WASA, SBE announce Emergency Credit Waiver Programn

OLYMPIA – Members of the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) and the Washington State Board of Education (WSBE) met via Zoom conference on April 10 to announce and explain the components of an Emergency Credit Waiver Program that will allow eligible high school seniors to graduate this year.

In a timeline that began on Feb. 29 when Governor Jay Inslee issued a Declaration of Emergency and the subsequent closure of all public and private schools statewide on March 13, education officials have been on a fast track to provide a path for 2020 graduates while the state and nation deals with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are pleased to now have rules and now have an application available for districts to apply for this,” said WSBE Executive Director Randy Spaulding who delivered a broad overview of the program and the application process.

“We have a fair amount of flexibility in determining whether or not a student has met the state’s graduation requirements and how they can earn credit,” said Spaulding. “What we do not have a lot of flexibility for is waiving requirements or waiving credits or reducing credits that are required for graduation.”

Spaulding said the goal of the effort is to try to get students to earn the credit where possible and have the flexibility as a backup when students are not able to earn credit.

“Districts need to make a good-faith effort to address those course requirements, both core and elective,” Spaulding said of the requisite application process.

The state Legislature had to grant authority for the SBE to pass on the authority to school districts and that was done on March 12 with passage of Engrossed House Bill 2965 which the governor signed on March 17.

Brewster and Bridgeport

School superintendents at Brewster and Bridgeport shared their opinions with The Quad concerning now the emergency credit waiver might affect their graduates.

Speaking on behalf of Brewster School Superintendent Eric Driessen, principal Linda Dezellem said that while there are many details yet to qualify, “Seniors that were on track to graduate when we received the stay at home order will be able to complete what is needed to receive a diploma this summer.”

Bridgeport School Superintendent Scott Sattler was succinct in his interpretation of the waiver program.

“We believe the State Board of Education process was clear and we are not needing to apply for any waivers,” Sattler said.