Washington's missed opportunity for school readiness
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2009301888_guest05bancroft.html

Washington state missed a critical opportunity to ensure that at-risk children were ready for school when Gov. Chris Gregoire vetoed a legislative plan to help, writes guest columnist John Bancroft. The challenge of 50 percent of young children not prepared for kindergarten still needs solving.

What in the world does "50% of kids are not ready for kindergarten" mean? Where is this study? They didn't pass the WASL? Did you know that 50% of children are below the median too? How many not ready for preschool? How many children are "unready" the moment they are born? These are same people who created "standards" for 2 year olds, and created as WASL test that declared that 70% of students, including the above-average as "below standard". How's this for a concept. You are ready for kindergarten when you are 5. What percentage of 5 year olds are ready for kindergarten? My math says 100%. Who figured out that if you're not 5 by end of August, you'll be ready the next year??? Hey public, these are the people who are running your schools. Wake the heck up. WASL is one silly idea down, fuzzy math, graduation exams, and universal whatever still to go. I dare the Times to allow me or anyone else to do a guest editorial on how the 1993 education reform has ruined public education for my generation of kids. That's why I'm running for Northshore Public Schools school board this fall. www.arthurhu.com/elect.htm

By John Bancroft
Special to The Times

WASHINGTON'S decision-makers missed an exciting opportunity this year to address what is a serious learning gap: only 50 percent of our young children are ready for kindergarten.

All parents want their children to succeed in school, but family income and a child's age often present stumbling blocks that make this difficult to achieve.

Children who turn 5 by Sept. 1 are automatically enrolled in kindergarten. Since Washington's Constitution declares that basic education is our state's paramount duty, we take for granted that any family, rich or poor, can send their child to public school for free. Public education is considered a key ingredient of American democracy.......