DR. BERGESON RENEWS CHALLENGE

By Editor Ken Harvey

Washington's Superintendent of Public Instruction is working to rally support for the state's educational reforms.

Some parents have expressed fear that their children may not graduate from high school in 2008 because of the new requirement that those students pass the state WASL exam.

"Just under half of last years 10^th-graders were able to meet standard on all three of the WASL tests that will be required for graduation beginning in 2008," says Bergeson. "The data tell us that students who are struggling are disproportionately ethnic minorities or low-income students."

Legislators, such as Rep. Larry Haler (R-Richland), have responded to the concerns and are filing legislation to re-examine the WASL and possibly put the 2008 requirement on hold.

But state Supt. Terry Bergeson is challenging legislators, schools boards and educators to hold the line and expect a "miracle" with the help of some proposed state funding and support.

 "We have a moral dilemma," she says. "On one hand, we can't let our students graduate without the critical skills to succeed, and on the other hand, many are still not prepared and we're worried they may not graduate."

"We are being distracted from our original goal by our undue focus on the WASL. Our focus on test scores over the past few years has been understandable, because of the pressure of accountability. But it has obscured the goal we set for ourselves back in 1992. That goal is to prepare our students to succeed in college, work and in life. An objective measure such as the WASL is necessary to keep us honest about the skills that students have. It is an important step to a meaningful diploma for each student. And they must take that step. But we must remain clear about our ultimate goal of ensuring each student succeeds in college, work and life," Bergeson says.

The superintendent points out that in the 21^st century, the U.S. is facing stiff competition to our technological and, thus, our economic leadership in the world, and it all starts with education.

Some nations have gone so far as to impose 280-day school schedules, as opposed to the 180-day schedule typical in the U.S.

China has 128 million school kids - more than triple the number in the U.S., Bergeson says.

"While only 20 percent of their children graduate, they can beat the sox off our children," she says. "This is a national issue. We have to do something revolutionary, or in 10 years or 15 years from now, we are going to be one sorry country. If our children aren't literate in math and science, they can't play in today's world."

Bergeson, as many other educational leaders, refers frequently to the visionary book, "The World is Flat," by Thomas Friedman, which "describes the driving forces that brought down the Berlin Wall, that created and expanded the Internet, and that 'flattene'' the planet to broaden opportunities for the world's citizens."

"It presents a truly compelling case why, in spite of our fears (about education reform), we just can't turn back the clock on the changes we've set in motion in our schools during this past decade. We must prepare our kids for the new world they will face as adults," Bergeson says.

Three billion more people entered the world economy in the 1990s, she notes, and if only 10 percent of them have the skills to compete with American workers. That's 300 million - double the American workforce.

Thus, "global outsourcing, insourcing, supply chaining and googling are new realities in our lives," she says. And now more and more high-tech and low-tech jobs are going overseas.

She notes the irony that 30 million tax returns for Americans were actually completed in India, where workers also read 80 percent of the outsourced MRI and CT scans taken in American hospitals.

Bergeson says this is not the time to abandon reform but rather to recommit ourselves to the reforms that will require students in 2008 to not only pass their required classes but to pass the reading, writing and math WASL tests; create a plan for high school and beyond; and, finally, focus their skills on completing a culminating project of personal meaning to them, and finally create a plan.

The visionary report of the Governor's Council on Education Reform and Funding that led to the dramatic changes in Washington's schools, starting in 1993, was created at a time when society accepted that only 20 percent of our students would graduate from a university and become leaders in our society and economy. Sixty percent would be workers who didn't have to think or solve problems. And the bottom 20 percent would be unprepared to make any meaningful contribution.

Gov. Booth Gardner saw that wasn't good enough.

"A challenge has been issued .. that we simply cannot ignore. It comes from Asia, where students are held to higher standards of learning. It comes from Europe, where students are better prepared for work ...We should be under no illusion about the dimensions of the challenge before us. Whether we are able to teach our children to learn will determine not only the health of the communities, state and nation they inherit, but their personal well-being in the future," he warned.

So what have subsequent reforms achieved?

"Achievement among all student groups is at record levels," Bergeson says. "For the third year in a row, our students have the highest average SAT (college entrance exam) scores in the nation among states were at least half the students take the test.

"All students continue to achieve at higher levels on the WASL, and some of our greatest gains are being made in our schools with the greatest challenges. For example, 51 of our highest poverty and most racially diverse elementary schools participating in the Reading First program have seen a 57 percent gain in reading scores over the past two years, nearly three times the statewide growth. And the performance gap in those schools among ethnic groups has almost totally been erased," she says.

"We can also be proud of our latest results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the Nation's Report Card. Washington students again outpaced their peers in reading and math," Bergeson says.

That's the good news, but the state superintendent says that's not nearly good enough to end reform efforts.

"While thousands of students in Washington are earning rigorous diplomas that measure up to those earned by their best-prepared peers in the world, thousands more students are getting a diploma every year that is NOT backed by the skills they need to succeed. We still have not completely dismantled that 20^th century sorting system, and we just can't afford it," Bergeson says.

While slightly over half of last year's 10^th-graders were not able to meet standard on all three of the WASL tests, she says she believes by 2008 the vast majority of that graduating class will.

Opponents fear that holding to that standard will cause many discouraged students to drop out, but Bergeson says lack of meaningful education also is causing students to drop out in body and in spirit.

"It's not about the test," she says. "It's about kids needing to know they matter. That people believe in them, that they can take a risk and even fail and have it be OK to learn from their mistakes.

"We currently lose about 25 percent of our students for a variety of reasons. If historic trends hold, that means about 20,000 students who began their sophomore year this fall will drop out before they earn their diploma, with or without new graduation requirements," Bergeson says.

In a recent conference of school board members, she asked those attending to help her demonstrate the current situation. The 900 people in the room stood up for the demonstration representing the 80,000 freshmen students who may enter the state's high schools in a given year.

She had 25 percent sit down, representing those who, given current trends, will drop out - WASL requirement or no WASL requirement.

Then she pointed out that over 55 percent of the students who do currently graduate and go on to a community college have to take remedial courses.

"You have that diploma, but you don't necessarily have the skills," she said, so she had a little over half of those remaining on their feet sit down.

And, finally, she noted that only 20 percent of the state's students will finish two years of college within three years of high school graduation, leaving only 180 of the original 900 people attending the conference still on their feet.

"Take a look around the room. Notice how many people are sitting," Bergeson told the state's school board members. "This is roughly the proportion of our students we are not getting properly prepared TODAY in at least one significant way. Given the challenges of our world, the status quo is completely unacceptable. That status quo continues to undercut thousands of young people's futures each year. We choose our future."

Bergeson urges legislators, school boards and educators to resist undermining the reforms.

"It's been a tough path, but it's been the RIGHT path," she says. "As we continue our journey on this road less traveled, we need both a sense of urgency and compassion.

"And our first task is to get past the fear and anxiety that's in our way," Bergeson says. "Much of that fear comes not from worrying about ourselves, although that's part of it. It comes from not wanting to let our kids down.

"Fear sells, and the only way to overcome it is to work together on a sensible course of action that will get results," says the state superintendent. "It's much easier to frighten people by telling them thousands of our kids might not graduate if we raise standards, than to admit that thousands of our kids already graduate without the ability to read, write and do math at a level that will allow them any amount of success in the world.

"It's much easier to blame a test as being hard and unfair than it is to admit the test is telling us something we've known for decades - too many of our kids don't have these skills. And until recently we have been able to look the other way about this achievement gap," Bergeson says. "It is hard to face the brutal facts, but we must have these courageous conversations with parents, students, educators and other members of our communities.

"They need to understand that even if the WASL were to go away, we still would face the challenge of providing all students with skills they MUST have for life," she says. "It's not about denying students a diploma, it's about asking them to truly earn a diploma and giving them more support to do it."

Bergeson says it is natural and proper to worry about the students who are struggling.

"But we can do this," she says. "We Americans tend to function at our peak when there's a crisis. Miracles will happen. Miracles driven by hard work, great teaching, and close relationships between individual students, their teachers, and other adult and student mentors. Miracles derived from teaching and learning not just in traditional classrooms, but in unique settings, such as career and technical programs, alternative schools, churches and community centers."

Bergeson is proposing new funding for several new programs to help achieve this miracle.

"First, we must personalize education. We must put our students at the center of everything we're doing. We must empower them not only with academic knowledge and skills, but with the opportunity and support to plan and prepare for their future while they go through school," Bergeson says.

"When young people understand the connection between working hard in school and having a satisfying adult life, they will take more responsibility and become more skilled and disciplined people," she says.

The state superintendent proposes the Legislature approve $4 million in its supplemental budget to expand guidance and counseling programs in middle and high schools throughout the state. Counselors can help students achieve the connection between school and life.

"Second, we must also provide the academic support to help struggling students achieve the reading, writing and mathematics proficiency standards on the WASL," Bergeson says. "We must do everything in our power in the next few months to prepare 10^th graders to take the WASL seriously and pass it the first time.

"Just as important, however, we must reassure students that if they don't make it the first time, we will help them succeed, whatever it takes," she says. "In every high school, a trusted adult must look each struggling student in the eye when test scores come back next June, and ask him or her to stay with us on a path to a better future"

Bergeson says it is vital that students and parents understand that each student will have at least four retake opportunities, with targeted academic support between each test. She promises OSPI support in developing and providing these support programs. She is proposing an intensive summer program to begin soon after test scores return.

"Districts will be able to use these summer school programs to diagnose a student's strengths and weaknesses in a subject and target instruction to build skills," Bergeson says. "Kids who feel ready after a few extra weeks of help will be able to try a retake in August. If they're not ready, they can get more academic support during the school year and try the test again the following spring."

Students will also be able to retake the test twice during their senior year, if necessary.

More support is needed even for students who pass the WASL the very first time. Many of them still require remedial courses when they enroll in college. The WASL does not test for college-level academic skills.

Bergeson is requesting $42 million in additional funding to pay for the expanded academic support.

"Our pooled knowledge, combined with this funding, will be unbeatable! We can do this!" she says.

Third, Bergeson says, is to support teacher development. Recent surveys conducted by the Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession, show that Washington teachers strongly confirm the positive impact on students of education reform.

"But 80 percent of the same teachers don't believe they can differentiate their instruction well enough to help their diverse learners. And they are very worried. So we need to help them now," Bergeson says.

The superintendent wants about $5 million more next year to help teachers improve their instructional skills, particularly diverse students having the most difficulty passing the WASL exam.

Fourth, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is committed to implementing fair and appropriate alternatives for students with disabilities, second language learners, and students who have the skills but need a different way to show them.

Alternative assessments are being piloted this year in 20 high schools, and Bergeson says an alternative assessment and appeals package is ready for the Legislature to review and approve in this session. OSPI also has developed guidelines to help teams decide which students with disabilities are best served by going after the Certificate of Individual Achievement, instead of the standard Certificate of Academic Achievement, to earn a diploma.

OSPI is also working on a proposal to give new students and second language learners extra time and support - in high school and beyond to the community college level - to complete their diplomas in an appropriate setting.

"The bottom line," Bergeson says, "there will be fair options for kids who need them. We will not penalize students for circumstances beyond their control."

Bergeson says the governor will introduce additional reforms next November that will "redefine" and coordinate preschool, K-12 and higher education.

• While these endeavors can help achieve the miracle Bergeson envisions, the superintendent says she needs help making sure parents, leaders and educators understand the need for reform and the how the vast majority of students are going to pass the WASL or an alternative assessment and be ready to graduate in 2008 with a meaningful diploma.
• "We must work together to more effectively communicate to the public the critical importance of our work," Bergeson says. "We're fighting widespread denial of global reality and a deliberate misinformation campaign from those who do not believe our poorest kids can learn. And it's only going to get worse."
• "Our legislators and you as school board members will be pressured relentlessly to backtrack on the progress we have made in helping thousands of children learn the skills they need to survive as adults," she says. "We just can't let the naysayers win. We have to join forces and support those who have the courage to stand firm and fight for our kids."
• People must respect students' diversity, "and their ability to think and reason and achieve the learning goals we set for them," Bergeson says.
• Washington citizens must also "value perseverance," she says. "Doing the right thing is hard, and it takes time and it takes courage. But I know one thing to be true: Our students have made tremendous achievement gains in the past decade because we set standards, and stuck to them. There is no 100 percent guarantee of success when you try to do something. But there IS a 100 percent guarantee of failure if you don't try at all."
• Citizens should understand that education reform represents the ultimate in "social justice and fairness for all of our children," Bergeson says. "We still have too many students with inadequate skills. And those students are predominantly poor and disproportionately children of color. Shall we just leave them without skills? Shall we give them a meaningless diploma and let them pay the price later for our lack of action?" asks the superintendent.   "I'm deeply disturbed by the hypocrisy of arguments that we will destroy the self-esteem of kids by labeling them with bad test scores. I believe we will destroy their self-esteem and their hopes for a bright future if we let them leave high school without knowing how to read or do basic math, diploma in hand or not. We can't let fear and prejudice override the moral obligation we have to every child," she says.
• People need to know there will be retakes, alternative assessments, and other options for special education students, Bergeson says.
• And politicians need to understand that citizens still support meaningful reform. A recent survey shows that once citizens understand these things, over 70 percent support higher standards and an exit exam, such as WASL.
• "We have to keep our hearts in this work," the superintendent says "We have to want this change. We have to wholeheartedly support it. We need to promote an atmosphere of hope and determination in our schools."