Aside from a couple splotches of egg yolk on their collars, Washington’s congressional delegation and the governor emerged victorious from this week’s dust-up over a speck of ferry funding.
Success won’t come as quickly and cleanly when competition begins this fall for real sums of cash for education.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will tell states in October specifically how to qualify for a chunk of $4.35 billion in federal stimulus money to be passed out early next year.
He’s been dropping loud hints on some of the criteria on which states will be judged in order to secure a grant through the “Race for the Top” program, as it’s called.
He’s already said enough for Gov. Chris Gregoire and state schools chief Randy Dorn to realize Washington will likely come away with zilch in the first round of handouts. That means losing out on many millions of dollars.
For example, in Duncan’s view, states allowing and encouraging charter schools should earn points and the 11 banning them — including Washington — should not.
States offering merit pay for teachers and gathering data to track student performance with instructors deserve reward, Duncan believes. Washington does neither, potentially giving it two more bagels on the reviewer’s checklist.
While Duncan is willing to give credit to states trying to make changes, in Washington these shortcomings have no quick fixes.
Charter schools are the third rail of education politics. With the boisterous Washington Education Association beating the drum of opposition, voters have rejected their creation three times, most recently in 2004.
Then-Gov. Gary Locke signed a law enabling a couple of charter schools. The teachers union responded with a successful measure repealing the law.
Gregoire is no fan of charter schools, making a fourth try a legislative improbability in 2010.
As the WEA hates merit pay as much as charter schools, don’t look for any legislative changes there either. Instead, this state will argue it comes close by paying bonuses to teachers who earn national certifications.
On data collection, which the union detests too, Washington will do well to join California and other states reluctant to institute the system desired by Duncan. These states pose a better chance as a united front to negotiate a compromise or derail this requirement.
At this point around the country, a lot of conversations are going on and a lot of people are nervous on what rules will emerge.
Every state wants a piece of the pie, but there’s a fear this program will result in national standards that undermine a state’s ability to run its public schools how it wants.
Gregoire is engaged in the talk. So are members of the congressional delegation; Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., met with Duncan on this subject a couple of weeks back.
All went cordially. That can change if Washington gets no “Race for the Top” funding.
Just ask Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, last seen limping around the Capitol, the imprint of a Murray tennis shoe visible on the seat of his pants.
Political reporter Jerry Cornfield’s blog, The Petri Dish, is at www.heraldnet.com. Contact him at 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
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