Public meetings scheduled for input on math standards
Public input is being sought as Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson prepares to complete a revision of Washington state’s K-12 mathematics standards (see our article “Math standards due this month”). OSPI is scheduling evening meetings in Seattle (Jan. 22), Spokane (Jan. 28) and Vancouver (Feb. 6) to provide perspectives on what the standards mean for students and schools, and to give participants a chance to share comments and questions.  For more information, visit the OSPI Web site.

Coalition reconfirms shared funding priorities for 2008
Washington’s leading education organizations came together last year in a joint effort aimed at persuading the Legislature to update and fully fund the state’s definition of basic education. With the 2008 session underway, WSSDA, WASA, WEA, AWSP and PSE of Washington are underscoring their continued commitment to advance school funding needs.  See the news release.

Spellings meets with state education leaders
WSSDA President Ted Thomas and other education leaders had an opportunity to talk with the nation’s top education official about No Child Left Behind this past week, as U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings visited Olympia to push for renewal of the federal law.  A one-hour roundtable discussion at a local elementary school generated several common themes, including the need for flexibility, resources, and positive reinforcement.  Learn more here.

Register now for the WSSDA/WASA Legislative Conference
The annual WSSDA/WASA Legislative Conference is just a few weeks away, and the deadline for pre-registration savings is even sooner. Be sure to sign up by Feb. 1 to save $65 on your registration fee. The conference takes place Feb. 10-11 at the Olympia Red Lion Hotel and at the State Capitol. This is your opportunity to get first-hand information on legislative issues and carry your education concerns directly to your legislators.  For information and registration links, click here.

Superintendent evaluation workshop coming Feb. 9
If you’re attending the Legislative Conference, why not come a day early and take part in WSSDA’s one-day workshop on Board Self-Assessment and Superintendent Evaluation?  The workshop will be held Saturday, Feb. 9 at North Thurston School District headquarters in Olympia.  For more information and online registration, go to wssda.org/workshops.

Washington in the spotlight for technology and learning
Two high-profile events focusing on technology and student learning will be coming to Washington state this year. The first is an Education Technology Site Visit in the Kent School District, organized by the National School Boards Association’s Education Technology Programs (March 24-26). The second is NSBA’s national Technology + Learning Annual Conference, which takes place Oct. 28-30 in Seattle.  With these sessions taking place in our own back yard, it’s worth a look. For the Education Technology site visit, click here.  For the T+L Conference, click here.

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