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Core 24 – Education for the 21st Century
The State Board of Education will consider changes to the required number and distribution of credits required for high school graduation at their meeting tomorrow and Thursday. It is clear to the legislature, and pretty much to everyone who looks at the issue seriously, that it’s almost impossible to be prepared for college with fewer…
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A New Library in Lakehills
I had the opportunity to say a few remarks at the opening of a new branch of the King County Library System in the Lakehills neighborhood of Bellevue on Saturday. It’s lovely. I’ve opened many new facilities, from skateboard parks to low-income housing and it’s always difficult to come up with something that’s relevant, interesting…
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Budget Thoughts
This email came to me early in the session in 2010 and was incredibly touching. It’s easy to get involved in the details of the budget in a very technical way and forget the human needs we try to address. As a policy geek I’m perhaps more subject to this than other people. Dear Rep. Hunter,…
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Customizing education via the Internet
My friend Richard Brodie commented on my labor day post that he thought education could be delivered a lot lot faster and cheaper over the internet. This sparked a debate about the effectiveness of machines over real teachers, the value of daydreaming, etc. Both points of view are incredibly valid. Here’s what we’re looking at…
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Labor Day – Where do we go from here?
The Seattle Times today is filled with stories about the future of the American worker, and how workers of tomorrow will have to have more education and skills than many of today’s workers. Labor Day 2010: Few jobs for low-skilled workers There is a certain irony this Labor Day at a time of record unemployment,…
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520 Bridge Progress Update
I received an update this week from WSDOT on the progress of the 520 project. The project is a big deal for the entire region – it will significantly improve the congestion situation and will make transit function vastly more effectively. For example, we expect the project to take 45 minutes out of the transit…
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KJ Does a Crossover Dribble on Ed Reform
The League of Education Voters is sponsoring a speaker series on public education. The first event features Kevin Johnson, former NBA star and currently mayor of Sacramento, talking about ed reform. He’s the chair of a task force of big city mayors appointed by Arne Duncan to improve education in the inner city. The event…
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Tracking the Economy…
On Thursday of last week, Governor Gregoire asked all her agencies to prepare for budget cuts of between $300 and $500 million. She is planning to take action on October 1st, immediately following the revenue forecast that will be released in late September. In her address she suggests that she and the legislature work together…
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Wondering about the square signs over 520?
WSDOT sent me an interesting email this morning. “Smarter Highways” is a federal program that the feds are actually paying for. It’s supposed to make the system work more smoothly. I understand the State Patrol will actually enforce the speed limit on the signs, so it’s worth figuring out how they work. ————————- WSDOT will…
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Good News on the Budget
This morning the US Senate approved legislation extending the “enhanced” federal match for Medicaid for another 6 months, starting in January. This is good news for Washington state. The Senate paid for this change with other adjustments in the federal budget, so it doesn’t have an impact on the federal budget deficit, also a good…
