Center for Education
 |
The purpose of the Center for Education is to conduct objective research and to make practical policy recommendations to improve Washington State’s ability to carry out its paramount duty to educate every child within its borders. |
-
What's New
-
About the Center
-
Education Reform Resources
-
Events
Education Publications | Education Blog
Liv Finne talks about the book Outrageous Learning with Mike Siegel on Sound Business (KKOL),
Outrageous Learning Book Release Reception
Featuring the Author Scott Oki
Tuesday, June 16th
The Four Seasons Seattle
The troubles of the nation’s schools have caught the attention of
software innovator and philanthropist Scott Oki. In his thought-provoking
new book, published by Washington Policy Center,
Oki describes the ills facing public schools and coolly applies the
same frank, no-nonsense analysis which made him one of the most
successful executives at Microsoft and a recognized leader in
the technology world.
Scott spoke at the Four Seasons Seattle Hotel before a crowd of over 300 friends, supporters, community leaders, and prominent politicians to discuss his ideas for improving public education by applying some simple common sense. Oki observed that in Washington State, only 48% of all public school employees are elementary or secondary classroom teachers. Public schools are also providing transportation, food service, security, health care and janitorial services. Other countries, by contrast, are focusing resources much more efficiently on their central mission: to educate their students. Oki’s top three priorities would be to:
The question and answer session after Scott’s presentation featured a retired school teacher from Everett asking how she could help to implement these changes. Scott indicated that he is undertaking a fundraising effort to send Outrageous Learning to every educator in Washington State, and also referred her to the new Discussion Forum on the book’s website, accessible at www.outrageouslearning.org. He hopes that a "million moms" might be motivated to demand the 
policy changes offered by his book. Scott Oki and the Washington Policy Center are committed to promoting and advancing the policy changes presented in Outrageous Learning: An Education Manifesto. The successful launching of Outrageous Learning represents just the beginning of this work to improve Washington’s public school system.
Watch Liv Finne, Center for Education Director, introduce Scott Oki
Watch the video of Scott Oki introducing Outrageous Learning
Watch Scott Oki answer questions from the audience
Liv Finne talks about education reform with Mike Siegel on Sound Business (KKOL),
How to End the Math and Science Teacher Shortage
Washington public schools face long-term, persistent shortages of qualified math and science teachers. In 2001, the legislature realized the state’s rigid certification requirements limit the supply of qualified teachers. That year lawmakers passed a bill to create an Alternate Route program to make it easier for mid-career math and science professionals to enter the teaching profession. As implemented by the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB), however, the Alternate
Route program is a failure. Since 2002, the program has produced only 286 new math and science teachers, far short of the number needed.
Read the full Legislative Memo
Liv Finne discusses education reform on The Dave Ross Show, March 6.
For unionized daycare workers, membership in the union Local would be a mandatory condition of employment, and failure to pay union dues in full and on time would be cause for dismissal.The legislature is currently considering a proposal to require union membership of directors and workers at daycare centers across the state. The new requirement would apply to small daycare centers that accept even one child from a family receiving subsidized child care.
Read the Policy Brief here (PDF)
Learning Online: An Assessment of Online Public Education Programs
Online public education programs are successful at teaching students who had previously dropped out, and who otherwise likely would not be attending school at all. Online education programs are providing a second chance for these students.Many children have unique learning needs and require a more individualized and responsive educational program than a traditional public school can provide. The data show that online programs are reaching students who otherwise might not have access to a good education.
Read the Legislative Memo here (PDF)
Area School Leaders Gather at WPC Luncheon to Learn How Principals with Budget Control Have Improved Student Achievement
On January 22, 150 people gathered in downtown Seattle for the official WPC Center for Education kick-off luncheon. Scott Oki, philanthropist and a former senior vice president at Microsoft, introduced keynote speaker Prof. Bill Ouchi (Scott and Prof. Ouchi are pictured at right). Ouchi is a professor at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, a nationally renowned expert in organizational design, a best-selling author, and a pioneer in the study of school management. He discussed his groundbreaking research on how putting principals in charge of schools has dramatically raised student achievement in cities like San Francisco, New York, Houston, Chicago, and others.
The evening before the event, Prof. Ouchi met with several legislative leaders, staff, and the governor's education policy advisor at a private dinner in Olympia to talk about positive solutions to Washington's education challenges. Attendees held a frank and constructive discussion, and legislative leaders expressed considerable interest in Prof. Ouchi's ideas.
The morning before the lunch event, Prof. Ouchi sat down with Ross Reynolds, host of KUOW's The Conversation show. You can listen to part 1 of the interview here (Prof. Ouchi starts at 34:09 and runs for about 7 minutes). Part 2 aired the next day and can be heard online here.
To learn more about how putting principals in charge of schools improves student learning, read WPC's new education reform plan Eight Practical Ways to Reverse the Decline of Public Schools.
Video from the event:
Scott Oki introduces Prof. Ouchi
Professor Bill Ouchi, part 1
Professor Bill Ouchi, part 2
Professor Bill Ouchi, part 3
Professor Bill Ouchi, part 4
Professor Bill Ouchi, part 5
Professor Bill Ouchi, part 6
Question & Answer Session
Transcript of Professor Ouchi's talk
The Washington Policy Center Education Reform Plan
Eight practical ways to reverse the decline of public schools
December 2008
Public education is in decline. Nearly one-third of Washington public school students fail to graduate, and another third graduate without the knowledge and skills necessary for college or the workplace. Over half (52%) of public school students entering community or technical colleges must take remedial courses in math, English or reading to catch up. Eighty-four percent of employers say public schools are not doing a good job of preparing students to succeed in the workplace.Today, Washington ranks 37th in the nation in graduation rates. Student failure rates are so high the legislature and the governor have cancelled the math portion of the Washington ssessment of Student Learning test (WASL) for the next five years.Thirty-seven percent of freshmen attending a four-year university or two-year community college must take high school-level remedial math or reading courses, substantially decreasing the numbers of students able to overcome this handicap and complete the requirement for earning a college degree. Fewer young adults are making it through college than in the past. Educational attainment by older working adults (ages 45-64) now exceeds that of younger adults (ages 25-34). Public educators’ failure to provide children with a level of learning that is as good or better than their parents is the worrisome finding of two recent government research reports:
“Our older population is better educated than our younger population, a trend that is clearly moving in the wrong direction.”
“Washington’s baby boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) are the most highly educated generation in our history. Younger adults in our state have, on average, less education than boomers.” [Emphasis in original.]
For the first time in history, public school officials are producing a generation of students who have less formal education than their parents.
Read or download Washington Policy Center's Education Reform Plan (pdf)
You can also read or download the shorter Policy Note version here (pdf)
More quotes from our leaders on the need for change in the Washington education system:
“My wife, Melinda, and I have heard the tragic stories time and again. In Washington and other states, we learn about talented high-school students who don’t fulfill their promise—not because they fail at school, but because our schools fail them. They study hard, do well and get into college. But in college, instead of the good grades they’re used to, they get D’s and F’s. They take remedial classes, but still they can’t keep up—so they quit.”
“We lead the country in science and engineering jobs, but we are one of the states at the bottom in the production of scientists and engineers,” he said, warning that “the sons and daughters of Washington will be washing the cars for the people who come here for the best jobs.”
The Center for Education
The purpose of the Center for Education is to conduct objective research and to make practical policy recommendations to improve Washington State’s ability to carry out its paramount duty to educate every child within its borders.
Director Liv Finne
Liv served as an adjunct scholar for WPC over the last few years, authoring publications including “An Overview of Public School Funding in Washington” and “Early Learning Proposals in Washington State.” She holds a law degree from Boston University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College. She retired from civil litigation practice to raise two children and work as business partner for a small business she owns with her husband. Liv is passionate about improving Washington’s education system and WPC is thrilled to have her on board full-time.
Contact Information
For questions or for more information from the Center for the Education please e-mail lfinne@washingtonpolicy.org.
Education Reform Resources
The Hamilton Project
that state licensure and certification requirements have little to do with whether or not a teacher is effective, professors from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education suggest five policies designed to increase the effectiveness of teachers:
1) reducing entry requirements so uncertified individuals with bachelor’s degrees and content knowledge can teach
2) make it harder to tenure the least effective teachers
3) give bonuses to highly effective teachers willing to teach in disadvantaged schools
4) establish systems to measure teachers’ job performance
5) track student performance and teacher effectiveness over time.
Read more here
New York Times review of The Race between Education and Technology by Lawrence Katz and Claudia Goldin, two Harvard economists
Education Links:
Join Us for WPC's Center for Education Lunch, January 2010
Recent Education Events
Outrageous Learning Book Release Reception
Featuring the Author Scott Oki
Tuesday, June 16th
The Four Seasons Seattle
The troubles of the nation’s schools have caught the attention of
software innovator and philanthropist Scott Oki. In his thought-provoking
new book, published by Washington Policy Center,
Oki describes the ills facing public schools and coolly applies the
same frank, no-nonsense analysis which made him one of the most
successful executives at Microsoft and a recognized leader in
the technology world.
Scott spoke at the Four Seasons Seattle Hotel before a crowd of over 300 friends, supporters, community leaders, and prominent politicians to discuss his ideas for improving public education by applying some simple common sense. Oki observed that in Washington State, only 48% of all public school employees are elementary or secondary classroom teachers. Public schools are also providing transportation, food service, security, health care and janitorial services. Other countries, by contrast, are focusing resources much more efficiently on their central mission: to educate their students. Oki’s top three priorities would be to:
The question and answer session after Scott’s presentation featured a retired school teacher from Everett asking how she could help to implement these changes. Scott indicated that he is undertaking a fundraising effort to send Outrageous Learning to every educator in Washington State, and also referred her to the new Discussion Forum on the book’s website, accessible at www.outrageouslearning.org. He hopes that a "million moms" might be motivated to demand the policy changes offered by his book. Scott Oki and the Washington Policy Center are committed to promoting and advancing the policy changes presented in Outrageous Learning: An Education Manifesto. The successful launching of Outrageous Learning represents just the beginning of this work to improve Washington’s public school system.
Watch Liv Finne, Center for Education Director, introduce Scott Oki
Watch the video of Scott Oki introducing Outrageous Learning
Watch Scott Oki answer questions from the audience
Reversing the Decline of Public Schools:
How Putting The Principals in Charge Helps Students Learn
On Thursday, January 22, 2009, WPC's Center for Education held its formal kick-off event in Seattle. The event 
featured Professor Bill Ouchi (pronounced "OH-chi") of the Anderson School of Management UCLA, an expert in organizational design and a pioneer in the empirical study of K-12 public school management. His book, Making Schools Work (Simon and Schuster), which examined the management of six large urban school districts, found that those districts which allowed principals to control their budgets were able to significantly raise student achievement. He is currently at work on his next book, The Secret of Total Student Load, to be published by Simon and Schuster in the fall of 2009.
This cutting-edge research reports on data collected from 446 schools in 8 decentralized school districts (Boston, Chicago, Houston, New York City, Oakland, St. Paul, San Francisco, Seattle) to show that principals able to control their budgets will reduce the Total Student Load on teachers. Of all the factors examined by this research, including class size and a dozen other factors, only reducing Total Student Load on teachers had a noticeable, large effect on student performance in every district.
See "Beware the Easy School Fix" by Jay Mathews, Washington Post, 
September 26, 2008.
Professor Ouchi's talk described the background and the implications of his research, and his experiences as consultant to Chancellor Joel Klein of the New York City Department of Education since 2002, as well as to other public school districts. Professor Ouchi also serves as a former chairman and a current board member of The Alliance, which operates 14 senior high and 2 middle charter schools in Watts and South Central Los Angeles. He served as education advisor to former California Secretary for Education Richard Riordan, and he co-chaired the "Education Summit" of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Video from the event:
Scott Oki introduces Prof. Ouchi
Professor Bill Ouchi, part 1
Professor Bill Ouchi, part 2
Professor Bill Ouchi, part 3
Professor Bill Ouchi, part 4
Professor Bill Ouchi, part 5
Professor Bill Ouchi, part 6
Question & Answer Session
Transcript of Professor Ouchi's talk
