A+ Washington focuses on quality from early years to adulthood
By Shannon Campion, Jana Carlisle and Chris Korsmo
(From The Herald, April 1st, 2012)
Just across Puget Sound, there was a time when only 4 percent of kids in Bremerton entered kindergarten knowing the alphabet. That’s not a typo — just 4 percent of kids knew their letters in 2001. But after the school district launched a preschool education initiative, that number grew to 65 percent.
Now, 90 percent of students in Bremerton are reading at grade level by the end of kindergarten. That’s a stunning success, and one of many education improvements that could be implemented statewide.
Our schools are in trouble, and when we look at the status quo, change seems hard. What happened in Bremerton is proof that we can — with the will of the public, our schools and our students — make positive change to help our kids.
So what can we do? Or, most important, what can you do?
The Excellent Schools Now coalition, a diverse alliance of parents, teachers, students, advocates and business and community leaders, recently unveiled a common-sense plan that will help us meet Washington’s education challenges. It’s called “A+ Washington: A Way Forward for All Students,” and it’s designed to create a school system that truly prepares students to succeed in work and life.
A+ Washington starts with quality early learning and continues through high school and beyond. It recognizes that it takes all of us, working together, to help our students succeed. It supports great teachers and school leaders, and promotes flexibility and accountability in our schools. Lawmakers already approved one element of A+ Washington when they passed Senate Bill 5895, which created an educator performance system that will support quality teachers, provide flexibility in personnel decisions for school leaders and tie student performance to teacher evaluations. The bill, signed by Gov. Chris Gregoire on March 8, is a critical part of improving the education system in Washington.