I hear you! I have grandkids that are home schooled and grandkids that are in public schools in WA.
I’m no friend of the WEA but then I’m no friend of Bergeson either and haven’t been for years.
The WASL is a disaster, IMO. And there are some good teachers in the districts in Clark county that say the same thing.
It would be a blessing if they both were gone and the teachers had an organization to represent them independent of the NEA but that’s up to the majority of them.
The WASL holds students and hence teachers accountable. Therefore if the students are scoring low, which they are, the teachers are made to look bad. Parents (myself included) are asking why we have students that cannot pass the WASL. This makes teachers look bad.
At the same time the WASL and the idea of teaching to the WASL, which is happening big time, is a hindrance to teachers doing their job. So good teachers do not like it because they are being told what to teach and they know it is counterproductive for the students. Furthermore it is taking a huge chunk of the education $$ because it is a political hot potato.
Standardized testing is the enemy of the teachers union, for that reason it should stay. It is a lousy test however. But the WEA so controls the WA State Demo party that Queen Christine has a BIG problem.
When they start calling for a new standardized test what they really want is another 5 years to get it done where they will not be accountable.
FWIIW.
schu