As Of Today, 90 Percent Of Washington State Schools Are Failing
1 min read
Washington State Schools that were making progress a year ago are now failing - not because anything changed in schools, but because the US Department of Education moved the goalposts.
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction put out a press release, but Randy Dorn, Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction, was pretty succinct:
"By losing our waiver, we've had to do some things I think are ridiculous, stupid, ineffective and a waste of resources."
Because the USDOE shifted the definition of "progress" nearly 90% of schools in Washington State are not making enough of it. In Washington "adequate progress" is defined by having every single student in the school "pass" a standardized test - and it's worth noting that "passing" a standardized test is often defined by a cut score.
The maneuvering and posturing in Washington State shows the capricious and political side of school "success." I wonder if the folks who pulled the waiver thought about any effects on student motivation - how do the kids and families returning back to their newly failing school get served and supported by the politics here?
