FROM: Rev. Stephen C. Rowan, Ph.D.
DATE: August 26, 2013
SUBJECT: Assessment and Data Collection
Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Seattle teach according to the curriculum standards required by the State of Washington and more. We teach at least what the State requires so as not to lose families from our schools who might rightly wonder if we were doing enough for their children according to the State’s educational experts. However, we are committed to doing more, not only raising the standards of teaching and learning for all subjects but also including the teaching of religion, which grounds the mission of the school. The State’s educational standards will vary with changes in educational philosophies and with changes of administration in Olympia and in the other Washington and will represent, to a great extent, the wisdom of the day. However, if we did not teach more than the State requires, we would be failing in our mission to offer “excellent religious, academic, and co-curricular programs.” We set a higher standard than the State because we are free to do so and because we believe it is right, and the results are clear from annual assessments of student learning and from regularly-scheduled accreditation visits to our schools.
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