If no progress is made after two years, schools with the greatest need would receive assistance from the Superintendent of Public Instruction for an additional two years. Only after 2006 would the state intervene with a school that showed no progress in improving student learning. The plan gives schools the opportunity to make improvements on their own before the state could take over, McAuliffe said. A third-grade student once told me, We can do it just give us a chance. Sen. Tracey J. Eide, D-Federal Way, vice chair of the Education Committee, agreed.
Intervention is there as a safety net only if all else fails.
Washington s education reform and restructuring efforts began in 1993. Higher academic standards were developed for reading, writing, communication, math, science, social studies, art, heath and fitness. Since then, clear assessments have been established to measure student progress in reading, math and communication. Assessment measures for the remaining subjects are under development. Accountability is a critical piece of the state s efforts to help all students graduate from Washington s schools with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in the career or college of their choice, McAuliffe said.