May Meeting Highlights
Highlights from the May 2019 State Board of Education meeting are below. You can find packet materials through links in the text, or review all meeting and additional materials online. You can also watch videos of the meeting  online.     

SBE voted on the following business items:
  • The Board approved of Private Schools for the 2019-2020 School Year
  • The Board approved of the waivers from credit-based graduation requirements for Selah Academy in Selah School District, RISE Academy in Soap Lake School District, and Tonasket Choice High School in Tonasket School District.
  • The Board approved of the temporary waivers from WAC 180-51-068 for Centralia College, Columbia Basin College, Grays Harbor College and Seattle Colleges District.
  • The Board initiated rule-making for the biennial WAC Review.
  • The Board adopted a resolution to honor 2019 State Teacher of the Year Robert Hand.
Presentations and discussions:
  • Committee and Other Updates: Board members debriefed the NASBE early childhood education as well as social and emotional learning conferences and what other states are doing in those arenas. Members also discussed the student voice committee charter.
  • Executive Director Update: The Board heard from staff regarding business items and other topical updates, including hearing about the private school annual approval process. Additionally, discussions occurred around Board responsibilities going forward due to E2SHB 1599, including the mastery-learning workgroup the Board will coordinate and that the Board will study and make recommendations to the Legislature regarding: 1. barriers to implementation of current pathways school districts are experiencing and 2. what modifications to current pathways or additional pathways to graduation are needed.
  • Student Presentation: Student Board Member Joe Hofman made his final presentation as Western Washington Student Board member at our meeting. He reflected on all he had learned during his time as a Board member: "This position has given me perspective. It's been such a joy making connections with community members and students around the state. We need relationships first. Then, if we use students as a resource, we can make policy from bottom to top (rather than top to bottom). Students are resilient; we will rise to any challenge when given the proper supports. We just need someone who believes in us!"
  • School Improvement and Recognition: The Board engaged with staff, OSPI staff, and EOGOAC staff regarding an update on the new school recognition pilot year as well as heard an OSPI presentation on RAD implementation.
  • High School and College Math Pathways: The Board engaged with SBCTC and OSPI staff, as well as math faculty at Wenatchee Valley College and Cascadia College around Bridge to College math courses, college math remediation practices, and how to better align high school math with college math pathways. 
  • Waivers from Credit-Based Graduation Requirements: The Board engaged with representatives and students from Selah, Soap Lake, and Tonasket who applied for the waiver program, in order to implement the Big Picture Learning model.
  • WAC Review: The Board heard staff recommendations regarding chapters of WAC staff plan to open to complete the biennial WAC review.
  • Legislative Session Briefing: SBE staff briefed the Board on the final status of SBE's 2019 Legislative Platform priorities and other key K-12 policy items.
NEXT BOARD MEETING
July 10-11 at the  Cedarbrook Lodge in Seattle
Next community forum: July 9 in the Seattle area from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

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