Education Reform

Consistent and evolving educational reform

We know we cannot again allow 30 years to pass before revamping basic education.  Our changing world requires a fluid and flexible understanding of what students need to be competitive.   This legislation creates a process for monitoring the ongoing implementation of educational reform efforts and for developing a strategic vision of education both now and in the future.

 

Quality Education Council

Permanent oversight body of legislators and representatives of the educational agencies and the governor's office is created.  The Quality Education Council is tasked with monitoring and informing the ongoing implementation of House Bill 2261 while also developing a 10-year strategic vision for education in Washington that is updated every four years. 

The Council must:

• Inform future educational policy and funding decisions.
• Monitor capacity limitations within the educational system to accommodate increased requirements.
• Identify measurable goals and priorities for the educational system, including goals for the program of basic education and ways to eliminate the achievement gap and reduce the statewide dropout rate.
• Enable the state to continue to implement an evolving program of basic education.

OSPI is tasked with making determinations on the educational system's capacity to accommodate changes in resources and the requirements associated with those resources.  This determination and recommendations about how to address any limitations are to be submitted biennially as part of OSPI's normal budgetary process.

 

Recognizing Capacity Limitations

Changes to our education system shouldn't create new unfunded mandates on our schools.  Meaningful reform requires that new requirements are phased-in as the resources are there to support them.  As limitations are identified, the Legislature can make more informed decisions about where to make targeted investments.

House Bill 2261 tasks OPSI with making these determinations on the system's capacity to accommodate changes.  This determination and the recommendations about how to address any limitations are to be submitted as part of OSPI's normal budgeting process. Capacity limitations could include any of the following:

• The ability of schools and districts to provide the capital facilities necessary to support a particular instructional program.
• The staffing levels necessary to support an instructional program both in terms of actual numbers of staff as well as the experience level and types of staff available to fill positions.
•  The higher education system’s capacity to prepare the next generation of educators.
•  The availability of data capable of helping the state allocate its resources in a manner consistent with evidence-based practices that are shown to improve student learning.

 

 

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