OSPI: What is it and What does it do?

OSPI stands for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, which is the state education agency for Washington. OSPI is responsible for implementing state laws and policies regarding K-12 education, as well as providing support and guidance to schools and districts. OSPI is led by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, who is elected by the voters of Washington every four years. The current Superintendent of Public Instruction is Chris Reykdal, who took office in 2017.

What are the main functions of OSPI?

OSPI has several main functions, such as:

• Setting learning standards and assessments: OSPI develops and adopts the state learning standards, which define what students should know and be able to do at each grade level and subject area. OSPI also administers the state assessments, which measure how well students meet the standards. The state assessments include the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) for English language arts and math, the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS) for science, and the Washington Access to Instruction and Measurement (WA-AIM) for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
• Allocating funds and resources: OSPI distributes state and federal funds to schools and districts based on various formulas and criteria. OSPI also provides grants, awards, and other resources to support various programs and initiatives, such as special education, career and technical education, bilingual education, early learning, school nutrition, student transportation, and more.
• Providing oversight and accountability: OSPI monitors and evaluates the performance and compliance of schools and districts based on various indicators and measures. OSPI also provides technical assistance, training, and intervention to help schools and districts improve their outcomes and address their challenges. OSPI also handles complaints, appeals, and investigations related to education issues.
• Offering professional development and support: OSPI offers professional development opportunities and support services to educators, administrators, parents, students, and community members. OSPI also coordinates with other agencies, organizations, and stakeholders to promote collaboration and innovation in education.

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How can I access information and data from OSPI?

OSPI provides various ways to access information and data about education in Washington. Some of them are:

• Website: OSPI has an official website that contains information about its mission, vision, goals, programs, services, staff, contacts, news, events, publications, reports, policies, rules, laws, regulations, and more.
• Report Card: OSPI has a report card that shares data and information about K-12 schools in Washington. The report card allows users to search for schools or districts by name or location, and view their profiles, demographics, enrollment, performance, graduation rates, discipline rates, teacher quality, financial data, and more.
• Medium: OSPI has a Medium account that publishes articles and stories about education topics in Washington. The Medium account features updates from Superintendent Reykdal, highlights from schools and districts, insights from educators and students, announcements of awards and grants, summaries of legislative actions, tips and resources for families and communities, and more.

Conclusion

OSPI is the state education agency for Washington that oversees K-12 education in the state. OSPI performs various functions such as setting standards and assessments, allocating funds and resources, providing oversight and accountability, offering professional development and support. OSPI also provides various ways to access information and data about education in Washington through its website, report card, Medium account, among others.