Statewide results show 34 percent of Washington’s public schools are low performing

KENNEWICK — Using an idea proposed by Governor Inslee and supported by members of both political parties, Washington Policy Center has published letter grades for Washington state public schools.  The grades, based on the State Board of Education’s annual “Achievement Index,” reveal disappointing results for schools in the three major districts in the Tri-Cities.

Last year then-candidate Inslee said, “I’m proposing (that) every school will have a letter grade that will be given and disseminated then to the parents in the district so that we hold ourselves accountable.”

“Parents in the Tri-Cities want to know and have a right to know how their child’s school is performing, and this resource gives them easy way to do that,” explained WPC Eastern Washington director Chris Cargill.

According to the annual index, just four of the nearly 60 schools in the Tri-Cities rank “exemplary” — the top ranking given by State Board of Education officials. The index rates schools as exemplary, very good, good, fair or struggling. 

If the Achievement Index used such a scale, “exemplary” would be the equivalent of an “A” while “struggling” would be considered an “F.” Even though the idea of assigning letter grades has wide appeal, state government has yet to adopt the change.

Overall, 47 percent of schools in the Tri-Cities are in the bottom two categories of the index — “fair” or “struggling” — and 31 percent of schools finished in the middle — a rating of “good.” If the Index used a grading scale of A–F, 78 percent of Tri-Cities schools would receive a “C” grade or lower.

The best and worst scoring schools from each Tri-Cities district are:

Kennewick School District:            

Best: Phoenix High School  – Exemplary (A)
Worst: Benton/Franklin Juvenile– Struggling (F)

Richland School District:                

Best: White Bluffs Elementary  – Exemplary (A)
Worst: Rivers Edge High – Struggling (F)

Pasco School District:                      
Best: Ruth Livingston Elementary – Very Good (B)
Worst: New Horizons High – Struggling (F)

The annual Achievement Index is a ranking of 2,189 public schools in Washington based on data compiled by the State Board of Education for the 2011-12 school year.  State education officials conduct the survey to determine whether school administrators are fulfilling their paramount duty under the state constitution to provide a quality education for every child. 

The full Achievement Index is available online here.  Local schools are listed alphabetically, by district, or by score. WPC’s two-page Policy Note explaining the Achievement Index is available here.

Key Findings:

• Only 7 percent of public schools in the Tri-Cities are considered exemplary
• 34 percent of Washington public schools are considered fair or struggling 
• If the Index used a grading scale of A–F, 78 percent of Tri-Cities schools would receive a “C” grade or lower
• Public schools in Washington state receive $10,237 per student, per year in operating funds
• Since 1980 education spending, adjusted for inflation, has more than doubled, while the number of students, due to smaller families, has increased by only one-third

Former Governor Gregoire says “I put a lot more money into K–12.  But then you sit there and say, ‘Why have I not been able to get the result I set out to achieve?’” Policy changes that would improve learning for children are described in Washington Policy Center’s education reform plan, Eight Practical Ways to Improve Public Schools.

“One potential policy change is adjusting the Achievement Index by using an A–F grading scale,” said Cargill. “Such a change would make it easier for parents to understand how their child’s school is performing.  Legislation has already been introduced in the 2013 Washington Legislative Session that would accomplish that goal.”