In brief: Dorn wants to trim state exit exams

OLYMPIA – Washington schools Superintendent Randy Dorn said the state is getting carried away with the exams high school students are required to pass before they graduate.

Students in the class of 2012 were required to pass two exit exams. That goes up to five for the class of 2015: reading, writing, biology, algebra and geometry.

Dorn said Thursday he’ll ask the Legislature next month to reduce that to three: a reading-writing test, biology and algebra.

Exit exams cost about $30 each. Alternative portfolios for failing students to demonstrate ability cost about $400.

Two groups to study views on salmon

PORTLAND – The federal agency in charge of saving salmon has hired two consensus-building groups to ask Northwest leaders what long-term steps should be taken to overcome persistent conflicts over restoring dwindling salmon and steelhead runs.

NOAA Fisheries Service has hired the Oregon Consensus program at Portland State University and the William D. Ruckelshaus Center in Washington state to interview 150 people, the Oregonian reported Thursday. Their initial report is due this summer.

States, Indian tribes, conservation groups, fishermen and farmers have long had different views on how to regulate fishing, dam operations, hatcheries and irrigation withdrawals.