Press Room
Bergeson and Gregoire propose temporary changes in graduation requirements
State Superintendent Dr. Terry Bergeson and Governor Kris Gregoire announced a joint proposal for improving math education and temporarily modifying the graduation requirement for the classes of 2008, 2009, and 2010.
The Governor and Superintendent propose that students who have not passed the high school WASL continue to take rigorous math classes until they graduate, or until they pass the test. Taking the test or an approved alternative would be required annually. The option of allowing students to graduate without passing the math WASL would remain in place for three years - for the graduating classes of 2008, 2009, and 2010. The Governor and Superintendent are proposing that students who have not passed the high school WASL keep taking rigorous math classes until they graduate, or until they pass the test. Taking the test or an approved alternative would be required annually. The option of allowing students to graduate without passing the math WASL would remain in place for three years - for the graduating classes of 2008, 2009, and 2010.
"I've long been a champion of sticking to our standards and not letting another year go by when we graduate kids without the skills we know they need," said Bergeson. "I deeply respect and honor the educators and students who have worked so hard to meet the math standards. But I also pay close attention to the information on both student achievement and system readiness. And the scores I saw in June - and again this fall, following the August retakes - were a compelling argument for adjusting our course."
"We are emphatically NOT proposing that the graduation requirement simply be delayed, as some news outlets have reported," said Bergeson. "We are proposing an additional alternative. The Governor and I are strongly committed to ensuring that students stay enrolled in rigorous math classes, aligned with our standards and to students' needs, that prepare them for college, work and life. Equally important, the Governor and I agree on the urgent need for the state to adopt a coherent and well funded plan to improve math education."
The State Board of Education adopted a plan to:
- Clarify and prioritize our standards, and adjusting the WASL where appropriate.
- Identify a limited menu of curricula, diagnostic assessments, and intervention materials aligned with our standards and assessments to better assist schools and districts.
- Increase the math requirements in teacher preparation programs and improve the math professional development options for teachers in the field and finally,
- Adopt more rigorous course requirements and competencies for graduation.
The complete plan is available on the State Board's Web site.
"We all agree that our kids need math skills, and that our 21st-century economy needs graduates skilled in math, science and technology. And we all agree that we need to improve math education in Washington," said Bergeson.