Strengthening Washington's Public Schools

Welcome to WEA Ed Wire, a compilation of public education stories from around the state, found in countless media sources. The WEA does not endorse all opinions expressed. Clips below cover some of the Aug. 20-30, 2010 coverage. 

School funding & compensation

Class sizes are getting bigger, but does it really matter? 
Two years of cuts in state support saddled the Natomas Unified School District in Sacramento this spring with what school board president B. Teri Burns calls "horribly painful" choices: fewer teachers and larger classes, or keeping teachers but cutting athletics, counseling and after-school programs. Read more on USA Today ...

Merit pay for math, science teachers unlikely at SKSD
The debate about merit-based pay for math and science teachers continues. 

South Kitsap Education Association president Judy Arbogast finds the concept of merit-based pay unfair in other ways. For example, the success of a sophomore in a biology or geometry class might not be solely related to their current teacher, but, she said, the ones they had in the years leading up to those classes. Read more on Port Orchard Independent ...

State near bottom in Race to the Top
Washington state didn't just miss out of Race to the Top education grants earlier this summer. It finished a distant No. 32 out of 36 states that applied for a slice of the $3.4 billion available in round two. Read more on The Bellingham Herald ...

Sumner school offices closed Friday for furloughs 
Several groups of Sumner employees -- including office staff, principals and administrators -- agreed to furlough days as part of budget reductions. The district estimates it will save $139,386. Read more on The Bellingham Herald ...

Centralia teachers overpaid $240,000
District says it has corrected problem, is collecting. Read more on The Bellingham Herald ...

District overpaid insurance fund pool
A few days after Centralia School District officials discovered a costly accounting gaffe, the details of what happened have become a bit clearer. Read more on The Bellingham Herald ...

Longview teachers to vote on contract 
Longview school teachers will have no cost-of-living raises and pay a little more for their health care in the upcoming school year under a collective bargaining agreement they and the school board will vote on this week. Read more on The Daily News ...

Teachers union, Seattle Public Schools don't reach deal yet
Seattle Public Schools and the city's teachers union continued to make progress but had yet to reach a tentative agreement. Read more on The Seattle Times ...

School improvement & testing

Education Secretary Duncan hits the road for reform
The blue charter bus emblazoned with a federal logo, images of smiling teachers and slogans such as "Courage in the Classroom" pulls up to school after school. A tall man in a dress shirt and tie pops out into the Southern heat to deliver pep talks and autographed basketballs. Read more on The Washington Post ... 

Duncan: Schools should disclose more on teachers
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan urged schools across the country to disclose more data on student achievement and teacher effectiveness, saying too much information that would help teachers and parents is being kept out of public view. Read more on Seattle P.I. ...

Educators: Early childhood education key to school reform
The U.S. education system needs to change but will require an emphasis on early childhood education and community involvement, rather than test scores, to have lasting effects. Read more on The Bellingham Herald ...

State schools chief Randy Dorn takes message on road, visits with Sunnyside school employees
State schools chief Randy Dorn takes message on road, visits with Sunnyside school employees. Read more on The Bellingham Herald ...

Seattle schools, teachers divided over evaluation method
Seattle Public Schools and its teachers are at odds on the best method with which to evaluate teacher performance. Read more on KOMO TV ...

Miscellaneous 

Poll: Local schools up, Obama education plans down
A new Gallup Poll has found fewer Americans approve of the job President Barack Obama is doing in support of public education, but they continue to have a highly favorable opinion of their local schools. Read more on The Herald ... 

Public schools catch online fever
Wednesday kicks off Anna Babcox's sophomore year, her eighth go-round as an Evergreen district school student. Read more on The Columbian ...

Oak Harbor schools may be searching kids' phones
Oak Harbor officials say the policy would keep kids safe, but some parents and students brand it an invasion of privacy. Read more on The Herald ...

No place like home for school; more parents seek customized education
Shirley Brown of Garden City, Mich., is an accidental homeschooler. Read more on The Bellingham Herald ...  

Opinion

Editorial
One plan worth supporting. Read more on The Herald ...

Editorial
Time for Seattle Public Schools and teachers to partner in steps toward reform. Read more on The Seattle Times ...

Editorial
Seattle opens next front in education reform effort. Read more on The News Tribune ...

Letters to the editor
Education in Washington: school funding and teacher testing. Read more on The Seattle Times ...

Letter to the editor
Trace skills gap to primary education. Read more on The Herald ...

Column
'Skills gap' imperils community colleges. Read more on The Herald ...

Column
Plan to grade teachers doesn't make the grade. Read more on The Seattle Times ...

Column
Race to Top grades put Washington near bottom of class. Read more on The News Tribune ...  

Column
Seattle, speak up for children as Seattle Public Schools contract negotiations go on. Read more on The Seattle Times ...

Column
Getting ahead of the teacher-accountability curve. Read more on The Seattle Times ...

Opinion
How Obama got it right on school reform. Read more on The Washington Post ...

Opinion
Teachers unions need to show us what they've got. Read more on The News Tribune ...

Opinion 
Want more school funding? Bring more transparency. Read more on The Seattle Times ...

Blog
Income tax initiative unconstitutional, former justice says. Read more on Seattle P.I. ...

Blog
State schools chief urges Gregiore not to cut education. Read more on Seattle P.I. ...

Commentary
New education standards key to improving schools. Read more on The News Tribune ... 

Commentary
To whom will it be accountable? Read more on The Herald ...

Truth needle -- fact or fiction? 
Sen. Patty Murray said earlier this month that 3,000 teaching jobs in Washington state were at risk in the fall without new federal aid that she helped pushed through Congress. Read more on The Seattle Times ...