THE NEW STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

1
THE NEW STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION Accountability
World-Class Math and Science Standards
Meaningful Diploma/CORE 24
CORE 24 and College and Work Readiness Presentati
on to WERA March 26, 2009
2
What is the Washington State Board of Education?
The Washington State Board of Educations role in
the K-12 system is to lead the development of
state policy, provide system oversight, and
advocate for student success. The Board is
comprised of sixteen members and is supported by
a staff of six.
3
What are the Boards Duties?

• Ensuring that all children in the State of
  Washington receive an equitable and excellent
  education
• Developing a system of graduation credit
  requirements that will result in a meaningful
  high school diploma
• Creating an accountability framework that will
  identify and assist struggling schools as well as
  recognize schools that are meeting or exceeding
  standards

• 4. Implementing a systematic approach so that
  students and teachers receive the support they
  need to learn and teach under the new math and
  science standards

4
The State Board of Education Sets Some Graduation
Requirements

• SBE-mandated requirements
• Minimum credit requirements
• Culminating Project
• High School and Beyond Plan
• Legislatively-mandated requirements
• Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL)
• Certificate of Academic Achievement/Individual
  Achievement
• District-, Private School-, or Tribal
  School-mandated requirements

4
5
Why Change Graduation Requirements Now?

• Four drivers
• Legislative direction to revise the purpose of a
  diploma (2006)
• Legislative direction to add a third credit of
  math and prescribe the content (2006)
• Governors Washington Learns report calling for
  world-class education (November 2006)
• Recognition that credit requirements are the
  product of another era Unchanging requirements
  in a changing world

6
Shaping CORE 24
7
What is CORE 24?

• CORE 24 is the framework of 24 credits approved
  by the State Board of Education in July 2008 as
  proposed new graduation requirements, to be
  phased-in when funding is provided by the
  legislature.

8
Six Contributing Factors That Shaped The Boards
Thinking about CORE 24
9
1. Preparation for Postsecondary Education
10
Preparation for Postsecondary Education 13-1/2
Prescribed Minimum Credit Requirements Leading
to Nowhere
11
Preparation for Postsecondary Education
Unacceptable Remediation Rates at Community and
Technical Colleges

• ? 52 of community and technical college students
  who graduated from high school in 2006 took
  pre-college (remedial) classes in 2006-07
  English, reading or math.
• ? This level of remediation cost students and the
  state 17.5 million. 
• Source Role of Pre-College (Developmental and
  Remedial) Education for Recent High School
  Graduates Attending Washington Community and
  Technical Colleges. Washington State Board for
  Community and Technical Colleges Research Report
  No. 07-2.

12
2. The Composition of a 21st Century
Workforce
13
Composition of a 21st Century Workforce A
Different World

• Since graduation credit requirements last changed
  in 1985, globalization and technological change
  have dramatically changed the economy and labor
  market into which we send our graduates.

14
In the 21st Century Workforce, Unskilled Jobs Are
Disappearing Demand for Higher Skills is Rising
Sources American Diploma Project U.S. Bureau of
Census and Pennsylvania Department of Labor and
Industry, Center for Workforce Information and
Analysis (Pennsylvania statewide)
15
How Do We Prepare Students for A 21st Century
Workforce Where People Can Make a Living Wage?

• In 2008 in Washington
• ? The median income for someone with only a high
  school diploma was 10.00 per hour.
• ? A living wage for a single adult was 25,530 a
  year or 12.27 an hour.

Sources Julie Chinitz, ChienHao Fu, and Gerald
Smith. The 2008 Job Gap. Tough Times for
Northwest Families. 2008 Northwest Job Gap
Study. http//www.nwfco.org/pubs/2008.12.09_NW.JG.
Tough.Times.pdf
16
Living Wage One that Allows Individuals/Families
to Meet their Basic Needs Without Public
Assistance Ability to Plan for Emergencies
Washington Job Vacancies by Education and Wage,
October 2008
Source Washington State Employment Security
Department, Labor Market and Economics Analysis.
Washington State Job Vacancy Survey Report Fall,
2008, Figure 4., p. 9
17
Other Developed Nations Are Educating Their Youth
And Adult Workers To Record Levels. . .While The
U.S. And Washington Stand Still.
HECB. 2008 Master Plan for Higher Education in
Washington.
18

• Demographics of
• Students in the Pipeline

19
Changing Demographics Proportionally More
Students of Color in Washington
2014 - 15
2009 - 10
2004 - 05
American Indian/Alaska Native Asian/Pacific
Islander Black non-Hispanic Hispanic White
non-Hispanic
Source Escalating Engagement Connecting
Higher Education and Workforce Needs. National
Center for Higher Education Management Systems.
PowerPoint presentation to Higher Education
Coordinating Board. September 2008. Data
gleaned from March 2008 WICHE Report, Knocking
at the College Door Projections of High School
Graduates by State and Race/Ethnicity,1992-2022.
20
Hispanic Students Are The Fastest-Growing Group
Source Escalating Engagement Connecting
Higher Education and Workforce Needs. National
Center for Higher Education Management Systems.
PowerPoint presentation to Higher Education
Coordinating Board. September 2008. Data
gleaned from US Census Bureau.
21
Washington Hispanic, Native American and African
American Students Less Likely to Take Courses
That Meet Minimum Four-year Public Admissions
Requirements
Source The BERC Group, December 2008.
Washington State Board of Education Transcript
Study. Based on a random sample of 14,875 2008
Washington public high school graduates
22
More Low-income Students Complete College When
They Take a Rigorous High School Curriculum
Rigorous curriculum is defined as the top 40
percent of high school curriculum and
the highest high school mathematics above
Algebra II. Note These numbers reflect outcomes
for high school graduates who enter four-year
institutions directly from high school.
Source Adelman, Clifford. The Toolbox Revisited,
U.S. Department of Education, 2006. Adapted from
The Education Trust.
23
4. National Trends in Graduation Requirements
24
National Trend 31 States Require More Credits
to Graduate Than Washington (Based on
Washingtons 20 credits in 2013)
Source Education Commission of the States
Standard High School Graduation Requirements
Database. 2008. Note Includes requirements
that have been adopted and will be in effect for
a graduating class in 2009 and beyond e.g.,
Washingtons 20 credit graduation requirement
will be in effect for the graduating class of
2013. States in yellow are global challenge
states. Massachusetts is also a global challenge
state but has no state-mandated requirements.
25
National Trend Most States Have Higher
Expectations for Total Credits Earned

• Across the Nation
• 31 states will exceed Washingtons new
  20-credit requirement 6 other states will
  share it
• 13 states will require 24 credits in 2009
• Closer to Home
• 23 Number of credits Idaho will require
  (effective 2013)
• 24 Number of credits Oregon will require
  (effective 2012)

26
National Trend Most States Require More Credits
in Core Subjects

• Across the Nation, in 2009
• 39 Number of states requiring 3 or more credits
  of math
• 33 Number of states requiring 3 or more credits
  of science
• 44 Number of states requiring 4 credits of
  English
• 34 Number of states requiring 3 or more credits
  of social studies

27
How Important is Quantity?

• ? Rigor is not defined by quantity.
• ? But If credits are a proxy for the amount of
  exposure students have to a subject, our students
  will be competing against many students who have
  more exposure/preparation.
• ? Quality of teaching and learning is key.

28
5. Washington District Graduation Credit
Requirements
29
Considerable Variability in Graduation
Requirements Within the StateOver Half of the
Districts Currently Require 24 Credits
Credits Required
Source Washington State Board of Education.
2007.
Credits have been rounded to the nearest whole
credit.
30
All But 20 Districts Exceed Minimum Requirements
in English Far Fewer Districts Exceed Minimums
in Math and Science
31
87 of Districts Require More Than the State
Minimum 2.5 Credit Requirement in Social Studies
32
Districts Vary in Meeting Arts, Health and
Fitness and Occupational Education Requirements
? 100 meet but do not exceed the state
1-credit minimum Arts requirement ? 24
exceed the state 2-credit minimum Health
and Fitness requirement ? 54 exceed the state
1-credit minimum Occupational Education
requirement
33
89 of Districts Exceed the States Minimum 5.5
Credit Requirement for Electives
34
6. Preparation for Citizenship
35
Growing Support for 21st Century Applied
Knowledge and Skills

• 7 survival skills students need
• Critical thinking problem-solving
• Collaboration leadership
• Agility adaptability
• Initiative entrepreneurialism
• Effective oral written communication
• Accessing analyzing information
• Curiosity imagination
• Tony Wagner (2008). Rigor Redefined.
  Educational Leadership. Volume 66, 2.
• Essential skills, such as financial, civic,
  technology, global, and/or health literacy
  employability skills, etc.

36
The Conclusion? Students Need Multiple Pathways
To Some Form Of Postsecondary Education And
They Need Adequate Preparation

• The higher skills needed for most family-wage
  jobs come from additional education of some kind
  
• ? Apprenticeships The Original
• Four-Year Degree
• ? Professional/Technical Degree and
  Certificate Programs
• ? Transfer Associate Degree Programs (AS-T,
  AA-T, AAS-T)
• ? Baccalaureate Degree Programs

37

CORE 24 Graduation Requirements Policy Framework
38
One Diploma Many Pathways
39
Educated Citizens with Living-Wage Jobs
40
The Purpose of a Diploma
In January 2008, the board adopted a purpose
statement for the diploma, the first sentence
reads The purpose of the diploma is to declare
that a student is ready for success in post
secondary education, gainful employment, and
citizenship, and is equipped with the skills to
be a lifelong learner.
41
The Purpose of a Diploma
The diploma represents a balance between the
personalized education needs of each student and
societys needs, and reflects at its core the
states basic education goals. The diploma is a
compact among students, parents, local school
districts, the state, and whatever employer or
institution the graduate moves on toa compact
that says the graduate has acquired a particular
set of knowledge and skills. How the student
demonstrates those skills may differ. Whether a
student earns credit by participating in formal
instruction or by demonstrating competency
through established district policies is
immaterial they are equally acceptable.
42
Laying the Groundwork for CORE 24 Through Guiding
Principles

• Start early Prepare students to enter high school
  and create opportunities to meet high school
  graduation requirements in middle school.

Equip Everyone Prepare ALL students for life
after high schoolin gainful employment, an
apprenticeship, or postsecondary
education. Expect More Align requirements to
meet the increased expectations of the 21st
century workforce. Provide Flexibility Allow
students to customize their education, relevance
to their interests. Give Focus Encourage
students to align course work to achieve their
future career goals. Plan Ahead Emphasize the
High School and Beyond Plan to offer students
personalized guidance to prepare them for work,
postsecondary education, or both. Start Early
Prepare students to enter high school and create
opportunities to meet high school graduation
requirements in middle school.
43
WHAT CORE 24 IS
A 24-credit framework that requires more than the
minimum a move from minimum to essential
requirements
44
A Tool to Help Students Plan Ahead A Framework
with Flexibility Key Features
Personalized through choices
Making middle school count Stronger
guidance stronger high school and beyond plan
Built on policies that create flexibility
e.g., course equivalencies, competency-based
credits, etc.
45
The Next Steps for CORE 24

• 2009
• Begin to work through the mechanics and policy
  implications of CORE 24 with the Implementation
  Task Force.
• Continue the Meaningful High School Diploma
  Policy Work to resolve unfinished issues,
  including the culminating project, the high
  school and beyond plan, essential skills, and
  middle school connections.

46
Implement the Third Credit of Math for the
Graduating Class of 2013

• Students in the graduating class of 2013 will be
  expected to complete
• 1 additional credit of math in Algebra I,
  Geometry, and Algebra II (or Integrated Math I,
  II, III) unless a different third credit of math
  is elected
• Total of 20 credits

43
47
Questions?

• Kathe Taylor, Ph.D.
• Policy Director
• Kathe.taylor_at_k12.wa.us
• 360-725-6028
• For more information
• http//www.sbe.wa.gov