Candidates for State Superintendent on WASL scores, funding

WASL scores are important, but not to be over emphasized

Four of the candidates running in this year's election for state superintendent of public instruction may have a difference of opinion with regard to funding or where the future of education is headed, but they do seem to agree that overemphasis of testing scores is a step in the wrong direction.

While the Washington Assessment for Student Learning is an essential tool to measure academic achievement, it is equally important that schools do not become too preoccupied with score numbers, "especially those schools that may not have seen major improvements in this year's WASL scores," State Superintendent for Public Instruction Terry Bergeson said. "I don't want them to feel hopeless because they didn't receive the scores they were hoping for," she added.

Bergeson, who was first elected in 1996, re-elected in 2000 and is now running for her third term this fall, believes students in Washington have made significant improvements since the the state began evaluation of its education system more than 10 years ago.

In this period of time, "we have created world class assessments to measure that progress," she said, referring to the educational reform laws passed by the Legislature in 1993, of which WASL was a part of.

However, for first time candidate Juanita Doyon, not only is there too much pressure on schools to perform when it comes to test scores, but she believes that these scores have taken too much priority at the administrative level in Olympia.

"Right now we have a one issue superintendent," she said. "Everything else is being ignored."

Doyon, who unlike the incumbent and one of her opponents does not have the added advantage of already having been elected to the position, is not letting that stop her from running full force in this year's election.

What she is counting on is more than 20 years of experience in the classroom, serving on multiple committees and parenting four children in the public education system.

"I believe it is time for a school-savvy parent to assume the role of state superintendent," she said.

Doyon stressed the importance of parents knowing their rights in opting not to have their children take the WASL test, and for the past three and a half years has been active in organizing Mothers Against WASL.

While the release of the WASL test scores more than a week ago shows significant improvement in student test scores across the state, Doyon does not want people to forget about the large number of districts that have not improved and still need support to help their students.

In 1993 when the state began a new wave of education reform, the intent was to provide students with a more enriched learning experience suited to their abilities and interests, said Judith Billings who served as state superintendent from 1989 to 1996 and is running for re-election this fall.

To voters and state educators she said, "We have to ask ourselves if we are really improving the broader education that our children need or are we just teaching them to be good test takers."

For Billings, the main issue to improving education is funding.

"Until we have adequate funding, districts are not going to be able to do what they need to provide for their students," she said.

But for candidate Kumroon Maksirisombat, who brings 26 years of experience in public education to his candidacy, the schools do have adequate funding, they just aren't being held accountable for how those funds are distributed.

"I think funding is adequate, but there is overlapping and misuse of funds," he said using the WASL as one example where he believes resources are not being used wisely.

"Not only are the costs to purchase and administer the test phenomenal, but districts are teaching to the test and the results just aren't valid," Maksirisombat said.

If elected, Maksirisombat said he would like to see more financial resources going directly to students instead of to overhead costs.

But on the issue of funding, the incumbent would beg to differ.

"Public schools are one of the most accountable organizations when it comes to budgeting money," Bergeson said.

While district budgets are one of many issues that the next superintendent will have to confront, there is also concern regarding the amount of money districts are having to come up with on their own.

"School districts are having to raise up to 30 percent of the cost to educate students, which is in opposition to what the constitution requires," Billings said. "Schools are being forced to find ways to do more with less."

Despite the many challenges that lie ahead in education reform for the state of Washington, Bergeson reminds voters that "our children are worth it; they are worth staying the course."