Washington
U.S.
Rank
Score:
62%
Grade:
D
Rank:
#42
The state with the most legally battled law – and which took a 10 year fight to even establish – was finally vindicated in a state supreme court decision in 2018, but schools can only access funds from a lottery-funded entity, compromising sustainability and growth.
Law passed: 2012
Most recently amended: 2016
Number of charter schools: 18
Number of charter students: 3,712
Cap on the number of schools allowed:? Yes, a maximum of 40 charter schools
Virtual charters allowed? No
AUTHORIZERS: Washington Charter School Commission and public school districts, with prior approval from the state, but Spokane Public Schools is currently the state’s only district authorizer, and oversees the two charter schools in Spokane. There is no appeals process for denied applications.
GROWTH: The current cap on the total number of charter schools allowed is 40 and only 8 are permitted each year. Slow but steady growth, with number of students attending up to more than 3,000, from 1,300 two years ago. With five more schools slated to open in Fall 2020, we are hopeful this is a positive trend.
OPERATIONS: Charter schools are exempt from most rules and regulations that apply to traditional district schools. However, authorizers have the ability to write rules and regulations into charter contracts, which can create burdens on schools.
EQUITY: Charter school funding was found unconstitutional (a grave error) so they are funded by the Opportunity Pathways Account in Washington, which is funded by the state lottery. The statute states that funding for charter schools should be equitable to the state funding for other public schools, but it does not mandate equity. The state superintendent allocates funding to charter schools and calculates it by using a statewide average of a variety of funding categories. Authorizers can retain a four percent oversight fee. For facilities, charters have the first right of refusal to lease or purchase any unused or closed facility put on the market by local school districts. Charter schools do not receive per-pupil facilities funding.
Score:
Grade:
F
Rank:
#49
There are no choice programs in this state.
Score:
Grade:
C
Rank:
#23
Generally lacking rigorous teacher preparation programs; for teacher evaluations the state “requires some evidence of student growth to be factored into a teacher’s overall evaluation rating.”
TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT: 70%
General Teacher Preparation 88%
Elementary Teacher Preparation 63%
Secondary Teacher Preparation 70%
Special Education Teacher Preparation 55%
Alternate Routes 75%
STAFFING AND SUPPORT: 70%
Hiring 65%
Retaining Effective Teachers 75%
TEACHER EVALUATION: 79%
Teacher and Principal Evaluation
TEACHER COMPENSATION: 78%
Score:
62%
Grade:
D
Rank:
#42
The state with the most legally battled law – and which took a 10 year fight to even establish – was finally vindicated in a state supreme court decision in 2018, but schools can only access funds from a lottery-funded entity, compromising sustainability and growth.
Law passed: 2012
Most recently amended: 2016
Number of charter schools: 18
Number of charter students: 3,712
Cap on the number of schools allowed:? Yes, a maximum of 40 charter schools
Virtual charters allowed? No
AUTHORIZERS: Washington Charter School Commission and public school districts, with prior approval from the state, but Spokane Public Schools is currently the state’s only district authorizer, and oversees the two charter schools in Spokane. There is no appeals process for denied applications.
GROWTH: The current cap on the total number of charter schools allowed is 40 and only 8 are permitted each year. Slow but steady growth, with number of students attending up to more than 3,000, from 1,300 two years ago. With five more schools slated to open in Fall 2020, we are hopeful this is a positive trend.
OPERATIONS: Charter schools are exempt from most rules and regulations that apply to traditional district schools. However, authorizers have the ability to write rules and regulations into charter contracts, which can create burdens on schools.
EQUITY: Charter school funding was found unconstitutional (a grave error) so they are funded by the Opportunity Pathways Account in Washington, which is funded by the state lottery. The statute states that funding for charter schools should be equitable to the state funding for other public schools, but it does not mandate equity. The state superintendent allocates funding to charter schools and calculates it by using a statewide average of a variety of funding categories. Authorizers can retain a four percent oversight fee. For facilities, charters have the first right of refusal to lease or purchase any unused or closed facility put on the market by local school districts. Charter schools do not receive per-pupil facilities funding.
Score:
Grade:
F
Rank:
#49
There are no choice programs in this state.
Score:
Grade:
C
Rank:
#23
Generally lacking rigorous teacher preparation programs; for teacher evaluations the state “requires some evidence of student growth to be factored into a teacher’s overall evaluation rating.”
TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT: 70%
General Teacher Preparation 88%
Elementary Teacher Preparation 63%
Secondary Teacher Preparation 70%
Special Education Teacher Preparation 55%
Alternate Routes 75%
STAFFING AND SUPPORT: 70%
Hiring 65%
Retaining Effective Teachers 75%
TEACHER EVALUATION: 79%
Teacher and Principal Evaluation
TEACHER COMPENSATION: 78%
Score:
Grade:
D
Rank:
#50
Washington has a few initiatives in place that foster innovation through digital learning in school districts throughout the state. Every district follows their own online learning policy. Washington has 32 multidistrict online learning programs that are open to students statewide, and 112 single district programs.
The K-12 Educational Network is a high speed network connecting K-12 school districts, higher education institutions and libraries across the state. Computer 4 Kids is a program that by law allows public schools in the state to receive donated state-owned refurbished computers and technology.
The Media Literacy Grant Program is available for the 2020-2021 school year and further allows schools to develop curriculum on media literacy and digital citizenship. GIS software licenses are available to all public schools at no cost to help them integrate technology into geography, science, math, and social studies instruction.
Washington has four districts that are members of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, expanding digital learning to approximately 80,000 students across the state. The League of Innovative Schools is a network of school leaders in 114 districts in 34 states that aim to enhance and scale digital learning opportunities for students across the nation.
Bandwidth: “98.1% of students in Washington can access the Internet at speeds of 100 kbps per student, and many students are connected at higher speeds. But there is still work to be done. 20,325 students still need more bandwidth for digital learning.”
Washington currently has no statewide opportunities for personalized learning, but is making an effort to change that. In 2019 a bill created the Mastery-based Learning Work Group to identify “barriers to mastery-based learning and explores ways to increase student access to relevant and robust mastery-based academic pathways aligned to personal career and postsecondary goals.” For more information click here.
March 13, Washington schools were closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and did not reopen for the rest of the school year. Under Governor Inslee’s proclamation, in-person instruction was prohibited. Washington eventually required remote learning for students,although its initial response was poor. Seattle schools did not allow online learning for any students initially, arguing it would not be fair since not every student had access. The state eventually worked those issues out, but did not work to secure access to devices and the internet. Like most states a resource website was created.
August 6, state officials announced recommendations that schools in areas with high rates of new COVID-19 cases reopen with full-time distance learning; schools in areas with moderate rates of virus transmission should consider opening buildings only for elementary students; and districts in areas with low transmission should begin hybrid instruction for middle and high school students.
Fast Facts
4th Grade Math Proficiency:
8th Grade Math Proficiency:
12th Grade Math Proficiency:
4th Grade Reading Proficiency:
8th Grade Reading Proficiency:
12th Grade Reading Proficiency:
Graduation Rate:
Average SAT Score:
Average ACT Score:
Public School Enrollment:
Percent Enrolled in Charter Schools:
Average Student Funding:
Score:
Grade:
D
Rank:
#50
Washington has a few initiatives in place that foster innovation through digital learning in school districts throughout the state. Every district follows their own online learning policy. Washington has 32 multidistrict online learning programs that are open to students statewide, and 112 single district programs.
The K-12 Educational Network is a high speed network connecting K-12 school districts, higher education institutions and libraries across the state. Computer 4 Kids is a program that by law allows public schools in the state to receive donated state-owned refurbished computers and technology.
The Media Literacy Grant Program is available for the 2020-2021 school year and further allows schools to develop curriculum on media literacy and digital citizenship. GIS software licenses are available to all public schools at no cost to help them integrate technology into geography, science, math, and social studies instruction.
Washington has four districts that are members of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, expanding digital learning to approximately 80,000 students across the state. The League of Innovative Schools is a network of school leaders in 114 districts in 34 states that aim to enhance and scale digital learning opportunities for students across the nation.
Bandwidth: “98.1% of students in Washington can access the Internet at speeds of 100 kbps per student, and many students are connected at higher speeds. But there is still work to be done. 20,325 students still need more bandwidth for digital learning.”
Washington currently has no statewide opportunities for personalized learning, but is making an effort to change that. In 2019 a bill created the Mastery-based Learning Work Group to identify “barriers to mastery-based learning and explores ways to increase student access to relevant and robust mastery-based academic pathways aligned to personal career and postsecondary goals.” For more information click here.
March 13, Washington schools were closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and did not reopen for the rest of the school year. Under Governor Inslee’s proclamation, in-person instruction was prohibited. Washington eventually required remote learning for students,although its initial response was poor. Seattle schools did not allow online learning for any students initially, arguing it would not be fair since not every student had access. The state eventually worked those issues out, but did not work to secure access to devices and the internet. Like most states a resource website was created.
August 6, state officials announced recommendations that schools in areas with high rates of new COVID-19 cases reopen with full-time distance learning; schools in areas with moderate rates of virus transmission should consider opening buildings only for elementary students; and districts in areas with low transmission should begin hybrid instruction for middle and high school students.
4th Grade Math Proficiency:
8th Grade Math Proficiency:
12th Grade Math Proficiency:
4th Grade Reading Proficiency:
8th Grade Reading Proficiency:
12th Grade Reading Proficiency:
Graduation Rate:
Average SAT Score:
Average ACT Score:
Public School Enrollment:
Percent Enrolled in Charter Schools:
Average Student Funding:
Jay Inslee (D)
First term began in 2013 (no term limit)
Governor Jay Inslee has publicly opposed private education options for families. When COVID hit he even said that no school should be continuing to teach students if the districts could not prove that every student was able to get online so he squandered weeks of time that kids could have been learning until he righted that wrong. He’s not been very supportive of the Charter School law which is both modest and took years to get.
Both chambers are difficult for education opportunity advocates to maneuver in. Bills to provide more options to parents repeatedly gets stuck and teachers unions are the first call for legislators trying to placate their interests. Advocates should make their voices heard and demand more!
“The Washington Constitution contains Blaine Amendment language in two provisions, and both have been interpreted by the Washington Supreme Court as being more restrictive than their federal Establishment Clause counterpart.” (Institute for Justice)
After years of legal challenges, the Washington Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that charter schools are constitutional though the use of traditional public school funds are prohibited.
Washington school report cards are easily accessible from the main page of the education department website. School report cards are easy to navigate, and provide parents relevant and comprehensive data on student enrollment, student performance, graduation, teacher quality, finance, and diversity reports. Educational options are also readily available on the DOE website under Learning Alternatives, further increasing transparency and parents’ ability to make decisions.
School board elections are during the general election cycle, which gives parents more power in their decision making because of higher voter turnout.
Jay Inslee (D)
First term began in 2013 (no term limit)
Governor Jay Inslee has publicly opposed private education options for families. When COVID hit he even said that no school should be continuing to teach students if the districts could not prove that every student was able to get online so he squandered weeks of time that kids could have been learning until he righted that wrong. He’s not been very supportive of the Charter School law which is both modest and took years to get.
Both chambers are difficult for education opportunity advocates to maneuver in. Bills to provide more options to parents repeatedly gets stuck and teachers unions are the first call for legislators trying to placate their interests. Advocates should make their voices heard and demand more!
“The Washington Constitution contains Blaine Amendment language in two provisions, and both have been interpreted by the Washington Supreme Court as being more restrictive than their federal Establishment Clause counterpart.” (Institute for Justice)
After years of legal challenges, the Washington Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that charter schools are constitutional though the use of traditional public school funds are prohibited.
Washington school report cards are easily accessible from the main page of the education department website. School report cards are easy to navigate, and provide parents relevant and comprehensive data on student enrollment, student performance, graduation, teacher quality, finance, and diversity reports. Educational options are also readily available on the DOE website under Learning Alternatives, further increasing transparency and parents’ ability to make decisions.
School board elections are during the general election cycle, which gives parents more power in their decision making because of higher voter turnout.