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New York Times
Topics: Legislature |

The New Battle at Kruger—School Funding?

 

Reading through the online comments for Sunday’s Seattle P-I editorial on the Basic Education Finance Joint Task Force, I couldn’t help but recall a certain viral internet video I had seen months earlier called, The Battle at Kruger.


Math Standards Update!

Math UpdateIt’s that time again…time to check-in on how Washington’s new math standards are shaping up. When we last left the new draft standards, the State Board of Education’s math consultant, Linda Plattner, had assessed the standards and said that they aligned well to her initial recommendations in grades K-8, but that the high school math standards still needed more work.


The Education Trifecta

Three RsBalanced. Whole. Rich. We use these words a lot in education to describe the ideal student experience and it’s time to back them up. In yesterday’s Seattle P-I, House education committee chair Dave Quall wrote an editorial about the need for balance in the quest to ensure that students receive the new “Three Rs”: Rigor, Relevance and Relationships.


The TNT Hits the Math Debate Home

TGIFIn the wake of last week’s letter from the 60 UW professors who warned that a growing number of freshmen can’t do even middle school math, the Tacoma New Tribune published a great editorial this morning that pointed out that remediation isn’t the fault of students (especially the ones smart enough to get into the UW), it’s the “quantity and quality of math education kids get in public schools.” And, more importantly, the shortage of qualified math teachers is at the heart of the problem.


Don't know much about history? Don't know much about geography?

On Monday, I attended a State Board of Education work session on the components of a meaningful high school diploma. And though I’m sure this wasn’t the intention, the meeting came off as a bit of a death match between subjects, each vying for their place in Washington’s new diploma. One by one, OSPI experts presented their case for their subject area and the number of credits a student should receive to graduate. The math and science experts had it easy—we all know students need more credits of these. So did English—it’s a no-brainer that students should be required to graduate with four credits.

 

But what about social studies?


Math Standards Review, Part II

MathAs you may know, the latest draft of the state’s revised math standards was posted and presented to the legislature on Jan. 31. In their quest to make sure the new standards fit the needs of Washington students, however, the State Board of Education asked Strategic Teaching—the organization that originally offered recommendations on the state’s old standards—to see how well the new standards align with their recommended changes.


Defending Vital Change

On Monday night in Olympia, a House Bill was heard that would reverse the state’s requirement for a third year of math. HB 3299 would cut short a requirement that already has a lengthy implementation period and will not go into affect until 2013. Currently, 39 states already require a third-year of math or more from high school students, putting Washington behind the pack. And, most importantly, reversing this requirement would extend the state-wide pattern of awarding diplomas to students who are not prepared for two-year community or technical college or other higher education.


Teaching Science Teachers to be Leaders

A big part of teaching is about knowing how to ask the right questions.


The Monday Morning News: Spokane Math Forum, Senate Bill 6392 and more…

Snow Day!Who says Washington shuts down during inclement weather? Despite the chilly temps and snowy conditions (and the fact that one of my poor co-workers lost power), this week is shaping up to be packed with important ed events.


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