Gregoire wants just one state education agency

Gov. Chris Gregoire's proposal to create a single education department covering preschool through college, if approved by the Legislature, would make Washington one of the only states to put all those areas under a single umbrella.

Gregoire announced Wednesday that she wants to create a new Department of Education, headed by a secretary she would appoint, subject to confirmation by the state Senate.

In her view, that one department could succeed where an alphabet soup of agencies has failed to give Washington students the education they deserve — and probably save money, too.