Considering potential cuts in our state’s education budget, perhaps there is a different possibility we should pursue. Before we make any cuts to the school year, employee benefits, teachers or classroom assistants, how about cutting all Washington state tests at all levels? Our state gives a wide variety of standardized tests and they have many acronyms. Over the years, we have used the EOC (End-of-Course test), HSPE (High School Proficiency Exam), and WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning). In fact, there may be tens of millions of dollars saved with no loss of school days and no loss of teaching jobs.
It seems that keeping kids in school and keeping people employed would be more worthwhile.
Mitch Heynemann
North Bonneville
