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Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Tri-Cities school is one of ‘lowest achievers' in WA. What's being done about it?
Kennewick School District will be under increased scrutiny to improve student outcomes over the next three years at Amistad Elementary School, recently identified as one of Washington's 'persistently lowest-achieving schools.' The Washington State Board of Education in April designated Kennewick as a 'Required Action District,' meaning the district and school this fall will undergo increased accountability measures, as well as receive additional support and resources — having requested upwards of $600,000 — in order to improve math and reading scores. This comes after the school participated in a required academic performance audit and began an improvement process with the community this school year. The school has scored in the lowest 10% statewide in both academic growth and proficiency in recent years, and has a high population of traditionally underserved students. For example, 33% of Amistad students tested at or above grade-level knowledge in English and 36% in math, per the 2023-24 Smarter Balanced Assessment. The test is given to students in third, fourth and fifth grades, and reflects the percent of students on track for college-level learning. A separate 2023-24 assessment of English Language learners showed just 38% were making progress, with 6% graduating out of services. The school serves about 690 students in neighborhoods west of downtown Kennewick. Nearly 9 in 10 are from low-income backgrounds, and half are English language learners. About 1 in 5 are children of migrant workers. Amistad is the only Tri-Cities school that will be under RAD designation come fall. At the same time, school staff here have already been working diligently in recent months to close opportunity gaps. Amistad was one of 406 public schools recognized by the Board of Education during the 2023-24 school year for closing gaps in comprehensive education. Superintendent Traci Pierce says that's a distinction only given to 16% of the state's schools. 'With the RAD designation, additional state funding is supposed to be allocated to help strengthen and support the improvement efforts underway. We are still awaiting word from OSPI regarding whether this funding will be allocated, given the budget cuts occurring at the state level. We are hopeful that we will receive this crucial funding,' Pierce told the Herald in a statement. 'The district is committed to supporting the Amistad staff and administration, and we have provided additional administrative support for next year to help expand family engagement efforts and student support efforts to help the school continue their excellent work in improving supports and outcomes for students,' she continued. School Board President Gabe Galbraith said he's confident leadership of the school and district will do what's best for students and move them in the right direction. RAD is an OSPI accountability designation that provides specific supports to the state's highest needs schools identified through the Washington School Improvement Framework. It's focused on improvement, and there doesn't appear to be any repercussions if schools slip further behind. Schools undergo progress monitoring four times a year, receive additional funding to implement improvement activities and hire additional staff, and get more training support from the state. The state's improvement framework considers both academic achievement and student growth percentile in English and math, as well as graduation, English language progress, school quality and student success to determine tiered support. Other schools given the RAD designation for the 2025-26 school year include: Nespelem Elementary in Nespelem School District. Evergreen Elementary in Shelton School District. Soap Lake Middle and High School in Soap Lake School District. Edna Travis Elementary in Tacoma School District. RAD work is paired with federal requirements under the 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act. OSPI is mandated by federal law to update Improvement Framework to identify schools that need this additional support. To ensure Amistad is on track to improve education outcomes, the district will measure student growth on multiple standardized assessments; create opportunities of engagement to increase attendance rates, lower cases of discipline and increase family participation; and measure the impact of new job-embedded teacher training. Amistad's audit occurred between November and December, said Alyssa St. Hilaire, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning. It examined several variables, including school leadership, performance of different student groups, feeder patterns, communication and collaboration, and teacher training. An external report identified three priority areas: Improving staff, student and family engagement; improving curriculum, instruction and assessment; and more targeted support for English learners and early literacy development. A comprehensive needs assessment listed in Amistad's school improvement plan for next school year shows several spaces for improvement. Hispanic and Latino students, who make up 70% of students, have disproportionate graduation success rates, are underrepresented in dual credit options and struggle more with chronic absenteeism. Black students and males are over represented in behavioral referrals, underscoring 'the need for culturally responsive teaching practices, increased awareness of implicit bias, and proactive measures to address inequities.' Overall, during the 2023-24 school year, Amistad had the highest case load of student discipline among elementary schools. The school also has an 'imbalance of representation of diverse groups among certified staff (teachers, counselors, education specialists).' Of Amistad's 49 teachers, 27 are white, 21 are Hispanic and one is Native American. Teacher retention rates are also lower than district average, indicating high position turnover. 'High-need schools like Amistad often face recruitment and retention challenges due to competitive job markets and cost-of-living concerns, making it difficult to attract and retain experienced educators,' a district report to OSPI reads. 'Working conditions — such as students and families with a lot of supports that come with first generation English learners and a high percentage of economically disadvantaged families — can lead to burnout and higher turnover rates.'
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Washington stuck mid-pack in national education ranking
(Photo by) Washington's K-12 education system slipped slightly in national rankings released Monday. The state ranks 27th, down one spot from last year, according to an analysis from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Ten years ago, Washington was 20th. Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal's office took issue with the rankings, arguing that the National Assessment of Educational Progress data the report is based on shouldn't be used to construct such lists. More than two-thirds of the state's 4th graders failed to meet reading standards, and 70% of 8th graders weren't proficient in math last year, right around the national average — and where Washington pupils stood in 2022. For two decades, reading proficiency has remained largely unchanged in Washington. In 2005, 64% of the state's 4th graders failed to meet reading standards. The number improved, falling to just 60% in 2013 and 2015, but last year climbed to a new high of 68%. Math proficiency among 8th graders dropped over the past decade, from 58% not meeting standards in 2013, to 70% last year, largely driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and its toll on student learning and a rise in chronic absenteeism nationally. A spokesperson for Reykdal pointed to state data showing 'robust' improvement since the pandemic. The percentage of students on track in reading and math was up in the 2023-24 school year from the pandemic era, according to state data. 'Our performance in reading is strong, and OSPI and Superintendent Reykdal understand the need for increased focus on and funding for mathematics, particularly in late elementary and middle school,' spokesperson Katie Hannig said in an email Monday. 'This is one of the Superintendent's top priorities moving forward.' One worrisome data point shows Washington's youngest learners are missing out on school. Of 3- and 4-year-old children, 57% weren't enrolled in school from 2019 to 2023, slightly worse than the national average. Stephan Blanford, executive director of the Children's Alliance based in Seattle, said this lays the groundwork for below-average on-time graduation rates. The alliance is the foundation's partner in Washington on the report known as the Kids Count Data Book. Sixteen percent of Washington students didn't graduate on time in 2021 and 2022, the report says, below the 13% national average. 'The fact that our state has made such significant cuts in early education as a result of the last legislative session means it's pretty easy to predict that these numbers are on the way downward,' said Blanford, speaking broadly about education trends. 'There was so much work that was done in order to get them to their current level.' 'Our slide is going to be precipitous,' he added. State lawmakers agreed this year to delay previously approved expansions to state-paid early learning in the face of a hefty budget shortfall. And the Trump administration has put the federal Head Start early learning program for low-income families in its crosshairs. These programs help students learn to manage their feelings, and kids who participate are more likely to go on to college and earn more money as adults. Blanford voiced disappointment that state leaders, particularly Gov. Bob Ferguson, couldn't reach agreement this year on new revenue options to better fund education. Ferguson's office didn't respond to a request for comment Monday. Meanwhile, school districts are grappling with tough budget decisions of their own as federal aid provided during the pandemic has dried up, and as enrollment is down in many places. State funding is linked to student headcounts. Hannig, from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, said the state budget cuts 'cause OSPI concern, and we are exploring options to keep our preschool-age learners learning, despite these reductions in funding.' Still, she noted state data shows 53.6% of Washington's students entered kindergarten ready this school year, a figure that has risen consistently in recent years. The Kids Count Data Book also tracks family, health and economic data trends. For example, in 2023, just 3% of Washington children lacked health insurance, better than the national average of 5%. And only 12% were impoverished, also better than the average. As for child well-being, Washington ranks 16th, down from 14th last year. The state's Healthy Youth Survey, however, has indicated improving mental health and decreased substance use among Washington's young people in recent years.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'It's a class war': Hundreds rally over Tacoma Public Schools budget, staff cuts
The Brief Tacoma Public Schools is facing a $30 million budget shortfall, leading to non-renewal of 105 provisional contracts. Critics argue budget cuts unfairly target low-paid workers, while high-paid officials remain unaffected. The district says it's working to reassign displaced employees to other positions within Tacoma Public Schools. TACOMA, Wash. - Hundreds of people came out to the "Support Our Students" rally and marched to the Tacoma Public Schools' Central Administration Building on Thursday. The backstory As Tacoma Public Schools faces a $30 million budget shortfall, the district released a statement on May 16 saying it notified 105 provisional certificated employees that their contracts were not renewed for the 2025-2026 school year. "What we're seeing from Tacoma Public Schools isn't fiscal responsibility, it's a class war," said Connor Griswold, an Education Support Professional (ESP) within the district. Critics at the rally say the district is balancing the budget on the backs of their lowest paid workers and that cuts need to be made at the top, calling out cabinet members making hundreds of thousands of dollars. "ESPs are skipping meals to buy school supplies, teachers are working second jobs instead of doing curriculum management, students are losing bilingual staff because [Tacoma Public Schools] would rather protect six-figure consultants." said Griswold. Rosalind Medina, Chief Financial Officer for Tacoma Public Schools, gave an update on the budget, saying the district is "dangerously" close to getting into binding conditions with OSPI and that these cuts were made to avoid that situation. "We have been making contractive cuts over the last several years. We have run out of the easy stuff to make reductions to," said Medina. Medina quickly apologized for describing the notifications as "easy stuff" but people who spoke out during public comment were not swayed by the update. "Know that many of your staff, like the families we serve, got to get food banks and assistance just to keep the lights on to survive," said Gwen Lewandowski, an Education Support Professional. "If I work three jobs, pay my rent, raise a kid as a single mom and I can figure out my budget, y'all get paid to figure out yours." Tacoma Public Schools says it is working with some displaced workers to fill other positions within the district. The Source Information in this story came from Tacoma Public Schools and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews. Luxury Seattle hotel sues 'nuisance' building next door Firefighters in western WA train for possibility of 'above average' wildfire season Shawn Kemp lawyers claim bias in Tacoma Mall shooting case as trial nears Federal judge blocks Trump's dismantling of the Department of Education 'Where is Teekah?': Mother speaks out after Tacoma, WA cold case Activist marks 2 weeks in tree to protest logging near Port Angeles Driver arrested after deadly crash in Kent, WA To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fear and defiance are this Washington's response to Trump's education funding threats
(Photo by Getty Images) No one is certain yet how federal decisions under the Trump administration will affect both budgets and policies of Washington's public schools. But educators, parents and government officials in this Washington are tracking closely whether President Donald Trump makes good on his threats to cut funding to states that do not prove they have abandoned K-12 diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Fear, anger and defiance have been the response here so far. The fear runs deep. The defiance comes from the top: the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction or OSPI. Although most of the districts I reached out to for this story weren't interested in discussing their plans for navigating these issues, education consultant Erin Jones told me that at a recent meeting with King County superintendents, officials were worried. 'They are concerned about budget cuts. But they are most concerned about the uncertainty. That's the point of this administration: uncertainty. That leaves them in such a bad place,' Jones recalled. 'These leaders want to do right by their children and their staff.' The U.S. Education Department sent a letter to state education agencies in February, accusing schools of promoting diversity in a way that unfairly harmed white and Asian American students. In support of this statement, they cited a 2023 Supreme Court decision that banned using race as an element in college admissions. That case didn't mention K-12 schools, but that didn't stop the Trump administration from using it as a reason why Washington and other states shouldn't be providing extra academic support for students of color. In early April, the U.S. Education Department doubled down, with another letter. This one demanded proof that states were following their DEI orders. Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal's response reaffirmed this state's strong commitment to embracing its diversity and making sure every student gets the help they need. 'Recognition of our diversity is a cornerstone of public education. It makes us stronger, more civil, and it empowers groups of students who have historically been marginalized or denied equal opportunities,' Reykdal said in a statement. He confirmed that these efforts are paying off in higher graduation and college participation rates for everyone. Plus, Reykdal added, every student benefits from the diversity in our schools. 'Washington will not suppress its core values or cede our right to determine our own education system to the federal government,' he said. In just a few words, he underscored a key facet of American education: states, not the federal government, take the lead in determining what their children will learn in public schools. Reykdal's office continues to draw attention from the Trump administration. Later in April, the Department of Education said it would investigate OSPI over 'requiring school boards to adopt policies that allow males to participate in female sports and occupy female-only intimate facilities.' This followed the federal agency scrutinizing OSPI over how it handled a years-long controversy surrounding the gender-inclusion policy at the La Center School District in Clark County. Jones, the education consultant, said she hasn't met a leader yet who is not committed to continuing diversity, equity and inclusion work. Some are renaming it, opting instead for terms like 'community building.' Another consequence of Trump era rhetoric and policies that Jones has been hearing about is decreased attendance by Latino students. 'No matter what the principal has said that we're going to protect you from ICE, why should they trust you?' she asked. 'I think we're afraid for good reason,' Jones added. Trish Millines Dziko, executive director of the Technology Access Foundation, a Seattle-based nonprofit offering supplemental STEM education in public schools and after-school programs, has also heard that Latino attendance has dropped. And the parents of children who are showing up for school don't want them participating in field trips. So far, this is just anecdotal evidence. Detailed attendance data probably won't be available to the public until next year. Dziko believes the full impact of the Trump administration on education won't be understood for months or even years. 'There's a lot of anxiety,' said Dziko, who has overheard immigrant children as well as LGBTQ students and staff talking to each other. 'They're all very close to each other and they worry about each other. …I don't know if it's stopping education from happening. But you can hear the conversations between some of the kids.' After reaching out to about half the districts in the Puget Sound region, plus some in eastern Washington, only one was willing to put someone on the phone to talk to me. Dziko and others I talked to felt this lack of response was born out of fear. The state's largest school district is choosing to carry on and keep working to lift up every child from every background despite threats from the Trump administration. Seattle Public School's Black education program manager, Anita Koyier-Mwamba, pointed to Head Start office closures and the president's DEI orders as examples of factors fueling uncertainty. Still, she believes the difficulties should not stop educators from using this time as a teachable moment. 'It is really important to me that we recognize that history has left us a wonderful catalog of opportunities to explore.' And then she took a delightful path into American history and the young men like Thomas Jefferson who were so passionate about democracy but didn't do everything right 250 years ago, although they were trying to solve the problems of their time. Why does she want us to think about the 19- and 20-year-olds sitting around debating the birth of a nation? Because it's a good reminder that young people can think for themselves and should have an opportunity to do so. 'It is unjust not to give our young people the opportunity to … solve the problems of their time,' Koyier-Mwamba said. And that comes down to a discussion about justice that must account for the nation's past. This is American history, not diversity indoctrination: The enslavement of people kidnapped and brought here to work the land. The way we have treated the indigenous people before and after the United States became a country. How the Constitution treated enslaved people when the founders couldn't agree to take a better path. The Civil War and what happened to enslaved people afterward. Fifty years between giving white women and Black women the right to vote. 'Focusing on our shared humanity is an avenue to reconsider how we respond in these times of challenge,' Koyier-Mwamba said. Part of that is choosing to be optimistic, deciding to see the light in the darkness through American heroes like abolitionist Harriet Tubman. Similarly, Dziko sees an opportunity to rethink how we do things as a state and a nation. Making sure every student gets the education they need to succeed is not an impossible goal. Dziko believes, and I agree, that state dollars for education could be distributed in a way that focuses more on equity. 'Our kids deserve better,' Dziko said, adding that education reform is directly related to state budget reform because it will take more money to create a more equitable system. The 29-year-old Technology Access Foundation does not get federal grants, so Dziko is not concerned about backlash from the federal government. Where the Trump administration pushes against DEI programs because they say they unfairly advantage Black and Brown people, Dziko and I see racism. 'The whole thing has been reduced to, 'If you are Black, then you did not deserve the position you're in.' That's a very dangerous viewpoint,' she said. Unfortunately, this viewpoint isn't new. Dziko is worried about how far back we will go. Before the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown vs. Board of Education that ruled racial segregation of public schools was unconstitutional? 'I'm always the eternal optimist in my family, but I'm not this time around,' Dziko said. 'We're going backwards,' she added. Jones is also feeling pessimistic. 'They want to make America in their image, and their image is white straight men,' said Jones. 'They've done a really good job of making everything DEI that they just don't like,' she said. 'I've really been grieving.' Like Dziko, while she rejects the Republican vision for education, she is also not satisfied with the status quo. 'Republicans say burn it all down, it all sucks. That is not a strategy. The Democrats don't have a vision,' she said. 'Let's all talk about it. So we have something to activate us. Just saying I don't want this is not enough. We need people with vision who are imagining a better way forward.'
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What the State Superintendent says on federal investigation into WA's non-discrimination school laws
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) issued a letter requesting states to certify compliance with the Department's interpretation of federal civil rights guidelines, or risk losing federal funding. Following that letter, the DOE and the Department of Justice are launching a 'first-of-its kind' investigation into the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) over the state's non-discrimination laws for schools. The suit alleges that OSPI is out of compliance with Title IX, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA). 'Multiple Washington State school districts have reported that OSPI is requiring school boards to adopt policies that allow males to participate in female sports and occupy female-only intimate facilities, thereby raising substantial Title IX concerns,' a DOE press release said. U.S. Secretary of Education, former WWE promoter Linda McMahon, said that the state 'appears to use its position of authority to coerce its districts into hiding 'gender identity' information from students' parents and to adopt policies to covertly smuggle gender ideology into the classroom, confusing students and letting boys into girls' sports, bathrooms, and locker rooms.' In response, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal said that the investigation is the 'latest [Trump] Administration's dangerous war against individuals who are transgender or gender-expansive.' 'Washington public schools have a responsibility to provide a safe and nondiscriminatory environment for all students, including transgender and gender-expansive students, so that all students can thrive. Since 2006, Washington state law has prohibited discrimination on the basis of gender identity, and the state has allowed students to participate in school-based athletics in alignment with their gender identity since 2007. These protections fit within the scope of what is allowed by federal law and have been successfully established and implemented for nearly two decades. Transgender and gender-expansive students are not the only students affected by gender and gender stereotypes at school. When schools affirmatively support gender diversity, all students are empowered to live more authentically and to take advantage of different opportunities that might not have otherwise been available," Reykdal said, in part, in a statement. McMahon said that the schools must 'abide by the law if they expect federal funding to continue.' Reykdal continued his statement with: A student's school should be a safe place where they can learn, thrive, and be their authentic self, and family involvement and acceptance are extremely beneficial to all students. Unfortunately, it is not safe for all individuals to open up to their family regarding gender identity, and family rejection related to an individual's gender identity results in increased odds of a suicide attempt and/or misusing drugs or alcohol. It is not the role of the school system to facilitate private conversations that should be happening between students and their parents or guardians, and the federal government should not force schools to play the role of parents when it comes to gender identity.
