Gov. Inslee plans signs 2 education bills in Seattle

SEATTLE (AP) — Gov. Jay Inslee signed two education bills in Seattle Wednesday, both aimed at helping disadvantaged kids get a better education.

He signed a measure that will help improve education for foster youth just after noon at a luncheon at the Seattle Sheraton. Then he visited a Seattle middle school to sign a bill aimed at closing the educational opportunity gap.

House Bill 1451 is aimed at closing the achievement gap between students of different ethnic group.

The measure calls for an end to long-term and open-ended suspensions and expulsions. It also improves bilingual instruction and asks for more cultural competency training for educators.

Washington state has one of the largest achievement or opportunity gaps in the nation.