OLYMPIA — A North Olympic Peninsula representative is seeking to delay requiring high school students to pass a state biology test to graduate.
The test requirement is set to start in 2015; a bill Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, introduced last week would eliminate that deadline as a cost-cutting measure.
“The main concern is that we are doing high-stakes testing that we don’t have to do at the same time we are cutting K through 12” education, Van De Wege said.
But students shouldn’t get too excited.
The legislation, House Bill 2797, would only delay the test until a second science test, which students would also be required to pass, can be created and funded.
Both would then be implemented at the same time.
According to the bill, the purpose of that is to avoid too much emphasis being placed on one science subject.
Van De Wege represents the 24th District along with Rep. Steve Tharinger, D-Sequim, and Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam.
Clallam, Jefferson
The district includes Clallam and Jefferson counties and a portion of Grays Harbor County.
Last week, Tharinger co-sponsored a bill that would help fund all-day kindergarten by eliminating the sales-tax exemption for non-state residents.
“Kindergarten is an important education piece,” he said.
“Finding the revenue to be able to do that is what the bill is about.”
On Tuesday, Hargrove introduced a resolution in the Senate to honor the Sequim Lavender Festival. The resolution was adopted.
Last week, the House adopted a resolution celebrating Children’s Day.
The Senate passed a bill 45-3 Friday that would allow the state Board of Natural Resources to create a state forest land pool.
The land pool would benefit counties that have fewer than 25,000 people and state forest lands encumbered by the protection of endangered species.
Hargrove voted yes.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
