As expected, the United States Department of Education has extended the waiver Washington state received from requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act through the 2013-14 school year, said Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn. Though it was approved, the waiver has been deemed as high risk due to the state’s current student growth data.

“This gives us a chance to continue the reforms we’ve started in the past few years,” Dorn said. “Those reforms seem to be effective, but having them in place another year will give us a better sense of how effective.”

The original waiver request, approved in July 2012, centered on the state implementing three key education reforms:

· College and career-ready expectations for all students

· State-developed recognition and accountability system support system

· Teacher/Principal evaluations

The Department of Education termed Washington’s original waiver “conditional” due to concerns about the state’s new accountability index and teacher and principal evaluation.

While the first concern has been addressed, the second remains unaddressed and has led to the state’s “high risk” designation. At issue is the use of students’ scores on state tests from year to year, known as student growth data. Paragraph 2(f) of Senate Bill 5895, passed in 2012, states in part:

“Student growth data … must be based on multiple measures that can include classroom-based, school-based, district-based, and state-based tools.”

Dorn said he wasn’t surprised that the new waiver was deemed high risk.

“When the Legislature was debating 5895, I said that the language didn’t go far enough,” he said. “The Department of Education agrees with me. Now the Legislature has the next session to strengthen the law.

“The waiver also gives us a chance to fully implement the Common Core state standards. It will take some time for teachers to adjust to the new standards and the curricula to teach them.”

To remove the high-risk label, the Department requires three actions:

· Submission of a plan describing how Washington’s teacher and principal evaluation system meets the ESEA flexibility requirements.

· Monthly updates on the state’s progress in carrying out the plan.

· An amended request to the department that incorporates final guidelines for the teacher and principal evaluation systems, submitted by May 1, 2014. The request must include the use of student growth data “as a significant factor in determining teacher and principal performance levels.”