Education in Washington is well on its way to post-pandemic recovery, but challenges continue to cloud its future, according to Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal.
In an annual address Wednesday, Reykdal shared new data about student success in 2023, previewed legislative priorities for this year and called on the state to better tackle inflation.
“Schools need resources so that they can provide students with access to challenging learning experiences, support their health and well-being and prepare them for the future,” Reykdal said in the live online broadcast. “I have submitted proposals for consideration by the Legislature that would build on our state’s progress and ensure schools in every community have access to the resources they need.”
According to Reykdal, Washington’s class of 2023 saw a graduation rate of 83.6 percent, an increase of 1.3 percentage points over 2022.
Statewide, enrollment saw a second year of steady increases after a steep post-pandemic decline, but Washington still remains nearly 50,000 students short of 2019 totals.
Vancouver Public Schools saw similar trends, with a slight enrollment increase this school year, while Evergreen Public Schools saw enrollment decrease.
Continued priorities
Among the biggest challenges for school districts in Washington, is the ability to adequately pay and retain paraeducators, Reykdal said.
He pointed to a study from the American Research Institute that found the average paraeducator makes less than $30,000 per year in Washington.
In Clark County schools, hundreds of paraeducator positions remain vacant. District leaders in Vancouver and Evergreen public schools have said in recent months that they don’t receive many applications for the positions. Union leaders have said lackluster wages and benefits make the jobs undesirable and unsustainable.
On Wednesday, Reykdal echoed the importance of a measure in his September budget proposal that could fund as much as a $7-per-hour raise for paraeducators across the state.
He also fielded a question on special education, saying that last year’s passage of House Bill 1436 was a step in the right direction for funding but more work should be done. The bill lifted the cap on the percentage of a school district’s budget that could be allocated to special education and is expected to funnel more than $400 million to special education in the coming years.
“We’re still not there. We have a proposal to lift the cap again,” Reykdal said. “Our Legislature will grapple with whether we should eliminate that cap altogether.”
Criticisms
A major piece of Reykdal’s presentation Wednesday focused on emphasizing that the state is not keeping up with inflation.
Inflation reduces school districts’ buying power, Reykdal said. He also pointed to inflation affecting districts’ ability to fund necessary expansion.
Just 45 percent of bond measures — which require a 60 percent supermajority — have passed in Washington in the last decade. Were those measures just a simple majority, Reykdal said, nearly 85 percent of all bonds would have passed.
The Ridgefield School District, for example, has called on local state legislators to remove the 60 percent supermajority for school bond measures, having failed five consecutive bond attempts in the last five years despite winning a simple majority of votes.
AI in the classroom
Reykdal also expressed support for understanding and developing artificial intelligence in the classroom — comparing it to how schools once embraced new technology such as the calculator or social media. Reykdal’s address was streamed on Facebook, among other places.
Much of that work to embrace the new technology will require investments in professional development opportunities for staff.
“Those who reject (artificial intelligence) will be left behind,” Reykdal said. “Washington will lead the globe in artificial intelligence (in education).”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect Evergreen Public Schools saw an enrollment decrease for 2023-2024.
