In eyes of the law, nearly all Snohomish County schools ‘failing’

OLYMPIA – Students in Washington public schools are doing as well as they ever have on mandated reading and writing tests.

And the class of 2014 attained one of the highest graduation rates on record in the state.

But when viewed under the microscope of the federal No Child Left Behind law, nine out of 10 elementary and secondary schools in the state are failing — including nearly every one in Snohomish County.

That’s the dichotomy depicted Wednesday in reams of data distributed by Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn.

It was the federal government’s perception of Washington schools that got Dorn fired up and promising to regain a waiver to the law so the labels can be removed.

“By losing our waiver we’ve had to do some things that I think are ridiculous, stupid, ineffective, waste resources and accomplish zero,” Dorn said. “It’s extremely frustrating for me to have to deal with this.”

Among the “stupid” things are letters principals had to send parents informing them of the situation. In some cases, parents were told they can transfer their child to a nonfailing school or get them special tutoring services when classes begin Sept. 3.

Those missives took time to write and cost money to send, Dorn said. The information they contained is bound to confuse parents and even breed mistrust in the district and government, he said.

The letters are a requirement of the 2001 federal law that directed states to set standards for student achievement in math, reading and English language at each grade level.

Under the law, 100 percent of students must meet those state-drafted standards by 2014 and if just one student fails to do so, the school is deemed failing and letters must be sent.

Overall, 1,916 schools, or 88.1 percent, did not meet the standard and needed to send out letters. Only 260 schools met the standards based on student performance last school year. Among them were Cedar Wood Elementary in Everett, Index Elementary School, Heritage High School in Tulalip and Lincoln Academy in Stanwood.

Gov. Jay Inslee said the federal law paints an inaccurate picture of Washington public schools.

“We know that 88 percent of our schools aren’t failing but federal law gives superintendents no choice but to send out these letters,” Inslee spokesman David Postmen wrote in an email. “As school starts in Washington, the governor knows that students and educators will be working hard for constant improvement and believe, as he does, that all students can succeed.

Dorn wants to regain the waiver. He’ll ask lawmakers to pass a bill in 2015, one they rejected in the 2014 session, to require student test scores to be used in teacher performance evaluations.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has said if such a bill became a law, the waiver would be restored.

But the statewide teachers union, the Washington Education Association, lobbied hard against it. In the end, a coalition of liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans in the Senate defeated the proposed legislation.

“We had what I called the most reasonable bill in the nation,” Dorn said. “It’ll be the exact same bill. We worked our tails off last year. I take my hat off to the WEA. They did a better job than we did.

“Maybe this time we can get past the rhetoric and propaganda and do what’s right for kids,” he said.

Rich Wood, WEA spokesman, said the waiver bill should not be reintroduced.

“We need the Legislature to focus on their paramount duty to fully fund our public schools,” he said. “That should be the focus of the 2015 Legislature.”

Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, ranking minority member of the Senate education committee, opposed the waiver bill. She said what happens in 2015 depends on how parents react to the letters about their child’s failing school.

“We know it’s a failed policy,” she said of the federal law. “If parents and schools believe it is important we follow federal policy, we will certainly listen.”

Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com and on Twitter at @dospueblos

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

The rezoned property, seen here from the Hillside Vista luxury development, is surrounded on two sides by modern neighborhoods Monday, March 25, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Despite petition, Lake Stevens OKs rezone for new 96-home development

The change faced resistance from some residents, who worried about the effects of more density in the neighborhood.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, left, introduces Xichitl Torres Small, center, Undersecretary for Rural Development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture during a talk at Thomas Family Farms on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Under new federal program, Washingtonians can file taxes for free

At a press conference Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene called the Direct File program safe, easy and secure.

Former Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy Jeremie Zeller appears in court for sentencing on multiple counts of misdemeanor theft Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ex-sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 1 week of jail time for hardware theft

Jeremie Zeller, 47, stole merchandise from Home Depot in south Everett, where he worked overtime as a security guard.

Everett
11 months later, Lake Stevens man charged in fatal Casino Road shooting

Malik Fulson is accused of shooting Joseph Haderlie to death in the parking lot at the Crystal Springs Apartments last April.

T.J. Peters testifies during the murder trial of Alan Dean at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bothell cold case trial now in jury’s hands

In court this week, the ex-boyfriend of Melissa Lee denied any role in her death. The defendant, Alan Dean, didn’t testify.

A speed camera facing west along 220th Street Southwest on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Washington law will allow traffic cams on more city, county roads

The move, led by a Snohomish County Democrat, comes as roadway deaths in the state have hit historic highs.

Mrs. Hildenbrand runs through a spelling exercise with her first grade class on the classroom’s Boxlight interactive display board funded by a pervious tech levy on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lakewood School District’s new levy pitch: This time, it won’t raise taxes

After two levies failed, the district went back to the drawing board, with one levy that would increase taxes and another that would not.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.