News Brief
Department of Education Extends State's Waiver
Bonney Lake & Sumner Courier-Herald (WA) (08/15/13)The U.S. Department of Education has extended Washington state's waiver from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) through the 2013-14 school year. "This gives us a chance to continue the reforms we've started in the past few years. Those reforms seem to be effective, but having them in place another year will give us a better sense of how effective," says State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn. "The waiver also gives us a chance to fully implement the Common Core State Standards. It will take some time for teachers to adjust to the new standards and the curricula to teach them." However, the waiver has been labeled as high-risk due to the state's current student growth data. In order for the label to be removed, the state must submit a plan detailing how its teacher and principal evaluation system meets ESEA flexibility requirements; provide monthly progress updates in implementing the plan; and submit an amended request with final guidelines for the teacher and principal evaluation system by May 1, 2014, in which student growth data is used "as a significant factor in determining teacher and principal performance levels."
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