Elected Experience: Tumwater School Board; Washington State House of Representatives - Vice Chair of the House Education Committee; Higher Education Committee; Finance Committee; Formerly served on the Education Appropriations Committee.
Other Professional Experience: Cla**room teacher (James Madison Teaching Fellowship Finalist); Education Budget and Finance Executive, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.
Education: Baccalaureate Degree in Social Studies and a Washington State Teaching Certificate, Washington State University; Masters Degree in Public Administration with an emphasis on budget, finance, and performance management, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill.
Community Service: Parent volunteer in schools, coach, former planning commissioner, and non-profit fundraiser.
Statement: Every child deserves a high quality education! I'm Chris Reykdal, and I'd like to earn your vote to be our State's next Superintendent of Schools. I've dedicated my 20 year career as an educator and education finance executive to helping students achieve their dreams. The next Superintendent must be an education policy and budget leader to ensure local control, effective results, and accountability of your tax dollars!
We must do three things to ensure opportunity for all kids: 1) Equitably fund our schools! It's time to build bipartisan support for school funding while reducing our dependence on exceedingly high local property taxes. A child's education should never depend on the wealth of their neighborhood; 2) Reduce excessive standardized testing so teachers have time to engage students and support their individual needs; 3) Return high quality career and technical education programs to our schools. To improve graduation rates, students need career pathways they are pa**ionate about!
I will be the first Superintendent in 30 years to actually have kids in public school during my service. I will work hard to ensure that all kids, teachers, support staff, and parents are fully supported in our schools. Thank you for your consideration.