The News Tribune (Lite) - On teacher pay, new IDs and Rhodes Center

TheNewsTribune.com
Section: Peter Callaghan

On teacher pay, new IDs and Rhodes Center

PETER CALLAGHAN; THE NEWS TRIBUNE
Three topics, none needing all 610 words.

Teacher shortage: A push to increase pay to help resolve the shortage of qualified math and science teachers does not have a supporter in the governor’s mansion. And that’s partly due to the fact that it has little support in the Legislature.

Gov. Chris Gregoire said earlier this month that she’s not going to endorse a state business community proposal for differential pay for teachers who are hardest to come by.

“I’m not gonna do differential pay,” Gregoire said. “I haven’t got all my teachers up to what they need.”

She also said she doubted it would pass this Legislature, anyway.

Instead, Gregoire is pinning her response to the problem on cash bonuses to produce more National Board Certified teachers. She proposed, and the Legislature endorsed, one $5,000 bonus for completing the rigorous assessment and a second bonus to those who teach in struggling schools.

A third $5,000 bonus fell victim to the Washington Education Association’s opposition to any pay differentials based on the subjects a teacher teaches. Gregoire said she’s willing to take another run at that bonus.

There also are fledgling programs to help those with math and science aptitude gain teaching credentials more quickly, and summertime immersion training for math and science teachers. But there are only 1,800 national board certified teachers in the state, out of the 54,000 in classrooms. Relatively few teach math and science.

The main reason for the shortage could be that there’s a stronger market for those skills outside the classroom than inside. A market-driven problem probably needs a market-driven solution. But that is unlikely from this governor or Legislature.

REAL ID: Gregoire did what was expected when she told her Department of Licensing to seek a two-year extension from a May 11 deadline to begin following the federal REAL ID mandate.

That puts off – but doesn’t eliminate – the confrontation between Washington and other states and the U.S. Homeland Security Department over security rules for drivers licenses.

The feds want states to require birth certificates or naturalization documents before issuing licenses. Current drivers would have to produce documents for copying and retention in a computer database.

The Washington Legislature – with Gregoire’s signature – took the unusual position of refusing to take part unless the feds paid the cost and produced greater security for documents and private information of drivers.

But the feds say travelers from states that don’t take part will not be able to use their drivers licenses as valid ID when boarding planes or entering federal buildings. Passports are valid ID for both purposes.

“I will not allow for confusion and chaos at our busy airports,” Gregoire said last week. She said she would continue seeking a resolution with federal officials, the state’s members of Congress and other governors.

Tacoma Rhodes Center: It’s not the best solution, but it’s not bad either.

The best future for the department store-turned law school-turned state office building was as a state office building. The state Department of General Administration bought and renovated the building to bring together state offices that were in leased space throughout downtown.

But eight years later the state recently decided the building is too expensive and needs additional work. The state put the building up for sale, and condo developers started circling.

But thanks to the work of some state lawmakers – especially Tacoma Democratic Rep. Dennis Flannigan –the fire sale was slowed. Last week the Tacoma Housing Authority voted to buy the building and retain it as a government office building.

That keeps workers downtown and keeps the historic building intact.

Peter Callaghan: 253-597-8657

peter.callaghan@thenewstribune.com

blogs.thenewstribune.com/politics