Coverage of Quality Counts 2007

"I commend Education Week for significantly expanding the focus and context of its annual Quality Counts report. This report recognizes that student success and the success of our society in the future rests not just the quality of our K-12 education system but with many partners working together to prepare students for the future, from preschool through college, in and out of the classroom."

-Jack O'Connell, California State Superintendent

"I'm excited about the K-12 academic index and our ranking there. I'm also happy that they're looking at outcomes and at a preschool-to-20 system. In a sense, it's where we're trying to go in Washington. It shows an understanding of the importance of early learning and the 'preparation gap,' how important kids coming to school ready to learn is to the K-12 system, and how college success is linked to what we do in K-12. It's a recognition of the whole system, from a kid's viewpoint, and a much better way to measure. They're starting to look at direction and indicators that we should be watching to improve the outcomes for students at all points in their lives. It fits where Washington Learns is going."

-Terry Bergeson, Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction