Wash. Governor's Plan for School Reform Shared

Olympia, Wash.

Gov. Chris Gregoire has a long list of education reforms she wants the Legislature to approve to set Washington up to compete for federal Race to the Top dollars, including a plan to put experienced teachers back on probation after several years of poor evaluations.

The governor's K-12 education policy adviser, Judy Hartmann, presented her reform plan on Thursday to a group of lawmakers and community leaders gathered in Olympia to talk about the federal reform initiative that promises to distribute $4.3 billion to states that embrace school reform.

The governor's plan also includes extending the probationary period of teachers from two years to three; approving the new school accountability plan from the State Board of Education; establishing the first state evaluation criteria for principals, who have been evaluated under general administrative guidelines; adding alternative new ways to become a teacher; and creating a plan to pay teachers more for innovation, improving achievement gaps or developing a program that focuses...