Thanks to principal Damon Hunter from Saghalie Middle School for taking part of his summer and going to the homes of every student at his school.

That is what I consider a real outreach program, something I have been advocating for two years. The response from the school board was “Thanks, but no thanks.”

I also want to thank The Mirror for letting the community know the price of school lunches have increased by more than 10 percent. I was a little surprised I did not hear it from the district, but nevertheless our community paper should be commended.

Recently, the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) scores were released. And not very good news, unfortunately. The scores for the forth and seventh grades have dropped. There are a number of schools that have failed two years in a row to meet the goals set by the No Child Left Behind Act, and are in danger of “corrective action.”

In response, the district has hired math coaches in the elementary and middle schools. I will assume that these coaches will work with the teachers to help improve the dismal math scores, especially among low-income white, black and English as a second language students.

This is in response to that infamous WASL. You know, that worthless test that we force students to take? That in terms of clarity and being able to understand, we rank 38th in the nation? Now that’s progress.

Hiring math coaches to bring up scores for that flawed test is like being in a hole and having your neighbor come by with a shiny new shovel — so you can dig the hole a little deeper and a little faster.

I wish all districts would tell Olympia enough is enough — this is a flawed test passing as a diagnostic tool and doesn’t help the students, so therefore, we will try something different.

Instead, they just complain, tinker around the edges, waste more taxpayer dollars and have the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction tell half-truths about how wonderful we are doing in educating our children.

I would remind them and their highly-paid spinmeisters that we have delayed for five more years students having to pass the math portion of the WASL in order to graduate. That act by those weak-kneed politicians will never receive a “profiles in courage” award.

That’s the same type of thinking that got us into this Iraq war, and we have done such a great job there!

I have heard privately from teachers and administrators anbout frustrations of teaching to the test at the expense of real teaching. It is a shame, and everyone knows the WASL, as currently constituted, is pretty worthless.

Why not replace this flawed test by looking to other states who do have successful programs — who give us a clear picture of how effective our teaching strategies are.

I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about Federal Way’s courageous attempt to equalize school funding. The Democrats had a surplus, but after giving away raises to state employees, unions, casinos for Native Americans and a host of other giveaways, what about the funding for the kids? Oops, sorry, no money.

We are now running a deficit so that full funding will only happen after Federal Way sees a squadron of pigs flying down Pacific Highway and 320th Street.

And for that reason alone, politicians should hang their heads in shame. Our children deserve better. No excuses.

Walter Backstrom is a Federal Way resident. Contact: wkbackstrom@aol.com.