In Olympia | Young supports bill to change educational assessment emphasis

A bill introduced by Rep. Jesse Young, 26th legislative district Republican, aims to reform the school assessment process so that the state’s educational focus is on learning rather than student performance on standardized tests.

January 26, 2016 3:54 pm
Tags:

A bill introduced by Rep. Jesse Young, 26th legislative district Republican, aims to reform the school assessment process so that the state’s educational focus is on learning rather than student performance on standardized tests.

HB 2670 is supported by the Washington Education Association, which reached out to Young to support the initiative. His proposal would support “students’ rights to a quality education free from an overemphasis on standardized testing and promotes assessments directed by teachers in the classroom,” Young said in a news release sent from his office.

“This is how Olympia is supposed to work,” Young said. “It’s amazing how much common ground you can find when you’re just willing to listen. This bill would promote respect for the professional judgment of our teachers, who are trained and hired to assess our students on a daily business and who know our students’ strengths and weaknesses.”

Meanwhile in Olympia, HB 2366 passed the House by a 64-34 vote and now moves on to the Senate. The bill directs the 2017 Legislature to change the state funding mechanism for public education. It is one resolution brought forth in response to the state Supreme Court decision holding the legislative body in contempt for not having a plan in place to sufficiently fund public education. The court justices ruled that the state’s school funding plan did not adequately support public education in the state. Since that decision in August, legislators are being fined $100,00 a day until a resolution is agreed to by legislators.

Gov. Jay Inslee was optimistic the Legislature would reach an agreement suitable to both sides of the aisle. But while the bill has bipartisan support, there was skepticism expressed by some Republican members. Those voting no during the House vote were all Republicans.

A bill introduced by Rep. Jesse Young, 26th legislative district Republican, aims to reform the school assessment process so that the state’s educational focus is on learning rather than student performance on standardized tests.

HB 2670 is supported by the Washington Education Association, which reached out to Young to support the initiative. His proposal would support “students’ rights to a quality education free from overemphasis on standardized testing and promotes assessments directed by teachers in the classroom,” Young said in a news release sent from his office.

“This is how Olympia is supposed to work,” Young said. “It’s amazing how much common ground you can find when you’re just willing to listen. This bill would promote respect for the professional judgment of our teachers, who are trained and hired to assess our students on a daily business and who know our students’ strengths and weaknesses.”

Meanwhile in Olympia, HB 2366 passed the House by a 64-34 vote and now moves on to the Senate. The bill directs the 2017 Legislature to change the state funding mechanism for public education. It is one resolution brought forth in response to the state Supreme Court decision holding the legislative body in contempt for not having a plan in place to sufficiently fund public education. The court justices ruled that the state’s school funding plan did not adequately support public education in the state. Since that decision in August, legislators are being fined $100,00 a day until a resolution is agreed to by legislators.

Gov. Jay Inslee was optimistic the Legislature would reach an agreement suitable to both sides of the aisle. But while the bill has bipartisan support, there was skepticism expressed by some Republican members. Those voting no during the House vote were all Republicans.
Tags: