Project to examine state ed system finds mixed reactions

Mulliken does not support project likely for mention in 2006 session

COLUMBIA BASIN — Big Bend Community College math instructor Brinn Harberts has noticed more and more students enrolling in remedial classes at the college level.

It is a trend seen across the state of Washington in higher education and an issue under investigation as part of the Washington Learns project led by Gov. Christine Gregoire.

The 18-month project is a study intended to look at and make recommendations to the whole spectrum of education — from early learning through K-12 and higher education.

The project is overseen by a 13-member steering committee chaired by Gov. Gregoire. The committee, working with advisory committees for early learning, K-12 and higher education, has been charged with making recommendations to the state's education system.

While most of the recommendations made will be announced and a final report released in Nov. of 2006, an interim report already released is set to be discussed in the 2006 legislative session which begins Monday.

Included in that report are recommendations to improve the availability of early learning programs and resources for parents; increase support services to help high school students meet state requirements; reduce the high school drop out rate; and develop a statewide student information system.

When it comes to discussing improvements to education, Harberts says aligning curriculum among high schools and colleges so students are prepared for college level work is very much needed.

"There is a movement to require more math at the high school level, but there is a lot of things competing for students' time," Harberts said. "Most high schools don't require four years of mathematics, most require two years of math and very few have a cut off of what that math is."

At Moses Lake High School, students are required to have two math credits to graduate.

MLHS instructor Triscia Hochstatter has been a math teacher for 20 years and said the school is considering raising that requirement to three credits.

Hochstatter said it is difficult to determine if there are more students taking remedial rather than grade level math courses as there are varying demographics of students — those who are college bound and those who are not, which influences what type of math they take.

When asked if the state should continue with the Washington Learns project, Hochstatter has doubts as to whether the project will keep educators on track or deter them from work already being done with the Washington Assessment of Student Learning.

"There's always good things that come out of programs, but we're focused so much on the WASL that I would hope it would be related as we have enough directions right now," she said.

Most are not opposed to making improvements to the state's education system, it is the process of achieving those improvements which lacks consensus.

"I think the whole question of what does the state need from its public education system and how is it going to pay for it, is a fair question," said Earl Hale, executive director with the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Hale expects the Washington Learns project to be lightly discussed in the 2006 legislative session, but is confident it will be more in the spotlight for 2007 in the next biennium.

Sen. Joyce Mulliken, R-Moses Lake, does not support the governor's proposal for the Washington Learns project, citing concerns about the state's level of involvement in education and the cost to run a new program.

As part of the project, Gregoire is proposing that a cabinet-level department of early learning be created.

"What she is going to do is create a department that will have an ongoing expense," Mulliken said.

Rising health care costs and monies owed to pension fund plans are two key areas Mulliken said state resources should be going toward instead.