Washington Schools

    Washington students have been improving by at least one percentage point each year in Reading and Math, but holding steady in Writing and Science, according to the last three report state cards (spanning 2002 to 2005). Washington is ranked 30 out of 50 in the “Smartest State” rankings, based on 21 factors chosen from Morgan Quinto’s “Education State Rankings 2005-06”. The rankings are based on student achievement, positive outcomes and personal attention from teachers. Washington has an average class size of 19.3, a little above the national average.

Washington seniors scored higher than the national average in all three sections of the SATs in the 2006 testing season. In 2006 the SAT renamed “Verbal” to “Critical Reading” and added an essay-writing portion to the test. Washington students scored highest in Math and lowest in Writing, keeping with the national trend.

In the 2004-05 school year, Washington spent $7658 per student, or a total of $7.8 billion. In the 2007 fiscal year, Washington will receive $1.9 billion in federal aid to help implement No Child Left Behind requirements and to help improve test scores.

In the 2005 testing, Washington as a state did not meet its Adequate Yearly Progress requirements as laid out by the No Child Left Behind act of 2001. While overall each tested grade (forth, seventh and tenth) made its proficiency and participation goals, certain demographics did not meet their goals and therefore the state did not meet its overall goals.

For more information on how an individual school or district scored, visit Washington’s State Board of Education at http://www.k12.wa.us.