Washington State Ties Assessment
to Driver License
February 14, 2003
Lynn M. Stuter
Early in the 2003 Legislative Session, House Bill
1658 was introduced in the Washington Legislature, tying proficiency on
the Washington Assessment of Student Learning - the WASL - to the driver
license. According to the bill, a student who does not show proficiency
on the WASL will not be able to obtain a driver license.
We of Washington state have to ask, "Is the Washington
Legislature on to something here that the rest of us have missed? Are
they maybe thinking along the lines of replacing the WASL with the driver
exam and driving test or assessment?"
Crazy, you say? Maybe! But then again, maybe not.
According to ESHB1209, laws of 1993, the four goals
of education reform in the State of Washington are:
Goal I: Read with comprehension, write with skill
and communicate effectively and responsibly in a variety of ways and settings.
Goal II: Know and apply the core concepts and principles
of mathematics; social, physical, and life sciences; civics and history;
geography; arts; and, health and fitness.
Goal III: Think analytically, logically, and creatively,
and to integrate experience and knowledge to form reasoned judgments and
solve problems.
Goal IV: Understand the importance of work and how
performance, effort, and decisions directly affect career and education
opportunities.
Now, let's use our critical, creative, logical and
analytical thinking skills.
To take the written portion-the driver exam, doesn't
one have to read with comprehension and write with skill? How else would
one get through the test? Can't read, won't pass the test, no driver license!
In order to take the driving
portion of the test, doesn't one have to be able to communicate effectively
and responsibly in a variety of ways and settings? How else can you talk
to that guy sitting in the passenger seat clutching his clipboard in a
death grip as you fly merrily along, wheels barely touching the ground,
whipping around corners, racing down streets with abandon, using the squeal
tires on pavement (STOP) principle when traffic lights turn yellow, in
general, impressing upon the guy next to you your newfound skills as a
driver?
And when it comes to communicating effectively,
what better way to demonstrate proficiency than when explaining to the
nice traffic cop why you were doing 40 mph in a 20 mph zone and begging
him not to give you that ticket your quick mathematical calculations tell
Speaking of mathematics, how better to demonstrate
mastery of mathematical skills than when following another vehicle and
calculating speed and distance required to keep your vehicle from becoming
hopelessly entangled with the vehicle in front of you in a crisis stop
situation? Or couldn't one demonstrate mastery by calculating at what
speed one could safely negotiate a curve so centrifugal force doesn't
send one flying like a jet catapulting off the deck of an aircraft carrier?
And if the goal is to refrain from running over
pedestrians, other drivers or vehicles; driving across grass that grows
by the inch and dies by the tire; introducing either bumper to telephone
poles and trees; or entering a demolition derby with structures bigger
and more solid than one's vehicle, doesn't one need to understand the
concepts of social, physical and life sciences, art, civics and history,
and geography?
Let's face it, folks, if the purpose is to think
As for the last goal, how better to understand the
importance of work and how performance, effort, and decisions directly
affect career and education opportunities than to take the driving test
and driver exam? If you fail, don't worry, be happy! If you can't drive,
you can't work, and if you can't work, the state will have to take care
of you and provide for you. Pass or fail really makes no difference; either
way this represents the win-win situation you've learned about from the
total quality people.
Maybe what our legislators are up to, introducing
this bill, has potential we didn't realize at first glance.
Just think, if HB1658 passes, we can dispense with
the WASL, all the headache it's causing, and all the money it's costing.
After all, the driving test and driver exam covers everything the human
resource needs to know and be able to do.
Think of the billions of dollars the taxpayers will
save. We can dispense with the Office of the Superintendent of Public
Instruction, everything can be turned over to the department of licensing.
That alone will save millions in salaries and benefits.
We can sell the school buildings and equipment,
which will generate billions in new revenue. Not having to pay support
personnel means that money can go back in the pot. Then, too, we won't
have to buy anymore textbooks, or supplies and materials like glue, paper
clips, workbooks, copy paper ... We can retrain all the teachers to become
driver education instructors, put them in a car with three potential human
resources, and by the time they are 16 years of age, the human resources
will have demonstrated the required proficiency to meet all the goals.
Since education makes up almost half the state budget appropriations,
Washington's budgetary woes will be cured with one stroke of Gary Locke's
pen.
And just think, if the concern is that children
can't read, no big deal! After all, the legislators apparently can't read
either - many signed on to sponsor this bill and haven't a clue what it
says!
© 2003 Lynn M. Stuter - All Rights Reserved
Mother and wife, Stuter has spent the past ten years researching systemstheory with a particular emphasis on education. She home schooled twodaughters, now grown and on their own. She has worked with legislators,both state and federal, on issues pertaining to systems governance and education reform.
She networks nation-wide with other researchers andcitizens concerned with the transformation of our nation. She has
traveled the United States and lived overseas. Web site: http://www.learn-usa.com/
E-Mail: lmstuter@mail.icehouse.net
NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For further information please refer to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
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