Terry Bergeson
Encyclopedia
Teresa "Terry" Bergeson is a former three-term Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
in 1964 with a B.A. in English. In 1969, she earned a master's degree in counseling and guidance from Western Michigan University
. She earned her doctoral degree from the University of Washington
.
Bergeson worked as a counselor at Lincoln High School
in Tacoma, Washington
, and as a teacher and guidance counselor in Massachusetts
and Alaska
. During this period Bergeson served as chair of the National Education Association
's Women's Caucus and implemented their National Women's Leadership Training Project. In 1981 Bergeson was elected vice-president of the Washington Education Association, and in 1985 she was elected president.
In 1989, she was hired as an executive director in the Central Kitsap School District
where she had a supervisory role over 9 of the 21 schools in the district. From 1993 to 1996, Bergeson was the executive director of the Washington State Commission on Student Learning, in which capacity she led the development of statewide standards
for students, as well as the Washington Assessment of Student Learning
.
In 1996, Bergeson launched her first successful bid for the non-partisan office of Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction. She was re-elected in 2000 and 2004. As superintendent Bergeson led further development of statewide standards and standardized test
s, particularly after the Commission on Student Learning was dissolved in 1999.
In 2008, Bergeson was defeated in her run for a fourth term as Superintendent of Public Instruction by challenger Randy Dorn.
Biography
Dr. Bergeson graduated from Emmanuel CollegeEmmanuel College
Emmanuel College may refer to one of several academic institutions:in Australia* Emmanuel College, University of Queensland, part of the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia...
in 1964 with a B.A. in English. In 1969, she earned a master's degree in counseling and guidance from Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
. She earned her doctoral degree from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
.
Bergeson worked as a counselor at Lincoln High School
Lincoln High School (Tacoma)
Lincoln High School is a 94 year old high school located in the south central sector of Tacoma, at the corner of 37th St. and South G adjacent to Lincoln Park . The school was founded in 1913 and built according to an architectural design by Frederick Heath. It has since been named as a historical...
in Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, and as a teacher and guidance counselor in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. During this period Bergeson served as chair of the National Education Association
National Education Association
The National Education Association is the largest professional organization and largest labor union in the United States, representing public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college students preparing to become...
's Women's Caucus and implemented their National Women's Leadership Training Project. In 1981 Bergeson was elected vice-president of the Washington Education Association, and in 1985 she was elected president.
In 1989, she was hired as an executive director in the Central Kitsap School District
Central Kitsap School District
Central Kitsap School District 401 is a public school district in Kitsap County, Washington, USA. It serves unincorporated portions of the county, including the community of Silverdale, and portions of the City of Bremerton....
where she had a supervisory role over 9 of the 21 schools in the district. From 1993 to 1996, Bergeson was the executive director of the Washington State Commission on Student Learning, in which capacity she led the development of statewide standards
Learning standards
Learning standards is a term used to describe standards applied to education content, particularly in the US K-12 education system. Part of the standards-based education reform movement, learning standards are used to create rubrics for assessment in many schools; standardized tests are often used...
for students, as well as the Washington Assessment of Student Learning
Washington Assessment of Student Learning
The Washington Assessment of Student Learning was a standardized educational assessment system given as the primary assessment in the state of Washington from spring 1997 to summer 2009. The WASL was also used as a high school graduation examination beginning in the spring of 2006 and ending in 2009...
.
In 1996, Bergeson launched her first successful bid for the non-partisan office of Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction. She was re-elected in 2000 and 2004. As superintendent Bergeson led further development of statewide standards and standardized test
Standardized test
A standardized test is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions, conditions for administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored in a...
s, particularly after the Commission on Student Learning was dissolved in 1999.
In 2008, Bergeson was defeated in her run for a fourth term as Superintendent of Public Instruction by challenger Randy Dorn.
External links
- Bergeson, T. (n.d.) By the Numbers: Rising Student Achievement in Washington State New Horizons for Learning website.