Part 1 of this article can be read at: Washington K–12 Education Needs a Return to Basics A 2026 Policy Proposal for Academic Mastery, Knowledge and Career Readiness THE PROBLEM Washington has adopted successive education reforms while academic performance remains a concern. The central question should be simple: Are students leaving school with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed? A modern K–12 system should not choose between basic academic knowledge and 21st-century competencies. Students need both. THE PROPOSAL Establish a statewide K–12 Return to Basics and Core Competencies Initiative built on one principle: Knowledge → Skills → Competency → … [Read more...]
Why Some Reading Programs Are Abandoning Phonics (And Why That’s Wrong)
When our first child started school nearly 50 years ago he was taught "sight reading". My wife and I grew up learning "phonics". My wife went to the school principal and asked that they stop sight reading and switch back to phonics. She was relentless. Finally, they agreed to consider making the switch. They looked around the school and found, in an obscure closet, covered with dust, a "phonics kit". They decided to go ahead and try it. Fast forward 1 year...the principal came back to my wife and thanked her for pushing them to switch back to phonics. Why did he say thank you? Because reading test scores improved significantly. Today's article comes from Phonics.org. Walk into … [Read more...]
The Nation’s Report Card Shows the Worst Results Since 1992
This mornings article is a blog post from Conservative Ladies of America: The Nation’s Report Card Shows the Worst Results Since 1992 - Conservative Ladies of America Today, September 9, 2025, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called the “Nation’s Report Card”, released its latest results for 12th-grade students in reading and math, and for 8th-grade students in science. The findings are not just disappointing, they are alarming. Scores have dropped across the board, and the achievement gap is widening. This isn’t just a data point, it’s a national emergency that demands immediate action. Math: A Widening Gap in Foundational Skills The average math score … [Read more...]
Don’t Kill the Wonder: A Parent’s Guide to Lifelong Learning
Today's article comes to us from our guest writer Emily Graham Some kids light up at the sight of a book or a science kit. Others need a nudge, a spark, a reason to care. But at the root of it all — before school rules or report cards — every child starts with wonder. They want to know how things work, why people act the way they do, what’s behind the next closed door. Your role isn’t to force the learning; it’s to protect the spark. Here’s how to keep that love of learning alive, even when the world tries to quiet it. Let Curiosity Lead Children don’t need coaxing to be curious. They’re born reaching, poking, asking, and turning things upside down to see what spills out. The … [Read more...]
BGSD April 2025 Levy “NO” Position
In February (2025) the Battle Ground School District ran a 4 year levy (EP&O). It failed by 60 votes to get 50% +1. The school board directors voted to put the exact same levy back in front of the voters in April (they can legally run a levy or bond 2x in a year). This article is intended to share reasons why someone might vote NO on the levy. It is of course up to each voter to look at the Pros and Cons and then make their own decision. Note: Update: According to the Clark County WA Elections Dept. the estimated cost to the Battle Ground School District for the February election was about $180,000. The April special ballot cost...are you ready? Comes in around $240,000. So the cost … [Read more...]
Opinion: Rising budgets, declining outcomes; Ridgefield’s educational paradox
This is Part 2 of a review of the Ridgefield School District published at Clark County Today on January 22nd Area resident Rob Anderson says Ridgefield School District’s ballooning budget has not led to better academic outcomes Rob Anderson for Clark County Today The first article took a closer look at Ridgefield School District’s two levy proposals: Proposition 12, an operational levy, and Proposition 13, labeled as a “Technology and Capital” levy. Proposition 12 requests a 41% increase in operational funding compared to 2022, amounting to $44 million annually. Proposition 13 seeks $21 million, primarily for capital projects, including a previously rejected proposal for a new … [Read more...]
A New Operating System for K–12 Education
This article was published at American Thinker. Kevin Finn is the author. It will take about 5 minutes to read. Teaching is an art as much as it may be a science. I liken it to conducting an orchestra. Just as the conductor leads his orchestra, the teacher guides his class. The conductor ensures that each musician is playing at the right tempo and volume, and the teacher ensures that each student is on task and contributing to the best of his abilities. Different conductors will lead their orchestras to perform the same piece of music in slightly different ways just as different teachers will teach the same subject in slightly different ways. Unlike orchestras, where each … [Read more...]
Olson or Reykdal for State Superintendent of Schools?
Chris Reykdal is running for his 3rd term as State Superintendent of Schools. In his tenure we've seen spending on schools jump dramatically. The McCleary decision resulted in ~52% of he entire state budget going to schools. The latest compiled data from the feds shows: Average per-student funding in Washington state is $18,175, according to 2021-2022 school year budget numbers from fiscal.wa.gov, the state’s revenue and expenditure data website. That compares to the national average of $14,418 per pupil to fund K-12 education, according to Education Data Initiative statistics from last year. We found another site showing more current data: … [Read more...]
Latest Oregon testing data shows schools continue to struggle in math, science and English
This article was published at OPB. Specific information by school district can be found by clicking the link: View the full results, including statewide and individual district or school data, online here. Oregon’s latest summative test data show incremental progress in some areas. But overall, the state is still behind pre-pandemic performance levels, and the percentages of students who are proficient in math, English and science remain staggeringly low. The Oregon Department of Education released its standardized assessment data on Thursday. The results, which reflect student testing this past spring, are a one-time snapshot of the state’s educational system. Students in grades 3-8 … [Read more...]
Washougal School District Feb 2023 Levy’s
Washougal School District has two (2) items on your February 2023 special ballot. The first is a new EP&O Levy and the other is a new CAPITAL LEVY FOR TECHNOLOGY, HEALTH, AND SAFETY. IN this article we'll share links to the elections department, the School district and provide some analysis to try and clear up any gray areas. If you don't want to click the links and do a deep dive we'll share the essentials below. Let's get started. Clark County Elections Dept link: EP&O Levy statement(Proposition 10): … [Read more...]