Dr. Michael Riley talks with Paul Juul after Friday’s meeting.
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After five years at the helm, Bellevue School Superintendent Dr. Michael Riley stopped by to give a report card on the system
he heads. “We have lots to be excited about, but we’ve got to recognize we’re nearing a crisis in the availability of teachers.”
Dr. Riley said, “It’s a fact, the State of Washington is just not competitive in salaries paid to teachers, when compared to the
rest of the U.S. We believe we must attract and retain the best teachers available to us, provide them with first-rate professional development throughout their careers, and make
teaching intellectually, emotionally, and financially rewarding.” One third of Bellevue teachers are in their first two years of teaching, while 54% are in their
first five years. Under state salary requirements, first year teachers earn $29,000 (bachelor’s degree). With five year’s experience, they earn $30,000 …
and five years with a master’s degree gets them $36,000. As one member was heard to say after the meeting, “That’s criminal!”
Riley said the statewide cap places the top salary at $55,000. “This crisis
means constant turnover and teachers moving to greener opportunities. We’ve got to do something about this issue. One thing that can be done is to allow
districts to pay teachers more money in high cost housing areas.”
On the plus side, the Superintendent was obviously proud of the District’s
pace of change in the academic area. “The Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs provide the highest education standards
available in the United States,” Dr. Riley observed. Both programs offer courses and examinations in English, Social Studies, Science, Mathematics,
World Languages, Art, and Music. The exams are graded by teams of college professors and high school teachers, “so they offer a unique objectivity to the
measurement of student performance and quality of our programs.”
The Bellevue School District boasts that 88% of their students go on to
college. “We believe strongly in providing choice between academic and vocational pursuits,” said Riley. Some 55% of the graduates of the Class of
2000 took one or more AP or IB classes, while enrollment continues to rise sharply in these disciplines. SAT scores for the Class of 2000 are the highest
in at least the past 10 years, while the 22 National Merit Semifinalists and the 33 National Merit Commended Scholars produced a combined total that is the
highest in the District’s history. “Our dropout rate has decreased from 19% in 1996 to 14% in 2000.”
It was evident that Dr. Riley enjoys his challenge, yet is troubled by the
looming crisis in teacher availability. His report shows a rapid increase in academic achievement by students in the District, but clearly teachers are in
line to receive better treatment in the salary arena. Thanks to Bob Holert for his introduction and to Chuck Kimbrough for his diligence in acquiring Dr. Riley as our speaker.
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