Tagged: education reform

Washington state’s proposed marijuana rules were released yesterday, and critics are already weighing in. Plus, Republican legislators are pushing for education reform. David Hyde gets all the details from Olympia correspondent Austin Jenkins.

The standardized test that inspired boycotts by teachers across Seattle School District will be scaled back next school year.

In a letter to district staff today, Superintendent Jose Banda announced that the Measures of Academic Progress test will still be required in kindergarten though eighth grade, but it will be optional at the high school level.

State senate leaders plan to revive a bill in the upcoming special session that would allow school principals to veto teachers’ school assignments.  Education “reformers” support the change.  Teachers’ unions are opposed. Ross Reynolds interviews both sides.

It’s not just math anymore, students are falling behind in history and civics too. A new report by independent, non-partisan research organization — the Pioneer Institute — says the state of US history and civics education is so abysmal that it makes “reading, mathematics and science achievement seem robust by comparison.” Washington state’s record isn’t any better. The state received a D grade from educational excellence organization, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, for its quote “meager” US history standards.

To reverse this trend the Pioneer Institute report recommends a simple policy: require high school graduates to pass the US citizenship test. Ross Reynolds talks with Sandra Stotsky, professor of education reform and one of the authors of this report.