Dorn rallies for school funding

The state’s public schools face another couple rough years of tight money and cost-cutting, but there’s hope for improved state funding and federally backed innovations on the near horizon, as long as educators and supporters maintain positive pressure and a united front.

So said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn on Friday during a stop in Vancouver to address the annual statewide conference of regional Educational Service Districts.

Dorn told ESD leaders he thought Washington stands a good chance at winning a chunk of federal money to be awarded during Round 2 of the Obama Administration’s $4.35 billion Race to the Top education reform plan. Thanks to a package of new bills under Senate Bill 6696 approved by state legislators, Washington now has the necessary school accountability and teacher evaluation pieces in place, he said.

“We’re in the starting blocks now, and I think we’re taking off,” Dorn said. “I think we’ve got a fair shot.”

Legislators passed the reform package after successful negotiations with the Washington Education Association, a powerful statewide teachers’ union.

Garnering support

Getting buy-in from local teacher unions, school districts and civic leaders will be critical in the eyes of federal officials, Dorn said. Strong, unified support was a big reason Delaware and Tennessee were the lone winners in the first round of Race to the Top Fund awards in March, he said.

Dorn is urging all school districts to sign onto Washington’s Round 2 effort by mid-May.

He’s also making the rounds to civic and business groups to explain the goals and process of reform. And he asks them to keep heat on the Legislature to boost basic education funding to meet the state’s constitutional mandate, per the King County Superior Court ruling in February that found that funding insufficient.

Dorn said a permanent funding solution for education is nearly in place at last — once the state shakes its deep economic slump, that is. Hundreds of millions dollars more for schools would be required.

“To say there’s new money, I think it’s two, three years away,” he said.

Compounding matters is the spigot of federal stimulus money due to shut off by next year, further crimping school budgets, he said.

Study, exams, etc.

Dorn responded to other questions posed by The Columbian:

What’s in store for Washington’s bottom 5 percent, low-performing schools such as Vancouver’s Discovery and Jason Lee middle schools? Those that recently pledged several reforms such as new administrators and teacher standards, new tutoring and extended instruction, only to lose out on competitive state grants?

Dorn said those schools must improve by “just hard work and better use of (student) data” to focus new efforts. Schools that did win $17 million in state grants only received half the money each requested, he added.

“It’s a tough call. There were ones that were real close,” he said.

Dorn said he holds out hope that a second round of federally backed grants can reach more of the schools identified.

How have new state exams (replacing the Washington Assessment of Student Learning this spring) been received?

So far, so good, Dorn said. High school students are “trying harder, because it’s not a two-, three-week ordeal. The testing fatigue is not taking over,” he said. Middle school students are “excited” to take tests online, part of a pilot plan he said he wants to implement statewide.

What about a $250,000 study on consolidating several of Washington’s 295 school districts to reduce spending, which was tucked into the Legislature-approved budget?

Dorn said he is not enamored with that earmark. There weren’t open legislative hearings on what could trigger controversial and complex local decisions, he said. Further, the money allotted is far less than that used to redraw legislative district borders once each decade.

“I wrote (Gov. Chris Gregoire) asking her to veto (the study),” he said.

What’s been the response to your public apology and “don’t do as I did” statement to students following a recent conviction for driving under the influence?

“Positive. I’ve stepped up front, done all my responsibilities, and I’m moving forward,” he said.

Howard Buck: 360-735-4515 or howard.buck@columbian.com.