Building a lasting foundation for Washington’s students

By Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe

Armed with the recommendations of Washington Learns, our state is poised to make major changes that will result in a globally competitive education system that better prepares students in math, science and the arts. The Legislature charged this blue ribbon panel of educators, business leaders and legislators—under the leadership of Gov. Chris Gregoire — with the enormous duty of laying a foundation on which to build the nation’s best education system.

Such an endeavor will take time and resources. As our state takes on this challenge, we should remember an old saying: “The loftier the building, the deeper must the foundation be laid.”

I understand the sense of urgency surrounding the Washington Learns report; we all want to help students succeed. Some have said the report treads water, while others are demanding, “Show me the money!”

In fact, these recommendations are tremendously bold in their acknowledgment that meaningful change will take time and resources. The Washington Learns recommendations are intended to be a living, breathing foundation from which to move forward, beginning with the 2007 legislative session and continuing through the 10-year plan as mapped out in the report.

The recommendations lay the groundwork for providing a world-class learning system for students whatever their strengths and challenges. How Washington’s leaders implement these recommendations will determine their ultimate success. It should be done with great deliberation by replicating innovative programs in our state’s many excellent schools, and through targeted use of state resources to get the greatest return on investment.

Schools cannot do this alone. Teachers, parents and communities must help move this plan forward. Washington Learns has set the stage, and the performance will succeed only with all players doing their parts.

Some Washington Learns proposals already have been implemented, such as the creation of a state-level department to coordinate Washington’s early learning programs.

Other bold ideas in the Washington Learns report will be taken up this legislative session, including: offering voluntary all-day kindergarten; finding math and science curricula that engage all students; and establishing mentor programs statewide to help students plan for their future. The report’s five initiatives for a world-class education system can be found at www.washingtonlearns.wa.gov.

It’s a mammoth agenda with an overall goal of providing a seamless, lifelong learning experience. While we work to implement it, we must be sure schools have the resources to help students meet our high academic standards. The Legislature in 2006 dedicated almost $30 million in extra assistance to help 10th-graders pass the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. This session, we must make a significant down payment on K-12 education, while continuing the longer-term effort of revising our funding model to be clear and performance-based. Washington Learns will present recommended changes to our public education funding system by December 2008.

As with any endeavor of this magnitude, there will be criticism and skepticism. A good dose of this is healthy, and legislators must listen to parents, students and stakeholders as we move forward. The 2007 session is just the starting point.

In my years as a school board member and legislator, I’ve come to understand that there is no quick fix for everything that ails our education system. Instead, we must embrace the idea that creating schools worthy of our students is an ongoing process best approached with deliberation and thoughtfulness. That, to me, is truly bold.

Editor’s note: Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe is chairwoman of the Senate Early Learning, K-12 & Higher Education Committee and a member of the Washington Learns Steering Committee.

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