OLYMPIA, Wash. – As the new school year begins, the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction reviewed last year’s student assessment data in a press conference.
State Superintendent Chris Reykdal expressed satisfaction with the results, highlighting the performance of Washington students compared to their peers nationwide. “Amongst our peer states, we continue to perform quite well,” said Reykdal.
He noted that key metrics have either remained steady or improved, marking a positive trend not seen in several years. “Key metrics for us are all either at where they were last year or improving, getting stronger, which is very, very good news this year,” said Reykdal.
These metrics are derived from various standardized tests designed to track long-term trends. However, despite improvements, math remains a challenging subject for some students. “We have a math challenge,” said Reykdal. “Only about one out of every five kids is getting a level four in mathematics. But nearly a third of our kids are getting a level one.”
Reykdal used a baseball analogy to explain these challenges, comparing the situation to the declining batting averages of Major League Baseball players over the past century. “This is their batting average. You will note that it was a lot higher 100 years ago,” said Reykdal, noting that despite advancements in technology and training, today’s hitters face tougher conditions.
Reykdal likened the educational environment to the evolving dynamics in baseball, where specialized pitchers create more challenges for batters. “Pitchers now don’t wear out their arms,” he said. “A specialist comes in in the seventh, and then a fresh pitcher comes in in the eighth and a fresh pitcher comes in in the ninth.”
Drawing a parallel to education, Reykdal explained that students face numerous challenges in their learning environment. “I think it’s an apt comparison to what we experienced in education,” said Reykdal. “Students are living in a world of technology and innovation and transformation. The forces that are against them; whether it’s child nutrition, salts and sugars and fats and the oppression of social media on their mental health and the risk of violence. Students are up against a lot.”
Despite the math challenges, Reykdal emphasized that the United States has established itself as a global leader in reading.
For more information on the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, visit their official website.
