State school superintendent visits at Palouse, Colton

Chris Reykdal, Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction, stopped in Palouse and Colton last Thursday, Oct. 10, for visits with students and administrators.

Garfield/Palouse High School ASB president Lexi Brantner and Principal Mike Jones led Reykdal on a tour of the high school. Joining them were Paul Clark, Colton principal/superintendent; Eric Patton, Steptoe principal; Tim Casey, Colton K-8 principal; Mike Jones, Garfield/Palouse principal, and other student representatives from Gar/Pal and Colton.

After the tour, the group gathered in the library.

Reykdal talked about education standards held at the OSPI level but otherwise it is "Keep It Local."

"Other states are much more homogenous than we are," he said. "Aerospace and software now dominates the west side."

To a question about standards testing from Gar/Pal junior Austin Jones, Reykdal said. "I ran on that we shouldn't tie testing to graduation requirements. You start wiping out electives. What really took a hit was social studies – psychology, economics. We're losing ground to these 'tested subjects.' What we're trying to say to you all is it isn't about the test. We're very pleased with the results but the reality is still test, test, test."

The subject of career and technical education came up.

"You are further ahead in most cases who have long abandoned CTE (career and technical education)," Reykdal said.

To a question about cuts to arts programs, he noted that, "Despite what we hear, arts have held their own, much of it because of community support."

He was asked about the McCleary decision by Brantner.

"Everywhere I go, they all think they got the bad end of the deal," Reykdal said, beginning his answer.

He touched on consolidation and how "usually the culture kills it." He talked about other things.

"Capital facilities is still a broken model in our state," he said. "We need a special small rural capital program."

Brantner asked about student discipline rules regarding suspension, saying her mother is a principal and it seems harder to suspend rule-breakers.

Reykdal answered, saying how two years ago a new rule took effect after data showed that students pulled out of learning were disproportionately correlated with race, sometimes without the families being contacted.

He added that the new rules still allow taking out a kid out of the classroom, but a parent has to be contacted. If a longer suspension is in order, an education plan is required.

"We were racially disproportionate," he said. "If behaviors warrant suspension, it's not that you can't do that, it's what's the plan if you do. There's something bigger in our society causing this. Bigger than our rules."

He noted that about half of U.S. students come from single-parent families.

"Not a judgement against that, but these parents have less time and resources," he said.

He mentioned "family drug addiction" as another.

"I think researchers are starting to come to grips with this," he said.

He talked about kids growing up less proficient in "translating face-to-face contact."

"I'm not the superintendent of parenting, but if I was, I would encourage all parents to think critically about the amount of screen time children are getting at home, especially very young children," he said.

Chris Wolf, Colton's ASB president, asked what is unique about Washington's public education.

"We do more for three and four-year olds than virtually any state in the country," Reykdal said in his answer. "I argue I have no formal power, I have relationship power. I've got a bully pulpit, there's four million voters behind me."

To a question about school safety, he answered.

"Our side has focused on mental health... we'd argue that they only funded about one-third of it. In the next couple years, you'll see a very large push for a new bucket of professionals in our schools. Counselors, psychologists. This is a big one. Budget requests will be about this."

Reykdal noted that in the south, county governments run schools.

"There is one school district for all of Hawaii," he said.

In a further question and answer, the superintendent summed up his view of standardized testing.

"I don't think we're one ounce better in the last 20 years because of standardized testing," said Reykdal. "Less is more right now. Less breadth, more depth. If you can communicate effectively, problem solve, engage in quantitative reasoning and critical thinking, you can transfer those skills to anything. We want to put those in all areas."

Reykdal grew up in Snohomish, the youngest of eight children, going to public schools. He graduated from WSU in 1994 and later got his master's at University of North Carolina.

He mentioned that he graduated from WSU with $14,000 in loans.

"What families are doing now is insane," he said.

He mentioned that today "lots more high school students graduate with associate's degrees."

Colton Superintendent Clark asked about the rate of 1.5 suicides per week among Washington school-age students.

"We've lost one kid to an active shooter in Washington State the past three years and upwards of 250 to suicide," said Reykdal. "I want kids to have mental health supports and to look after their fellow students more than fearing a mass shooter."

After his visit to Palouse, he toured Colton school and spent time in their ag shop. Colton eighth-grader Kate Schultheis also came to Palouse, representing the elementary/middle school.

In August, the Whitman County Principals Association invited Reykdal to come out and speak. He agreed, and the date was set. Five days after confirmation, county principals received notice of an every-five years Educational Service District 101 (ESD) compliance meeting in Spokane the same day.

Reykdal made the stop here as part of a trip to visit other schools in Eastern Washington and to go to a regional meeting for school board directors.

"We're thankful that [Reykdal] came out and saw our schools and some of the good work that's being done in Whitman County," said Clark.