Ex-Rep. Dorn joins race for top school job

By Brad Shannon | The Olympian • Published May 01, 2008

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Former state legislator Randy Dorn jumped into the race for state schools chief Thursday, saying Superintendent Terry Bergeson has "gone off track" in pursuing goals of school reforms he helped to write in 1993.

He joins Richard Semler, the Richland schools superintendent and fellow critic of high-stakes graduation tests for K-12 students, in the race against Bergeson, a three-term incumbent.

Former state Superintendent Judith Billings earlier withdrew her candidacy; others who filed to raise campaign funds are Donald Hansler, a retired teacher from Spanaway who ran for governor in 2004, and David Blomstrom, a Seattle Web designer who ran for schools chief in the 2004 primary.

"I really believe the troops have lost faith in their leader," Dorn said. "Now I think it's starting to spill over to the general public."

Dorn of Eatonville, a state House member from 1987-94, said he once supported Bergeson — even abandoning his own bid for schools chief in 1996 to give her a clearer field to win her first term.

Dorn said that besides a career in teaching and school administration, he played a lead role in writing House Bill 1209, which set the state's education changes into motion in 1993.

Dorn served as chairman of the House Education Committee then but now says he thinks the Washington Assessment of Student Learning that grew out of reform need changing.

"Drawing on successful tests developed in other states, in my first year in office I will work with the state school board to replace the WASL with a testing system that is more fair, more understandable, and more concise so testing doesn't dominate curriculum and the school calendar," Dorn said.

"I will then work with the Legislature to design a new graduation requirement that includes testing, but also includes grades, attendance and other factors."

Bergeson

Bergeson could not be reached to comment, but she has worked with lawmakers to make WASL changes.

Bergeson also has defended the test as a graduation requirement, arguing that the state needs to stand by its high school achievement standards.

That view is among reasons the state teachers union has turned against her, and the Washington Education Association PAC recently endorsed Semler.

Semler also wants changes to the WASL.

"Together, we will work to refocus Washington education from testing to a more balanced curriculum that embraces high standards yet respects individual student needs and desires," he said in a news release this week.

Semler also listed former Gov. Booth Gardner and Billings as endorsers.

Dorn said getting funding for schools will be one of his top priorities, and that he alone brings legislative experience to get that done.