The lawmakers, including six state legislators and a candidate for mayor of Renton, were very interested to hear about obstacles presented by the federal legislation. Of particular interest was the law’s disregard for the challenges faced by educators when preparing some students, such as special education students and those whose first language is not English, for what Superintendent Dolores Gibbons calls “Universal Proficiency” (holding all students to the same standard). Another point of interest was the punitive nature of the mandates.

Superintendent Gibbons told those in attendance,
“ The federal government’s efforts to create “universal access” have already been established in law through such historic cases as Brown v. Board of Education, Title IV, the original ESEA, and laws covering access for immigrant and homeless children. Given these well-defined laws, the real challenge becomes “universal proficiency”; all students meeting high standards not just gaining access. The public school system in this country has spent the last 170 years creating policy and practice that guarantees equal access. The notion of universal proficiency is a dramatically different concept. While I welcome the new concept and can celebrate the laudable Federal goals, there are technical flaws in some aspects of the current Federal plan.”

She went on to tell them of a newly released Princeton Review study of all 50 states that ranked Washington among the seven states “least likely” to be able to achieve the Federal goals in No Child Left Behind. The reason for this designation is that Washington standards are very high. While we have worked well with these high standards, it has been with the states guidance and help. The Federal sanctions appear punitive by comparison.

Senator Adam Kline—D, 37th Legislative District, asked if the legislation sets impossible goals (all students meeting 100% proficiency by 2014) and therefore gives a false impression of failing schools in this state.

Superintendent Gibbons gave this example of a school excelling in state testing while “needing improvement” by NCLB standards: Dimmitt Middle School serves 920 students, 75% of which are minority and 60% fall into national poverty standards. A total of 60 students are non-English speaking proficient and mobility rates are about 25% per year. An exemplary principal and stable staff runs the school. Students are engaged, parents are active and the community is supportive. Last spring this hard working group of educators and students improved their scores on the state assessment (WASL) by an impressive 60% and reading by 29%. Yet, by Federal standards, against the “uniform bar” Dimmitt was named as a “school in improvement.” Measuring student improvement against themselves with a high standards goal is ultimately a more powerful reform model.

Two of the legislators have set appointments to return and tour schools to become more familiar with challenges in Special Education and English as a Second Language classrooms.

Karen Q. Jones, K-12 math resource teacher and superintendent intern, prepared the meeting and presented an overview of the district that included staffing, demographics, budget considerations, community partnerships and more.

Those in attendance included Renton school board members Lynn Desmarais, Joy Poff—both running for re-election in November—and Marcie Maxwell along with REA president Phyllis Silling and principals Wanda Williams-Brown (Lakeridge), Cathie Rondeau (McKnight) and Kathryn Hutchinson (Renton High).