Dorn Will Not Run Again

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn announced this morning that he will not seek reelection.  He said that he will continue to fight on to see schools fully funded because of his "extreme frustration" over the system of funding public education.

But such a system doesn't exist to day, and I see little, if any, progress toward creating one."

He calls out the Governor, the Legislature and even the Supreme Court for not imposing "sanctions meaningful enough to compel the Governor and Legislature to act." 

I told the legislative "listening group" that they should act before the Court forces their hand.  And I believe the Court is probably studying their options carefully.

Speaking of the Supreme Court, it seems all quiet on the Western Front but they will have make some announcement soon.  The charter schools are only funded until the end of the month.  If they don't announce, the state will continue to fund them, pending the Court's ruling.

My guess that the the Court will NOT reconsider their ruling but may encourage the state to fund until the end of the year.  Personally, I think if something is ruled illegal, it's illegal but since the Court made such a late ruling to start with, it's probably for the best.

Comments

Anonymous said…
About Randy Dorn.... He was a huge pusher of CCSS and SBAC. He had WA State Common Core bound before the writing of CCSS was even finished. He assured us speed was needed so that WA State's Dr. (WASL) Joe Wilhoft could become the SBAC executive director. Dr. Joe no longer heads SBAC. (Was that really good for WA?} The legislature provisionally adopted CCSS with 6696 and the provision that Dorn submit a complete report on CCSS impacts or before Jan 1, 2011. Dorn was conveniently 30 days late in clear violation of a provision in the law written expressly for him.

Given the mounting national upset with CCSS and Arne Duncan's bully tactics with RttT money, I think Randy Dorn might have found re-election difficult depending on what opponents had to say.

Would Jesse Hagopian and like minds have supported Dorn? Would all those interested in Opting-Out? CCSS has inspired an impassioned resistance in a great many people.

It will be interesting to hear what those running for Superintendent of Public Instruction have to say on the need for continuing CCSS and SBAC. Look for WA legislative proposals already in process to hit the floor in 2016 attempting to end CCSS and SBAC.... No Dorn would have had a far more difficult campaign than last time.

-- Dan Dempsey
Ann D said…
Um, don't let the door hit you on the way out comes to mind.

Hey, I wonder if Jesse Hagopian might consider going for state supt. Or maybe district supt. I hear we have a job opening coming up for both.
Anonymous said…
Ann D good questions. Replace Nyland and Dorn with whom?

Here is a puzzler for me. All public officials and teachers take an oath to uphold the WA State Constitution and US Constitution. I think that also extends to the laws of both the US and WA State. If an elected official violates their oath of office a recall action may be initiated through a hearing in Superior Court.

So since CCSS is the law of the land in WA State... thanks to Dorn, Gates, WA Legislature and of course Sharon Tamiko Santos, what does one do about CCSS?

If a School Board member acts in such away as to be publicly anti-Common Core could that board member be subject to possible recall?

I assume that a state legislator seeking to legislate Common Core and SBAC out of existence in WA State is OK. What about an anti-Common Core board member at this time? My guess is unless they commit an anti-Common Core act they are probably OK.

Comments please.

-- Dan Dempsey
Anonymous said…
Dorn not running = yawn. Political hack who did almost zip. Is OSPI a better place now than when he arrived? Are our individual schools or WA school districts in a better place? Most importantly, are WA students in a better place? Not seeing the evidence.

DistrictWatcher
Anonymous said…
DistrictWatcher asked:

" Most importantly, are WA students in a better place?"

In math definitely not in the SPS right now.

There was an uptick state wide with the 2008 Washington Math Standards that liberated us from WASL and introduced MSP. But now thanks to Dorn and too many others we have CCSS-M and SBAC. Worse yet for Seattle we have the central office math deciders directing the SPS down an unproven, ridiculous, jumbled, still under construction and publicly undisclosed path, under the guise of CCSS Aligned and closing the opportunity gap. Too bad every resident of Seattle can't join the QAE principal and just quit the district, because efforts at positive change are largely pointless.

-- Dan Dempsey

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