A whopping 72% of Washington eighth graders are not proficient in math, according to a new report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Additionally, 66% of Washington fourth graders failed to meet reading proficiency standards in 2022. This troubling data highlights the ongoing challenges in education within the state – but, perhaps to no surprise, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) doesn’t see it that way.

Rather than take stock and reflect on the shocking data, a spokesperson at the OSPI responded by questioning the report’s methodology. According to OSPI, national reports often overlook key differences in states’ data collections and definitions. However, the report uses data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, established by Congress to monitor student achievement across the country. As Stephan Blanford, executive director of Children’s Alliance, noted, any way you cut it, the data provides valuable insights into school performance. And based on that reality, schools across our state are failing students.

It’s increasingly clear that the prolonged school closures in our state have led to a significant decline in student performance. The report noted that math proficiency among Washington eighth graders dropped by 12 percentage points during the pandemic (from 2019 to 2022). Unfortunately, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal will never accept responsibility for the disservice done to public school students due to shutdowns – or the lack of initiatives to help students catch up thereafter.

Given the challenges that plague public schools, it should come as no surprise that more parents are choosing alternative options to education, like charter schools. A 2020 poll found that 77% of public school parents support school choice programs. And, given that reality, it also should come as no surprise that Democrat lawmakers – who depend on the financial support of teachers’ unions – are increasingly hostile to school choice in our state. Read more at the Washington State Standard.

Opioids flowing across our nation’s [effectively] open southern border have far reaching consequences in communities across our state. And perhaps no other case exemplifies that reality than a recent year-long investigation involving the DEA, Seattle Police Department (SPD), and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI). The probe led to the seizure of 84,000 fentanyl pills, over a kilogram of fentanyl powder, 32 kilograms of cocaine, 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, nearly three kilograms of heroin, nine firearms, and $71,000 in cash. And, on the day of the arrest, law enforcement recovered nine guns, 2.5 kilograms of cocaine, and a pound of methamphetamine.

From MyNorthwest.com:

“The four people with ties to Western Washington arrested were Ramon Duarte Garcia, a 37-year-old citizen of Mexico living in Kent; Curtis McDaniel, a 55-year-old U.S. citizen living in Tukwila; Manuel Garcia Hernandez, a 39-year-old citizen of Mexico living in Renton and Humberto Lopez Rodriguez, a 30-year-old citizen of Mexico who used to live in Renton and is now in a federal prison in Southern California.

“The drug conspirators have ties to suppliers in Mexico and Colombia and law enforcement agencies in those countries are assisting with the investigation.”

In 1972, voters enacted the Washington Public Records Act (PRA) through a citizen initiative. This includes various documents like emails, letters, phone logs, and meeting minutes, with certain exemptions for sensitive issues. Ever since then, state lawmakers have attempted – in some way or another – to exempt themselves from the act, even despite a Supreme Court ruling otherwise.

In fact, since 2018, the top Democrats in the Legislature have argued it was exempt from many PRA provisions. And, during that year’s session, Senate Bill 6617 (SB 6617) was quickly passed to codify these exemptions, leading to public outcry that forced Inslee to subsequently veto it. Now, Democrats are claiming a new “legislative privilege” that allows legislators to withhold records, citing the state constitution’s Article II Section 17, which is meant to protect speech in debates, not public records.

As a result, the Washington Coalition for Open Government is suing the State. While a Thurston County judge recently ruled in favor of the State, the decision will be appealed and – likely – will be heard by the Supreme Court. Read more at the Washington Policy Center.

For Bob Ferguson, applying the law is only necessary right before an election…

But, of course, upsetting his far-Left voter base is a step to far for Bob…

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