washington Learns, a blue ribbon education panel that under the leadership of Gov. Chris Gregoire has reviewed Washington’s education and finance system.

McAuliffe said she plans to introduce legislation that addresses the financing of early learning and K-12 education and considers how to proceed with the Washington Assessment of Student Learning as a graduation requirement.

“We must hold all students to high standards while providing them with a diploma that means something,” she said.

The committee will consider a recent proposal from Gregoire, Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson and the State Board of Education calling for a three-year delay in implementing the math portion of the test as a graduation requirement while studying how to boost student achievement in math, instead allowing students during those three years to take rigorous math courses to meet the graduation requirement. McAuliffe said the committee will look at a comprehensive approach to the high-stakes test, including an evaluation of where Washington’s 10th-graders stand in reading, writing and math.

“We should open the conversation to address how we’re serving all of our children, including minority students, students with learning disabilities and students from low-income families. Our system has to offer the opportunity for all students to learn,” McAuliffe said.

McAuliffe also plans to introduce legislation aimed at reducing the high school dropout rate, and a bill that would provide matching funds to encourage higher education institutions to provide high-quality child-care facilities.

The 2007 legislative session is scheduled to last 105 days.

Return to Sen. McAuliffe's home page