So What Is Massachusetts doing that Washington State Isn't?
Massachusetts-is-a-lot-like-us-so-why-are-its-schools-so-much-better? This was a good article in the Times this morning (although the only local quote is a business person and not an educator?) Naturally, I had some comments about it as did other readers. One comment that came up was the comparison of states purely by some demographic measures. One reader said it should have been Colorado which is also, by geography, as big as Washington state with agriculture AND they spend less. (I will also point out that Colorado has had some success with their public education reform but also a hotbed of problems with charter schools, takeovers of districts and big spending on school board races by out-of-state donors.) The article points out that Washington students don’t take the international exams but doesn’t say why. Could that be cost? I'll have to call OSPI and ask. “The education of all children (in Massachusetts) was seen as a matter, not onl...