ENDORSEMENTS: [home]

Keep Bergeson as schools superintendent
The Seattle Times
10.24.08

"Terry Bergeson deserves re-election as state superintendent of public instruction on the basis of a solid performance keeping Washington schools performing above the national average. Our system ranks in the top 10 on the SAT and ACT college-entrance tests. Students passing Advanced Placement tests increased this year by 14.4 percent. The persistent gap between minority- and white-student achievement narrowed, most dramatically in reading.."

Read the full endorsement



Re-elect Bergeson to keep education on the right path in WA
Federal Way Mirror
10.25.08

"In the nonpartisan race for state Superintendent of Public Instruction, The Mirror recommends re-electing Terry Bergeson. After serving 12 years, Bergeson vows this would be her last term if elected. Despite falling short of perfection, Bergeson still has the right idea for education in Washington and deserves.."

Read the full endorsement



Bergeson has earned fourth term in office
The Daily News
10.24.08

"A true education innovator, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson has stood up to criticism that would wither less-gritty academics. Her dogged determination to shake up a complacent public education establishment has put her at odds with the very teachers’ union over which she presided as president from 1985 to 1989.But thanks to her steadfast leadership, the results have begun to materialize. In August, Washington students for the sixth straight year.."

Read the full endorsement



Bergeson best choice to lead state's schools
The Daily News
10.22.08

"Bergeson has been a steadying hand each time anxious parents and educators have wavered. She remains dedicated to accomplishing the goals of this school reform. Her thoughtful stewardship will be needed in years ahead. That’s one important reason voters would do well to give Bergeson the fourth, four-term in office she seeks"

Read the full endorsement



10.19.08

“We also support Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson for another term…” [Read Full Article]


Keep Bergeson as schools chief
The Olympian
Oct. 17, 2008

"Voters should re-elect Terry Bergeson as superintendent of public instruction Nov. 4. While K-12 challenges remain, the state is clearly moving in the right direction in terms of increasing academic standards and holding educators and students accountable to those expectations. While remediation is necessary for some students moving on to college, the business community applauds Bergeson's leadership in creating a well-educated work force."

Read the full endorsement


Bergeson is best choice to continue education reform
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
Oct. 11, 2008

“Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson has spent the last 12 years implementing ambitious — and necessary — reforms to the state’s education system. … It’s been a difficult and challenging journey. Figuring out how to measure success, including how to craft an acceptable test, has taken years. And, in fact, the task is not yet fully complete. For example, math standards and math testing remain in question. But it’s clear that education reforms are working.”

Read the full endorsement

Bergeson seems up to challenges
Yakima Herald-Republic
Oct. 9, 2008

“We recommend staying with Bergeson in her bid for re-election to a fourth term. After nearly 12 years on the job, there are still many challenges ahead in public education and she's earned the right to continue taking them on.”

Read the full endorsement

State executives have earned their return
The News-Tribune (Tacoma)
Oct. 8, 2008

“We’re sticking with Bergeson for her dogged support of higher standards for schools in the face of staunch opposition. She’s made mistakes, but that’s to be expected in any bold endeavor. Bergeson has made concessions where necessary, but has not given up insisting that the state demand more from students. That’s what Washington needs from its schools chief.”

Read the full endorsement

"…. in the primary race for state school superintendent, we see no need to replace incumbent Terry Bergeson, who draws our recommendation over five challengers. Bergeson is catching abundant heat in the campaign, largely from the teachers union, which goes by the misnomer of  Washington Education Association. The union blames Bergeson for the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, forgetting that the controversial accountability test was a creation of the Legislature. Bergeson’s job is to administer the Office of Public Instruction, and she has done so admirably, even with the WASL burdens heaped upon her."

Click here to read the other endorsements issued by the paper



"After 12 years, Bergeson has shown that she has the passion to oversee education reform and a thick enough hide to endure criticism and then make adjustments. The state needn't return to the drawing board." [Read Full Article]



" Washington schools have enjoyed solid, knowledgeable, energetic leadership under state Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson. She is the best choice for voters this year. "



After 12 years in office, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson has collected more than her fair share of critics. Some of the criticism is deserved, but much of it is the result of education reform taking teachers, students and families out of their comfort zone.

On balance, the effort has been worth the pain. Bergeson's dogged work to improve K-12 learning is paying off, evidenced by what was probably the most literate high school graduating class in state history last spring. We endorse her re-election bid.


Public Officials and Community Leaders
Former Mayor of Seattle, Norm Rice
Governor Gary Locke
Senator Slade Gorton
Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles
King County Executive Ron Sims
Commissioner of Public Lands Doug Sutherland
Representative Helen Sommers
Representative Bill Fromhold
Former King County Council Member and State Representative Louise Miller
Senator Debbie Regala
Senator Adam Kline
Senator Karen Keiser
Senator Phil Rockefeller
Senator Darlene Fairley
Representative Ruth Kagi
Representative Patricia Lantz
Representative Dennis Flannigan
Representative Gary Alexander
Former U.S. Attorney Mike Mckay
Former Secretary of State Ralph Munro
James Kelly, President of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
Democratic National Committee Member Sharon Mast
Chiho H. Lai , Executive Vice President of the Young Democrats of Washington State   and Chair of the King County Young Democrats
Bill Hanson, Executive Director of the Fraternal Order of Police
Alec Stephens, Washington State Democrats Affirmative Action Chair
Dee Dickenson, Founder of New Horizons for Learning
Al Sugiyama, Executive Director, Center for Career Alternatives
Former Senate Majority Leader Sid Snyder
Former Representative Lorraine Hine
Former Representative Brian Thomas
Martha Choe, Chief Administrative Officer, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Don Brunell, President, Association of Washington Business
Nate Miles, Director of Government Affairs, Western United States, Elli Lilly and   Company
Anne Levinson, Co-Owner, The Seattle Storm
Howie Meadowcroft
John Warner
Ruth Woo
John Stanton
Patricia MacGowan
Frank Shrontz
Lisa Macfarlane
Jack Schuster

Organizations
NARAL
Planned Parenthood Votes
Emily’s List
Washington State Labor Council
Pierce County Central Labor Council
Thurston-Lewis-Mason Central Labor Council
National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington
Association of Washington Business
Aerospace Machinists Industrial Lodge 751
The Mainstream Republicans of Washington
Washington State Building and Construction Trades, AFL-CIO
Iron Workers District Council of the Pacific Northwest
Washington State Association of the U.A. Plumbing & Pipe Fitting Industry
Washington Association of Realtors
IBEW Local 77
Lummi Indian Business Council
Native American Caucus of the Washington State Democratic Party
Thurston County Democrats
LD 11 Democrats
LD 25 Democrats
LD 43 Democrats
LD 27 Democrats
LD 23 Democrats

Education Leaders
Over 100 leaders from across the state have endorsed Dr. Bergeson for re-election.  The below is a representative sample.
Ruth Chamberlain, ESD 112 Math Coach
Mary Alice Heuschel, Renton School District Superintendent
Ellen Punyon, Dearborn Park Elementary School Principal
Tom Murphy, Federal Way School District Superintendent
Craig Busch, Mead High School Teacher
Pat Hegarty, Shorecrest High School Principal
Andrew Barker, Shoreline District Teacher
Irene Gonzales, Spokane School District Executive Director 
Linda Byrnes, Arlington School District Superintendent
Catherine Leid, Dayton Public Schools Principal
Jeff Estes, Battelle NW Manager of Science Education
Barbara Roder, Olympia Public School Paraeducator
Sharon Mowry, Whitworth University Professor
Anne Berg, St. Paul Cathedral School Principal
Patricia Hart, Bellingham School District School Board President
Scott Whitbeck, Seattle Public Schools Director of Instruction
Elaine Woo, Seattle Public Schools Science Educator
Warren Smith, State Board of Education Member
Christine Querna, Spokane School District Board Member
Carol Olsen, retired Spokane School District Educator
Minh-Anh Hodge, Tacoma Public Schools bilingual program
Martha Rice, Yakima School Board and WSSDA President Elect
Kathryn Sprigg, Highline Public Schools Educator
Gary Cohn, Port Angeles School District Superintendent
Charisse Berner, Mukilteo School District Educator
Jennifer Bethman, Graham-Kapowsin High School Principal
Shonny Bria, Battle Ground School District Superintendent
Linda Cowan, retired Auburn School District Superintendent
Vickie Crane, Lynden School District Teacher
Sam Kim, Battle Ground School District School Director
Tanis Knight, Camas School District Assistant Superintendent
Robert Leslie, Sunnyslope Elementary School Principal
Ola Rambo-King, Isaac Stevens Middle School Assistant Principal
Marianne Hunter, Teacher and Librarian, North Thurston Public Schools

Letters To The Editor

Bergeson has been a visionary leader
As a past educator in the classroom, a high school counselor, school psychologist and educational therapist, I am a steady viewer of the public schools in ... (Read full letter at The Olympian)