Bergeson, Dorn for SPI

In the race for the Superintendent of Public Instruction, two deserve to move beyond the primary: incumbent Terry Bergeson and Randy Dorn, a former lawmaker and union leader.

Both candidates must spend the time between the primary and the general election engaging the public far more than they have. Both are guilty of too many sound bites and political salvos and few compelling ideas on education funding, graduation requirements and the role of standardized testing.

That's for starters. The next state schools chief should be able to articulate the complexities of the persistent challenges of the day — a growing special-education population, dropout rates and racial disparities in academic achievement — and then offer cogent solutions to them.

Both candidates are qualified. Bergeson has served ably as superintendent for 12 years. Before that, she had a long education career that included posts at every level. She is a former president of the state's largest teacher's union, the Washington Education Association.

Dorn's résumé showcases similar strengths. He served in the state House of Representatives from 1987 to 1994. As chair of the House Education Committee, Dorn pioneered the education-reform policies that carry to this day. He has served in the trenches: classroom teacher, principal and the current head of a union representing school secretaries, bus drivers and other non-teachers.

Schools chief is an important job in a state that features the role of education in its constitution. Between now and November, Dorn and Bergeson must make their case.

Start with leadership. Bergeson has led the way as schools aligned to clear academic standards and the controversial WASL test. Along with Gov. Christine Gregoire, Bergeson held the line against lawmakers in Olympia who wanted to lower standards and get rid of the test as a graduation requirement.

Bergeson's efforts earned her the ire of the WEA, a merit badge to be sure. But there is a practical side to working with school unions. Teachers are responsible for carrying education policy into the classroom. Success cannot be had without their support.

Dorn would jettison the WASL in favor of successful models developed in other states. Parse this out and it is worth considering. The WASL isn't diagnostic; Dorn believes teachers and students would benefit from a test that is. WASL is notoriously slow to administer and grade. A faster and technologically efficient exam is an attractive option. Bottom line, the nature and composition may evolve, but students deserve a meaningful test that counts toward graduation.

Dorn argues compellingly for better dropout intervention. Bergeson must explain why the dropout rate has remained stubbornly unchanged during her time in office. Dorn believes his legislative experience will serve him well in Olympia. Bergeson presumably knows her way around the same hallways with the added difference of having faced legislators during economically fat and lean years.

Our public schools are making progress. SAT scores are up and the racial achievement gap is narrowing. A predicted mass failure on the WASL never occurred. But Bergeson has to explain her poor performance developing and handling the math section of the test. A public accounting for the math mishaps is in order.

Ultimately, this race may come down to energy. Bergeson has been unsuitably quiet at times that necessitated a stronger voice. The governor is credited with holding anti-WASL legislation at bay with veto threats and finding money to help struggling students prepare for the test.

Dorn and Bergeson have led unions. They appreciate the breadth of issues raised by their constituencies, from principals to janitors. The next superintendent must be able to balance that necessary understanding with the interests of education's primary constituency: parents and students.