Principals on the Class of 2008

Today, State Superintendent Terry Bergeson asked a group of high school principals to talk with her about the pending graduation of the class of 2008. This was a great opportunity for AWSP members to share their thoughts on the critical issues facing their schools, students and staff in the wake of the first graduation of kids under the (now not so) new graduation requirements. Today's participants included:

• Stacey Locke, principal, Eisenhower High (Yakima P.S.)
• Whitney Meissner, principal, Chimacum Middle/High (Chimacum S.D.)
• Vicki Puckett, principal, Woodinville High (Northshore S.D.)
  
• Scott Seaman, principal, Tumwater High (Tumwater S.D.)
  

These folks were candid with the superintendent and shared some gritty examples of students on the bubble - and not just because of WASL deficiencies. In fact, credit shortages are more likely to prevent kids from graduating in June than WASL. Here's some of the exchanges I captured during today's session:

• "There's been a lot of extra work on the part of assistant principals and counselors to track each member of this class."
  
• "There are two things that keep me awake at night: I'm afraid I've missed someone and the fact that WASL tracking and administration is a full-time job."
  
• "It feels like the kids [this year's seniors] are really taking this seriously. It's interesting to watch this year's juniors and sophomores and how they've all of a sudden stepped into the planning."
  
• "We've put a lot of responsibility on these kids and have tried to build the structures to help them. "
• "The focus we've had on these students for the last 12 years -- on trying to prepare them for success once they leave -- it's clearer than it's ever been before."
  

It's clear from listening to these leaders that they deeply care about the success of every student in their schools and that they are concerned for the adults in the system who are trying to make sure no students slip through the cracks.

They've Got Game!

And you better bring a sharp pencil!

The students in Thomas Jefferson High's Math Team were recently profiled on KING 5 News in Seattle. This is a dream team for any principal: the team attracts students of all ages (freshmen and seniors!), boys and girls of all races and backgrounds. And they mean business!

The group has been in the top 10 in the nation for 13 years straight and is sending 50 kids to the national math championships this summer. Congrats to TJ Principal Mark Marshall, Team Coach Tom Norris and to all the students (and parents) involved in this great program.

WA Scholars Event

Tomorrow, AWSP and the Higher Education Coordinating Board will be hosting the annual Washington Scholars ceremony and luncheon here in Olympia.

The morning session will begin at 9:45 in the chambers of the House of Representatives where friends, family and educators will join in recognition of their achievements. This is an award that is given by the state to three graduating seniors in each legislative district. Students are in the top 1 percent of their graduating classes and are selected based on their academic achievement, in addition to their leadership, community involvement and other extra-curricular activities.

The reward?

A four-year scholarship for tuition at any four-year public or private university in Washington state.

The Legislature started the program in 1981 as a way of honoring these kind of students. But it also helps ensure some of the state's best and brightest advance their education here in Washington. You can read more about the scholarship program here.

TVW will be covering the morning program live tomorrow. Our five morning interest sessions on the role of state government in lobbying, media/communications/the law and the Supreme Court will also be broadcast via the TVW Web site.

Then tomorrow at noon, the Scholars and their families will be joined by their legislators at a special luncheon at Saint Martin's University in Lacey. Gov. Gregoire and State Superintendent Terry Bergeson are among the honored guests speaking at the luncheon.

It should be a nice day for these students, their families and accompanying principals and teachers.

Deadline Nears for Special Circumstances Appeals

High school principals, heads up!

The deadline for filing special circumstance appeals for high school students who missed the math WASL is looming on the horizon. To be considered for the appeal, applications must be received by OSPI by Thursday, May 1. Supporting documentation can be filed after the deadline, but must be received by May 12.

You can download the appeals application here. Or go here to learn more about the special circumstances process.

According to OSPI:

"The appeal was created for students in their senior year who, because of 'special, unavoidable circumstances,' were unable to demonstrate their skills and knowledge on the high school WASL or another appropriate assessment. For example, OSPI has been alerted about numerous cases where students missed one or both days of the WASL because they were ill. Although that doesn’t guarantee an appeal will be approved, that special, unavoidable circumstance certainly qualifies as an appeal. In order for an appeal to be granted, documentation demonstrating that the student has the skills to meet standard must be provided.

Core 24

No, this does not have Kiefer Sutherland in it. (But that would be interesting!)

The "Core 24" is the short form for a new proposal by the State Board of Education to increase the minimum number of graduation credits from 19 to 24. The Meaningful High School Diploma project is one of the Board's major initiatives this year. In order to earn a diploma under the MHSD model:

"...every student will develop and follow a coherent personal plan of study that prepares them for the next step after high school- whether it's a trade, an apprenticeship program or college."

The increase would vary depending on the pathway -- work ready, college and work ready or college ready. Here's the comparison of work ready vs. work and college ready vs. college ready (differences in bold) and they each involve 24 credits:

WORK READY

• 4 credits of English
  
• 3 of mathematics
• 3 of science
• 3 of social studies
• 3 in career and technical ed
• 2 in art
• 1.5 in fitness
• .5 in health
• 4 elective credits

WORK & COLLEGE READY

• 4 credits of English
  
• 3 of mathematics
• 3 of science
• 3 of social studies
• 3 in career and technical ed
• 2 in world languages (the same language)
  
• 2 in art
• 1.5 in fitness
• .5 in health
• 2 elective credits

COLLEGE READY

• 4 credits of English
  
• 3 of mathematics
• 3 of science
• 3 of social studies
• 1 in career and technical ed
• 2 in world languages (the same language)
  
• 2 in art
• 1.5 in fitness
• .5 in health
• 4 elective credits

AWSP is working with its high school board on this issue and will be discussing it with the AWSP board later this week.

Do you support the overall concept and goal of the Core 24 proposal? What specific concerns do you have, if any, about the proposal?

It's Official!

Now the work really begins!

The revised K-8 mathematics standards were approved yesterday by the State Board of Education (SBE) in a brief, 40-minute session held at OSPI. Asa result, OSPI will now shift into professional development mode and begin the task of training the state's K-8 teachers before next fall. The state has already set in motion a professional development plan to ensure this happens.

This summer, OSPI, the ESDs and several of the state' s largest school districts will be hosting trainings to get teachers up to speed on the new standards. At the same time, OSPI is also moving forward with a curriculum review to support the revised standards. The agency has six months from the time the standards are approved to conduct the review and make recommendations to the SBE for three basic curricula for grades K-5 and three for grades 6-8. The review will begin in June and will involve a team of approximately 50 educators from around the state who were selected through a competitive process.

Are you an elementary principal? Have you heard about the summer mathematics trainings in your district or ESD?

National Board Certification Bonuses

Did you know that principals in Washington state who earned their National Board certification as teachers can now claim their state bonus as principals?

This year, the Legislature approved a bill that would allow teachers who become principals to take their $5,000 annual bonus with them into the principalship. The only catch? You must have been a teacher first -- you can't go back now as an administrator and earn the NBPTS certification in order to claim the bonus. This may be something the Legislature reviews in the next legislative cycle, according to AWSP's Director of Governmental Relations, Jerry Bender.

The original bill, Senate Bill 6930, sponsored by Sen. Rodney Tom (D-Medina), died last session but the idea was recouped in the final budget. Unlike the National Board bonus for teachers, the principal provision is not yet in statute. The bill was considered a way of encouraging teachers who earned the bonus and certification to consider next steps into school administration.

There are approximately 16 principals in Washington state who are affected by this new proviso.

Leadership Academy

Here's a new Web site to check out when you have a moment: The Washington State Leadership Academy has a new site with some preliminary information about the new venture.

The WSLA was created by last year's Legislature as part of an effort to further enhance leadership in school administrators. AWSP and WASA serve as the co-administrators of the group, in conjunction with a design team of practicing principals and superintendents from around the state. Former Bellingham Supt. Dale Kinsley is the executive director.

Do you have questions about the WSLA? Let us know.

Thanks, USDA!

This item falls under the header "You're Not Serious, Are You?"

The folks in Texas have apparently struck gold (or would that be green?) when it comes to resolving the school lunch/childhood obesity struggle and healthy snacks. The solution?

Frozen Pickle Pops. Think Otter Pops with a gherkin twist.

Yes, it's the tastiest treat sweeping schoolyards everywhere. Frozen pickle juice in a handy to-go package!

You'll be glad to know the USDA has approved the PickleSickle --frozen pickle juice pops -- for distribution in public AND private schools (see their proud stamp of endorsement on the logo above at left). And don't worry! Booster clubs can get in on this action, too... Check out this Washington Post story about it, complete with a video of one lucky student taste tester!

Mmmmm!

Elementary Honor Society

Elementary principals, listen up! There's a new program designed to help elementary schools recognize younger students for outstanding academic success.

The National Association of Elementary School Principals announced this week the creation of a new National Elementary Honor Society (NEHS). The new group is the result of a partnership between NAESP and its sister organization, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, which administers the National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society programs. Currently, there are more than one million students represented in the 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico and Guam who participate in the NHS and NJHS, plus 536 chapters overseas.

Under the new agreement, any school containing grades 4-6 can establish a National Elementary Honor Society chapter. For more information or to start an application for your school, visit the NEHS Web site.

Advocacy Resources

As a school administrator, keeping pace with state legislation is tough enough. The federal stuff? Even more so. But two online resources bubbled to the surface this week at the NAESP Convention in Nashville:

• THOMAS - The Library of Congress' official Web site contains a staggering number of resources and data. Looking for federal bills or resolutions? There's specific resources for teachers, too.
  
• LEAD - NAESP's Leading Educators' Advocacy Dashboard gives you all the tools you need to write your Congressional representatives -- or the media in their legislative district -- about issues affecting K-12 education. Their online advocacy service provides legislative updates, information on key bills and links to local and national media outlets. You can sign up for regular updates on the issues from this site, too. Just go to the NAESP homepage and click on the LEAD icon on the list on the right-hand side of the page.

Do you have a favorite online advocacy resource you'd like to share?

SchoolTube -- Not YouTube!

Are your students interested in new technology, but you'd like to find a more positive outlet for their files than YouTube? Want a new way to jazz up those old morning announcements?

Be sure to check out SchoolTube, a safe and fun alternative to the other video sharing Web site. All videos loaded to the site must have the approval of an adult within the school -- be it a teacher, administrator, advisors, etc. The site is free and provides a nice and easy outlet for schools that want to encourage students' (appropriate) use of new media.

Differentiated Leadership

We're all familiar with the term, "differentiated instruction," but what about "differentiated leadership"?

This morning in Nashville, Minnesota leadership consultant Jane Kise made the case for differentiated leadership based on eight personality types she and her business partner, Beth Russell, have identified eight personality preferences and 16 personality types that can be identified and used to adapt school leadership as well as classroom instruction. Here are the four she covered in the session today:

• Extraversion or Intraversion: How are you energized? Do you gain energy through action and interaction, or though reflection and solitude?
• Sensing or INtuition: How do you gather information? Do you gather information with your senses or through connections and hunches?
• Thinking or feeling: How do you make decisions? Based on logic and principles or values?
• Judging or Perceiving? How do you approach life? Do you plan your work and work your plan or do you stay open and let things happen?

These tendencies are "hardwired" into each of us, Kise said. While she conceded some of this sounds like a lot of common sense, she can also offer example after example of situations where the school principal lead by their own personality preferences, which put off teachers, parents or other administrators who had opposite preferences. Most teachers--especially elementary teachers--are "feeling" types, whereas most principals are "thinking" types. She put things in perspective when she likened it to Singapore math. Singapore math works for so many people (especially those who are math phobic) because it appeals to both thinkers and feelers. Said Kise:

Be a better leader by knowing your personality preferences and those of your staff and students. The successful leader knows what their style is and tries to look for the other side to balance things out."

Politics Far From Usual

Today's keynote speakers were the national political duo James Carville and Mary Matalin. While many people scratch their heads in wonder over their red state/blue state relationship, it quickly became clear why these two work so well together: they have razor-sharp wits and sincere respect for one another. As a result, attendees at today's NAESP afternoon keynote session were not disappointed.

Matalin and Carville's professional experience read like a who's who of 20th (and 21st) century politics and mass media. Bush I, Bush II; Bill and Hillary Clinton; Meet the Press; Fox News and on and on. She's an unapologetic conservative and he's an unabashed liberal. They have two school-age daughters and now look at education through the lens of a parent rather than as campaign strategists and consultants. Speaking to the audience today, Matalin noted:

"You [principals] are at the epicenter of the most political issue of all political issues...There is nothing more important in the lives of families than what you do."

Carville and Matalin took turns addressing the audience, both exchanging friendly fire with one another while sharing their thoughts on the 2008 presidential races, politics and their own relationship. Carville likened the Democratic ticket to a game of blackjack or "21". Obama, Carville said, holds cards that amount to 20 and Hillary is holding at 15. In the world of gambling stats, Obama has the better hand, he said. But stay tuned -- both he and Carville said this race is unprecedented in American history. Both predicted a busy fall leading up to the election.

It was hard to keep up with the verbal barrage, but here are some of my favorite quips from today:

• Matalin on the question of her bi-partisan marriage: "You know how this works: He has selective husband thinking and I tell him I'm out of estrogen and have a gun!"
• Carville on the D ticket: "On the D side, we like to say we have the Mamma and Obama."
• Matalin on the 2008 campaign: "It is good for all of us...to watch the horserace. No matter who is elected, it will be a fascinating presidency."
• Carville on the campaigns: "The theater of the whole thing is just staggering...You can't keep your eyes off this thing."
• Matalin on Hillary: "I can relate to a Yankee who has a big-mouth Southern husband who doesn't know when to shut up..."
• Carville on education: "The impact as a human being of their first educational experience stays with that person for the rest of their lives...They're going to take these experiences with them deep into their lives."

I'm not even going to try to capture the stories they told about one another -- how they met, their fallout after a November appearance on Meet the Press. But it's clear both are passionate about each other, their families and the American political system. This session gave everyone a little something to chew on and laugh about.

News about NAESP

Have you noticed NAESP's new logo? The national office rolled out its new look this weekend in conjunction with the 87th annual convention. The Association also rolled out two major publications:

• Visions 2021: Transformations in Leading, Learning and Community.
• Leading Learning Communities: Standards for What Principals Should Know and Be Able to Do (second ed.)

Both are available for purchase on the NAESP Web site; a free copy of Leading Learning will be distributed to NAESP members this fall.

Howdy From Nashville, TN!

Greetings from the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort!

The NAESP Convention is off to a fine start, with sessions covering an array of interests. Content strands include:

• Adult Learning
• Community Engagement
• Data & Decision-Making
• Expanding the Continuum of Learning
• Leadership/Distributed Leadership
• Student Learning
• Vision

Today I had the chance to attend two sessions. The first was world renown psychologist Dr. Jack Singer, who wrote attendees a prescription for three heaping teaspoons positive rational self-talk, optimism and laughter daily to beat back the stress of everyday life. Singer noted that children laugh about 300 times a day. Adults? Just 17 times. "You need to let that little child in you out," Singer advised. "You need to laugh!" The good doctor helped the audience work toward that goal with a warm, funny presentation.

The second, Diane Hodges, also focused on the positive. Hodges, a former secondary and elementary school principal, has parlayed her passion for staff morale into a successful consulting business. Frankly, it was hard to keep up with her -- the ideas were coming fast and furious during her presentation. I included some of those tips in my article for the NAESP Convention Newsletter.

Good News For People Who are Sick of Bad News

On the dropout front...

In the wake of the report issued yesterday by America's Promise Alliance pegging the national dropout rate at 50 percent comes this story about the Clover Park School District in Lakewood. Thanks to a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation -- one of the underwriters of the APA's dropout study -- Clover Park High was able to restructure itself and keep students with the same teachers for all four years.

The payoff? A 30 percent + drop in the dropout rate , or, more positively expressed as a 30 percent increase in diplomas granted. According to John Seaton, principal, Clover Park High:

"You've got a relationship that is so tight with those kids that they're willing to share their life with you," Seaton explained. "So you can become part of the solution for their problems."

Food Allergy Guidelines

Here's something school principals should review and share with their staffs...

On Monday, OSPI released its Food Allergy Guidelines, created in conjunction with the Food Allergy Advisory Committee, a group comprised of parents, school nutritionists, nurses, administrators and pupil transportation staff. In 2007, the Legislature appropriated $45,000 OSPI to convene a workgroup to finalize draft guidelines and develop school food allergy guidelines and policies for districts to implement beginning in 2008-09.

The guide includes recommendations, forms and procedures school personnel need to anticipate and respond to situations involving students with these potentially life-threatening issues. The publication also includes a complete reference of all related Washington state laws and federal regulations.

According to the Food Allergy and Anphylaxis Network (FAAN), about 12 million people in the U.S have food allergies; 3 million of them are children. Eight foods account for 90 percent of all food-allergic reactions in the U.S.: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (e.g., walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans), wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish. You can read additional facts about food allergies here.

Let us know if your school has implemented any particular procedures or practices that have helped students become more aware of food allergies or better manage them schoolwide.

Blogging with a Tennessee Twang

Just a reminder that I'll be packing up the ol' kit blog and heading for Nashville later this week to capture the good times and great speakers at the 87th NAESP Convention. In addition to blogging about the convention, I'll be doing some writing for the NAESP office, covering the following sessions for their online convention newsletter:

• April 4: Dr. Jack Singer - Known as the "Patch Adams of Psychology," Dr. Singer is recognized among the world's leaders in promoting fun, humor and laughter as the most powerful antidotes to stress and illness.
• April 4: Diane Hodges - Hodges is one of the foremost authorities on staff morale, staff dynamics, development and training.
  
• April 7: Jane A.G. Kise - Kise is an educational consultant specializing in teambuilding, coaching and school staff development.
  

I also hope to post some pics of Washington state principals and assistant principals who will be attending this year's event. So if you're going, get ready to say "Cracker Barrel!"

You can check out all the convention offerings here. Stay tuned for more later this week!

More On Math

When we last left off, we were recapping the news about the demise of the math WASL and the status of mathematics testing under the new legislation signed by Gov. Gregoire. On Friday, OSPI issued a statement to clarify the specific requirements. It's worth sharing with staff at all grade levels and might be something worth linking to on your school's blog, Web site or in a school newsletter.

Math Hokey Pokey

You put the math WASL in, you take the math WASL out...

This week, Gov. Gregoire approved a plan that would phase out use of the math WASL and eliminate it as a graduation requirement. But don't let your students think they're off the hook entirely. Here's how things will work:

• The changes announced this week will NOT apply to this year's seniors.
  
• Students in grades 3-8 will still sit for the WASL in mathematics, as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
• The graduating class of 2013 (this year's seventh-graders) will have the option of taking an passing either the math WASL or individual end-of-course (EOC - yes, a new acronym) exams. In 2014, the math WASL will be no more and only end-of-course exams in subjects like algebra and geometry will be used.
• $3.2 million was allocated this session for development of the EOCs.
  
• High school students will still be required to take and pass the reading and writing WASLs, in addition to completing a high school and beyond plan, culminating project and any credits required by the district to graduate.
  

This week's bill signing marks yet another change schools must communicate about graduation and testing requirements to teachers, students, families and the community.

What do you think about the decision? Will end-of-course exams work better than the WASL for assessing students skills in areas like algebra and geometry? Do you think we will see different test results?

How are you sharing the changes with your key audiences at school?

Save the D-A-T-E!

It's spring, and that can only mean one thing: It's [Spelling] Bee Season!

Middle and elementary schools all over the country are buzzing with spelling champ wannabees, hoping to make their way to the big Scripps National Spelling Bee May 29 and 30. According to the official Web site:

The Louisville Courier-Journal started the event with nine contestants in 1925. In 1941 Scripps assumed sponsorship of the program. There was no Scripps National Spelling Bee during the World War II years of 1943, 1944, and 1945. Co-champions were declared in 1950, 1957, and 1962. Of the 83 champions, 43 have been girls and 40 have been boys.

You can view the complete list of previous champs and their winning words online. The Scripps program has a great Web site with links to several great resources, whether you're competing in The Bee or just need a handy online reference guide for your daily correspondence. (I'd better hit spell check on that last one...)

Technology: Fight It or Learn It?

Do you have a MySpace page?

Not for networking, but for keeping up with technology -- for staying connected to how students are communicating? (Or, just keeping tabs on your own child?)

That's the issue raised today at a meeting of statewide education association communication professionals. The group meets to discuss ongoing projects in our respective organizations, cross-market events and help each other solve communications and PR challenges. The subject of new media came up-- in particular the connection between bullying and the use of sites like Juicy Campus, where people can post anything about anyone anonymously. Use of the site has already caused a flare up in the Marysville School District, which has blocked access to Juicy Campus, though most posts occur outside of school hours via non-school resources.

For many educators, just keeping up with e-mail is a chore. But in order to better understand today's students, should professional development for administrators and teachers include regular updates on technology?

Should educators know about Twitter and MySpace and Juicy Campus in order to address issues that arise from these newfangled version of old school graffiti? Or, should more attention be placed on school culture, to prevent the bullying and harassment these tools seem to encourage?

Licensed to Teach - At Home?

Naturally, any time the subject of education appears in the media, it has our attention. So when the teaser for the CBS Evening News declared Saturday that you now need a teaching certificate to homeschool your child in California, we tuned in.

Last month, the Second District Court of Appeal in California was asked to weigh in on a case that would require the parents of eight children to send them to a regular public or private school, where their welfare could be monitored. A lower court had ruled that the parents had a constitutional right to home school their children. The appellate court found no such right existed, and further, that because the parents did not have teaching certificates, they could not educate their children.

As with all legal issues, this one will take some time to sort out and has raised educational and parental rights issues.

You can read the ruling here. You can also read Gov. Schwarzenegger's statement on this issue here.

More Pi!

Another fun site: http://www.piacrossamerica.org/

Go Ahead! Drop Out!

Go on! Go!

That's the advice coming from Michael Goldstein, founder of the MATCH Charter Public High School in Boston, to students lacking an interest in their formal education.

His hypothesis, as outlined in a recent e-mail to Washington Post education columnist Jay Matthews is as follows:

"I've got a nutty idea. When half the kids in most U.S. cities essentially reject the basic product called 'school' -- many would leave a lot EARLIER if they were allowed by parents and the law -- then the best path forward is not ONLY different schools (with caring, discipline, and rigor), but also offering a different product entirely.

"Here's the different 'product': What if a 16-year-old could drop out but bank the money that the school district spends per pupil ($15,000 here in Boston, but I'm sure it's more in D.C.), the amount that otherwise would have been spent junior and senior year, like a medical savings account or an IRA? Then it can't be touched for at least two years -- force-feed kids the feeling of the dead-end life they're embarking on.

By Goldstein's estimation, most of the kids who might drop out under his scenario would enjoy their newfound freedom...temporarily, then realize that being in the real world with no job, no marketable skills or a formal education isn't such a good idea. Meanwhile, the campaign to get them back in school would continue:

"The dropout would get a statement every quarter in the mail, like a mutual fund, which shows the $30,000 (plus interest) or whatever available for their education. In each statement, there would be an easy-to-read story about an inner-city kid who'd used the education funds to turn things around. Constant reminder.

Schools could bank savings by hiring fewer teachers. Teachers would "like their jobs more" according to Goldstein, not having the added social work duties that sometimes come with potential dropouts.

It's a pretty dire view, but is there a degree of truth to what Goldstein's saying? You can read the entire exchange in Matthew's column here. Check out this great post about it on The Core Knowledge Blog.

Save Your Fork, There's Pi!

Today is a high holy day for math enthusiasts, and with Washington state's new math standards nearly put to bed, we couldn't pass up this opportunity to celebrate. Plus, who doesn't love pi(e)?

March 14 has become the high holy day for math enthusiasts. Represented numerically, March 14 is 3.14 -- the same as the symbol for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, represented by the Greek letter Pi. And no, we are not making this up. (Someone already beat us to the punch on that one.)

Are your math classes doing anything to commemorate today's big day?

Threat Down: Credits vs. WASL

It's WASL testing week for Washington state's high school sophomores and any juniors or seniors (especially seniors) that want to retake or need to take the reading and writing tests to graduate. With this year's seniors bearing the title of the first to graduate under the state's new graduation requirements, there's a lot of focus on passing the WASL. But what about passing P.E.? Or Spanish?

That's the focus of today's article in The Seattle Times, which looks at several districts north of Seattle where credit deficiencies threaten graduation plans -- not the WASL. In Marysville, the district reports there are about 10 times as many students that are not on track to graduate due to credits rather than WASL scores.

"It's not these other factors that are impeding students from graduating — it's the low credits," [Ray Houser, Marysville executive director of teaching and learning] said.

"We realize that it's not necessarily the assessment or the state requirements, but the inability to successfully navigate the classes," he said.

High school principals: Is this something you're seeing in your own schools?

What Would You Fund?

The Washington State Legislature is just two weeks away from concluding its regular 60-day session on March 13. But they won't adjourn sine die until both chambers (and the governor) agree on a budget. Given where the two sides are -- and despite a Democratic majority in both houses -- this could take some negotiating.

Case in point: The House has included a 1 percent COLA increase for educators in its budget, though to the detriment of all-day kindergarten. The Senate, conversely, funds all-day K but makes no provisions for the 1 percent increase.

The League of Education Voters just released this handy comparison of the two budget proposals as they relate to early learning, K-12 and higher ed. Take a look and then tell us what you would fund. Or not.

The Smarter Generation?

Yesterday, we shared news of a national survey suggesting that today's 17-year-olds lacked common historical or literary references. Today, we offer another view on the topics, this column, "Why Teens are Smarter," from the Seattle P-I.

Apparently a New York Times story this week found that fewer 16-year-olds are in possession of drivers' licenses. In the article, the Federal Highway Administration noted that over the decade the proportion of 16-year-olds with driver's licenses has fallen from about half to less than one-third. Some of this could be connected to the introduction of graduated licenses. Fewer driving schools and increase costs of insurance and gas may also have something to do with it, too.

But Dale McFeatters, the columnist for the Scripps Howard News Service who wrote today's piece, suggests the decline it may be blamed on something else altogether:

One factor in the Times story was particularly eye-catching: The greater willingness of parents to drive their children around, that is, act as their chauffeurs.

Now who's the smarter generation.

I'll Take History for $500, Alex

We all laughed when Animal House's John Belushi accused the Germans of bombing Pearl Harbor ("Forget it. He's rolling.") But a new poll out about high school students' knowledge of history and literature suggests Bluto is alive and well.

According to a new study, "Still at Risk: What Students Don't Know, Even Now," today's high school students lack basic historical and literary facts and references. The research was compiled by Common Core, a non-partisan research group dedicated to "strengthening liberal learning in K-12 education."

Overall, the 1,200 high school students surveyed earned a "D." Among the findings:

• Nearly a quarter cannot identify Adolf Hitler, with ten percent thinking Hitler was a munitions manufacturer.
• More than a quarter think Christopher Columbus sailed after 1750.
• Fewer than half can place the Civil War in the correct half-century.
• A third do not know that the Bill of Rights guarantees the freedom of speech and religion.
• Half have no idea what the Renaissance was.
• Nearly half think that The Scarlet Letter was either about a witch trial or a piece of correspondence.

Thankfully, the survey did have a few bright spots. Of those surveyed, 97 percent knew the "I have a dream" speech was given by Martin Luther King Jr. And, 88 percent knew the bombing of Pearl Harbor led the USA into World War II.

(Take that, Bluto.)

On the serious: Is a study like this fair -- to students, to the K-12 system, to teachers? Or should we expect all students to have a common familiarity with this knowledge?

Public School Insights

There's a new education Web site you might want to check out. The national Learning First Alliance just launched "Public School Insights," an online education community that includes a blog, a toolkit section (with free downloads like their communications toolkit) and a success stories section where you can share your school or district's achievements.

In case you're not familiar with them, the Learning First Alliance is a non-profit partnership of 18 major national education associations that collectively represent more than 10 million teachers, parents, principals, superintendents, teacher educators, school board members, school counselors and other school and district staff. Washington is one of several states that has developed its own chapter of the LFA.