Sen. Hill's Claim Is Incorrect

In his recent Kirkland Reporter editorial, Sen. Hill makes one statement with which I profoundly disagree.  He would have us believe that throughout the eight years of single party rule, there has been no “improvement in our state’s education system.”  Now I like Sen. Hill and, as a Republican, I even agree with much of what he wants to accomplish.  But, that statement so misrepresents the facts that it is emphatically incorrect.  

According to the State Report Cards, available on the OSPI website, 10th grade scores on the Reading test in 2004 = 64.5% and in 2012 = 81.3%; Writing in 2004 = 65.2% and in 2012 = 85.4%.  In the Lake Washington School District, which is in Sen. Hill’s Legislative District, 10th grade Reading scores in 2004 = 81.4% and in 2012 = 92.5%; Writing in 2004 = 79.9% and in 2012 = 95.2%. 

Since 2000, many education associations have been working voluntarily with their school districts to develop and implement new and more professional teacher and principal evaluation protocols.  In 2010, legislation was passed to expand that effort statewide.  Those new protocols go online this fall, unless current legislation makes them moot.  In 2012, addition legislation was passed, dictating what had to be in the criteria statements of those evaluation protocols.  And now, in 2013, we have an effort to push aside the current improvements to the evaluation system and simply give administrators the power to fire teachers without reference to their professional effectiveness.  This is one of the policy bills Sen. Hill wants passed before agreeing to a budget. 

In one statement Sen. Hill says there’s been no improvement in eight years and in the next statement he supports pushing aside a major education improvement.  I profoundly disagree with his rationale and I am unable to support his efforts to pass this education policy bill before agreeing to a budget.