As a parent and former teacher I would like to applaud Bellevue, Issaquah, Northshore, Renton, Spokane and Seattle school boards for endorsing Senate Bill 5444 and House Bill 1410. These bills are products of study from the Basic Education Task Force and if passed will dramatically update the education system in Washington.

Despite the fact that Washington’s constitution states it is the paramount duty of the state to amply fund basic education, no child within the borders is receiving the education they deserve.

These bills lay groundwork for a system where all children can succeed, no matter the school they attend. Including early learning, full day kindergarten and increased graduation requirements within the bills will allow children to succeed and compete in the 21st century.

While it’s natural to have fear with anything new, to continue to throw money into a broken system doesn’t make sense. Without a broad change to the nature of public education and definition of what we demand for our children, we cannot expect real change to take place. We need to recognize that what worked 30 years ago doesn’t work now.

Carol Porkka, Bellevue