For state’s school chief, ‘failure’ is not an option

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn doesn’t want to use the word “failing” when talking about Washington’s public schools.

So he’s figured out how school district leaders in Washington can exclude it from letters they must send parents at schools deemed as failing to make the grade on a federal curve known as adequate yearly progress.

At the same time, Dorn is trying to convince the U.S. Department of Education to drop its demand that such letters be sent as required under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. That’s because the rules are such that letters will wind up going to parents of children at pretty much every school in Washington.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Avoiding an “F” requires students to perform at grade level in math and reading. So when standardized test time rolls around, if a student doesn’t pass in grades 3-8 and 10, their school likely won’t show enough progress to quash the need to notify parents.

It’s a dilemma faced in just about every state. But Washington is the only state facing the letter requirement because the others snagged waivers from the U.S. Department of Education.

This state had such a waiver, but lost it this year following a legislative deadlock on including student test scores in the evaluation of teacher performance.

Dorn last month asked federal education officials to again waive the requirement to send letters. He also pledged to make sure parents are well aware of their school’s progress, and their options, which include transferring their child to another campus or receive tutoring.

His chances of succeeding are far south of slim. It relies on the feds giving up what is arguably their most punitive tool against states which fall off the NCLB waiver wagon, as Washington did.

The letters publicly shame individual schools and entire districts. Many parents will be quick studies on what’s really going on behind the scenes. Dorn is worried about consequences in the community if these bureaucratic badges of dishonor are sent out.

“The letters’ misrepresentation that our schools are failing will erode public support for local funding — and, we think, will needlessly and dangerously distract Washington’s voters and lawmakers at a time when transparent, truthful information about our schools is most critical,” Dorn wrote to Assistant Secretary of Education Deborah Delisle.

In the meantime, Dorn drafted a model letter for districts that doesn’t specifically say schools are failing.

Rather, it explains in some detail the process of how the school did not meet one or more measurements for progress and are considered to be in “Step 1 of Improvement” — a term ripped from the federal law itself.

And it closes by pointing out the fault is not with the school, but with the federal law.

“Please keep in mind the only reason you are receiving this letter this year is because Washington state lost its waiver from NCLB requirements,” he wrote.

Political reporter Jerry Cornfield’s blog, The Petri Dish, is at www.heraldnet.com. Contact him at 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

City of Everett Engineer Tom Hood, left, and City of Everett Engineer and Project Manager Dan Enrico, right, talks about the current Edgewater Bridge demolition on Friday, May 9, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
How do you get rid of a bridge? Everett engineers can explain.

Workers began dismantling the old Edgewater Bridge on May 2. The process could take one to two months, city engineers said.

Smoke from the Bolt Creek fire silhouettes a mountain ridge and trees just outside of Index on Sept. 12, 2022. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County will host two wildfire-preparedness meetings in May

Meetings will allow community members to learn wildfire mitigation strategies and connect with a variety of local and state agencies.

Helion's 6th fusion prototype, Trenta, on display on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Helion celebrates smoother path to fusion energy site approval

Helion CEO applauds legislation signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson expected to streamline site selection process.

Vehicles travel along Mukilteo Speedway on Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Mukilteo cameras go live to curb speeding on Speedway

Starting Friday, an automated traffic camera system will cover four blocks of Mukilteo Speedway. A 30-day warning period is in place.

Carli Brockman lets her daughter Carli, 2, help push her ballot into the ballot drop box on the Snohomish County Campus on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Here’s who filed for the primary election in Snohomish County

Positions with three or more candidates will go to voters Aug. 5 to determine final contenders for the Nov. 4 general election.

Students from Explorer Middle School gather Wednesday around a makeshift memorial for Emiliano “Emi” Munoz, who died Monday, May 5, after an electric bicycle accident in south Everett. (Aspen Anderson / The Herald)
Community and classmates mourn death of 13-year-old in bicycle accident

Emiliano “Emi” Munoz died from his injuries three days after colliding with a braided cable.

Danny Burgess, left, and Sandy Weakland, right, carefully pull out benthic organisms from sediment samples on Thursday, May 1, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Got Mud?’ Researchers monitor the health of the Puget Sound

For the next few weeks, the state’s marine monitoring team will collect sediment and organism samples across Puget Sound

Cal Brennan, 1, sits inside of a helicopter during the Paine Field Community Day on Saturday, May 17, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Children explore world of aviation at Everett airport

The second annual Paine Field Community Day gave children the chance to see helicopters, airplanes and fire engines up close.

A person walks past Laura Haddad’s “Cloud” sculpture before boarding a Link car on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024 in SeaTac, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sound Transit seeks input on Everett bike, pedestrian improvements

The transit agency is looking for feedback about infrastructure improvements around new light rail stations.

A standard jet fuel, left, burns with extensive smoke output while a 50 percent SAF drop-in jet fuel, right, puts off less smoke during a demonstration of the difference in fuel emissions on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sustainable aviation fuel center gets funding boost

A planned research and development center focused on sustainable aviation… Continue reading

Dani Mundell, the athletic director at Everett Public Schools, at Everett Memorial Stadium on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Everett Public Schools to launch girls flag football as varsity sport

The first season will take place in the 2025-26 school year during the winter.

A “SAVE WETLANDS” poster is visible under an seat during a public hearing about Critical Area Regulations Update on ordinance 24-097 on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County Council passes controversial critical habitat ordinance

People testified for nearly two hours, with most speaking in opposition to the new Critical Areas Regulation.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.