Why Washington State PTA supports revenue

Note: The following letter was sent to all legislators.

TAKE ACTION: Stop Delaying on Basic Education (Armchair advocacy! Just click, send and share)
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Charting the decline: Washington ranks 28th in per pupil spending, but 46th when measured as spending per personal income, meaning working- and middle-class families contribute more as a percentage of their income. In 1991, the range was more equitable. Washington ranked 17th in per pupil spending nationwide and 24th when measured by personal income.

Skills reality check: In the field of STEM: There are 2.1 jobs for every unemployed person. In non-STEM, there are 3.7 unemployed people for every job.

Dear legislators,

Within Washington State PTA, the conversation about “revenue” is not just about raising more money; it’s about a stable and equitable tax structure that supports the state’s needs, and especially our children’s education and the programs they rely on.

The recession has taken its toll on our youth. For the second year in a row, more children live in low-income households. Nearly four out of 10 children live in families that struggle to afford food, health care, housing and child care. Nearly half – 46 percent -- of public school children in Washington are in the Free and Reduced Price Lunch program. Four years ago that percentage was 40 percent. Eight years ago it was 36 percent. In the late 1990s, the figure was 30 percent.

Investing in public education fights poverty and promotes economic growth. And yet since the 1990s we have disinvested in education, when measured by personal income. Today, the legislature is under court order to make steady, real and measurable progress to fully fund K-12 public education by 2018. Now more than ever, revenue needs to be looked at – and not just in the sense of “do we have enough,” but, rather, how do we make sure our tax system is both adequate and equitable, and how do we make sure it reflects a 21st century economy?

The type of tax matters

Washington has an unusual tax structure that focuses on tangibles and not on information and services. It was last updated in the 1930s and is considered the most regressive tax system in the nation. It hits the middle class hard:

 

• We rely twice as much on the sales tax; we’re one of only seven that does not have a personal or corporate tax.
• Washington’s super majority (the 60 percent in the middle to poor range) pay more than the national average, when measured as a percentage of income, while Washington’s wealthiest 5 percent fall well under the national average.
• The state B&O tax is measured on the value of products, gross proceeds of sale, or gross income of the business. There are no deductions for labor, materials, taxes, or other costs of doing business.

The upshot:

• We raise less revenue, per capita, than the national average.
• New and expanding businesses can struggle.
• Our schools are short-changed, and too many our youth are graduating unable to transition into career or college. Remediation rates in 2-year colleges are high (50 percent for math) and good jobs are going to more qualified candidates from out of state and out of country. Most of today’s jobs require ongoing study or training, but as a state, we fund for a high school experience that gets kids through 10th grade learning expectations. For instance, until recently we only required and expected two years of math in high school; we now require three, but colleges recommend kids take math every year so they don’t lose their skills. The state does not fund for four years of math. It does not fund for the recommended 3 years of science, or 2 years of arts. Access to an enriching, rigorous, comprehensive high school experience relies on local wealth and excess levies that need to be renewed every few years.

We need to invest in our children while relieving pressure on working- and middle-class families. And we need to make sure the way we approach revenue doesn’t exacerbate the problem.

Still asking: Make the hard choices

NOTE: The following letter was sent to all state legislators as the 2013 special session got underway. Once again, the regular session ended with no operating budget and no shared vision for phasing in basic education spending, despite a court order. Fully funding 2009's HB 2261 (part of WSPTA's top priority) would satisfy the court. The Senate Majority and Gov. Inslee both held press conferences Monday, May 13. Links are at the end of this letter.

TAKE ACTION: Stop Delaying on Basic Education (Armchair advocacy! Just click, send and share)

"Our school district has a long history of failing levies.  We recently passed out an M&O levy on a second try, by the skin of our teeth. It took parents, teachers, and volunteers countless hours of pounding the pavement, waving signs, making phone calls, and begging the community to give our kids another chance.  Had this levy not passed, our district would have been on the fast track to dissolution.”

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Dear Legislators,

Our children have a problem.

The “stable and dependable” revenue that the state allocates to pay for basic education doesn’t cover the bill. To cover costs, schools and parents have to ask communities to pass an excess levy every few years. Increasingly, they also have to solicit donations to cover costs.

If the levy fails, if the auction is a bust, our children’s education is jeopardized.

The above quote is from a PTA leader in the Battle Ground School District in Vancouver.  Last year, her district spent $8,827 per student, about $900 less than the state average.  The local excess levy is just 15 percent of the budget, but it’s a percentage her district can’t absorb. She continues:

“We were assured by representatives from ESD 112 that it would take a couple of years to actually happen, but we were also assured that ‘The quality of education the kids receive during the time of transition will not be the primary concern.  We will solely be focusing on the financial solvency of the district.’

“I don't know about you, but that statement made me sick to my stomach. Had the worst happened and the levy failed, we would have had more 13,000 kids thrown into limbo, with no guarantee of an education that would serve them in the future. We would have had 21 schools worth of teachers, administrators, and support staff added to the unemployment line in one fail swoop. 

“I cannot comprehend how this situation can go unnoticed and/or ignored."

-  Kimberli Swenson, Pleasant Valley PTA Vice President, Vancouver

In the Washington State PTA we realize this isn’t news to you. We know you are familiar with the constitution and last year’s McCleary ruling. But still, it bears repeating. Because from the outside, this is what families and children hear:

• We can’t pay for education if it means cuts to other programs/rethinking tax breaks.
• We can’t pay for high school, or books or counselors until we reform the system.
• Maybe all kids don’t really need the funding.
• Maybe we can help some kids, and maybe that will be enough.

Helping some kids is not enough.   Failing to pay for education because you can’t resolve approaches to budgeting is not defensible, neither is leaving it to parents and non-profits to cover what is legally the state’s first and foremost responsibility.

Just in time learning: Basic Ed 101

All education funding is not equal; “basic ed” is protected

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Session update:

No deal for kids. Talk shifts to adult needs. Next session starts May 13

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In a legislative session that was “all about McCleary” and living up to promises made four years ago to expand and fund basic education, the state legislature ended its 2013 general session Sunday night without a budget and without agreeing on key K-12 issues – such as how much money to put into the program of basic education.

The divide isn’t just about K-12 money for the next two years, or even overall funding levels. The divide is about how much money moves into the “protected” realm of basic education. And the question for Washington State PTA is just how much of a long-term commitment will the legislature make to a million-plus public school children?

Take Action: Commit to kids; stop delaying on basic education

House plan has edge

Offers kids clarity and commitment; requires significant funds

Yes HB 2051, Implementing basic education expenditures

Yes HB 2038, Investing in the education legacy trust account (end certain taxing preferences)

 

Take Action: Legislators Need to Commit to kids

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Within the Washington State PTA, we are talking revenue.

When we helped pass the basic education funding bill in 2009 (HB 2261), and years earlier when we joined the group that sued the state for underfunding its schools, we knew we were asking for a significant investment in K-12 education. Billions of dollars, not millions.

We knew this because of the constant fund-raising and over-reliance on local excess levies.

In the years since 2009, we watched as budget cuts tore multi-billion dollar size holes in education, healthcare, and other essential community services.  In the past three years, more than $10 billion has been cut from social services. Close to another $3 billion has been cut from K-12 education, resulting in school closures, overcrowding, neglected buildings, and the loss of services. We say it all the time but it bears repeating: The state doesn’t even cover a basic six-period day in middle and high school.

That’s a choice.

The state needs to start paying its K-12 bill, and it needs to be honest with the public about the costs involved and the legal requirements around state funding, as opposed to local excess levies. Because something happens when the state comes up short: Inequity becomes the norm and kids and communities who most need a leg up get left behind.

What the state (doesn’t) fund

Washington State is 36th in the nation in overall obligation of state and local taxes. If Washington’s budget had grown at the same rate as personal income over the past decade, the 2011-13 budget would have been $13 billion higher – more than enough to cover basic education and other children’s needs.

Instead, we’re near the bottom in funding public schools. We have some of the most crowded classrooms in the nation and our state funding structure is only designed to support learning through tenth-grade expectations.

Invest and prepare students for life

• Yes to policy bills that support reading and career and college readiness for all students. E2SSB 5237 and SHB 1692
• Yes to reviewing tax preferences and making adjustments to support K-12 and higher education. HB 2028
• Yes, to a budget that uses a balanced approach, identifies stable revenue, and charts out a linear path to fully funding K-12 education while maintaining programs that keep children healthy, safe and fed and that get our youngest ready for kindergarten.

Message to Olympia:

Invest in early learning (defined as birth through third grade) and give all children a strong foundation. Invest in middle and high school to give them access to courses that will prepare them for career or college. Cover other basic K-12 costs that are going underfunded -- or clearly identify when full funding for them will be phased in.

Click here to take action and send an email to your legislators.

A message to members:

Washington State PTA's legislative priorities align with the House revenue approach to the 2013-15 operations budget as well as to key education policy bills intended to support all learners and raise the bar for all children by giving each the opportunity to complete a 24-credit diploma that aligns with career or college requirements.

Basic education includes reading, a strong foundation in the K-3 years, and access to courses in middle and high school that prepare children to compete in today’s economy and meaningfully participate in our democracy.
 
As this legislative session moves into negotiations and leaders in Olympia make choices that will either create or shut off opportunities for our children, we have prioritized some key end-of-session bills, including ones that identify revenue resources needed for education and programs that keep kids healthy, safe and fed. Please read on for bills, rationale, and context.

Governor sets aside time for PTA Q&A

Gov. Inslee to speak May 3 at our 100th annual convention

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The event runs May 3-5 at the Bellevue Hyatt. Click here to register
Click here for convention guide and agenda
Send your suggested questions for Gov. Inslee to Kathyrn Hobbs, WSPTA Executive Director, at khobbs@wastatepta.org by April 29.

Other great speakers:

• Teacher of the year Jeff Charbonneau and principal of the year Trevor Greene show us small and rural (and high poverty) are no barriers to great STEM opportunities
• Erin Jones, a White House "Champion of Change," talks about equity and achievement in her Federal Way and across the state 

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The Washington State PTA is pleased to announce that Governor Jay Inslee will be a guest speaker at the 100th Annual Washington State PTA Convention. He will be speaking about education from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 3, 2013, at the Grand Ballroom of the Bellevue Hyatt Regency Hotel. There will also be a brief period for questions and answers to give PTA delegates a chance to ask questions from their local units regarding education.

Testimony - Senate operating budget, 2013-15

Bill information: SB 5034
Click here to comment on the budget bill
Click here to comment about tax breaks
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What does the budget mean? Possibly, delay in restoring K-12 or cuts to other essential services
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Highlights of live testimony:

Click here for video clip

 

• Thank you very much for the additional funding put into K-12.

• It leaves a lot on table. We do not see a clear phase-in plan for various elements of 2009’s basic education bill, notably increased instructional time in middle and high school and roll out of full-day kindergarten. We would like to see more of that.

• We do see relief around essential funding. Maintenance, supplies and operating costs and transportation alone won’t close the achievement gap. But by fully funding them you will stop the diversion. Right now we are seeing diversion of funds from instructional support to things like heat. So it does make a difference, and it will help.

• We would like to thank you for the increase in the learning assistance program and designation of funds to improve persistently struggling schools.

• Our position has been and remains that funding matters a great deal, but we also need to make sure what we are doing is smart, that we’re helping the kids, and that we are making the best use of a finite pool of money. We are very aware that the money you are putting into K-12 means it is not available for other services; we want to make sure it is well spent.

Followup written testimony:

To: Senate Ways and Means Committee
Re:  Education spending; SB 5034 (pro, education section) and SB 5895 (concerns)

Dear Chairman Hill and Senators,

To follow up on Washington State PTA’s position on your budget proposal and on funding education:

1. We do not have a position on the budget proposal in its entirety; we are still reviewing.  We support your education budget as far as it goes. Flexible money will make a huge difference during these transitional years until we get to full funding of basic education.

We would prefer more funding overall and we would especially like to see 1080 instructional hours funded in middle and high school so the state can implement the 24-credit career and college ready graduation requirements in the 2014-15 school year. Putting money into early grades helps ensure students progress into middle school at grade level, and we value that highly. But to truly build bridges to jobs and higher education the state needs to meet basic education needs of middle and high school students – primarily by covering a six-period day and freeing up resources so kids can take any necessary study skill or remediation classes. The additional math and science components of the graduation requirements are essential if the state wants to move forward with a strong STEM presence.

That said, we are very appreciative of the money you put into K-12, and I want to repeat that we do not take the investment lightly. We remain committed to continuous improvement and focused attention on meeting the needs of atypical students. We also realize the state needs to carefully transition into full funding, Money that goes into K-12 is money you can’t put into other essential services.

Which brings me to my second point.

2. We do support revenue over cuts to programs that benefit children. Washington State PTA advocates for the well-being and education of children. We do not want one funded at the expense of the other. We are asking the state to tackle education first (it is the elephant in the room and the state is under a court order), but we are not asking for an education-only budget. We do not differentiate over raising revenue to cover education increases and raising revenue to cover other children’s  programs. At the end of the day we want revenue that covers what kids need.

If you are looking at making cuts to children’s programming, please end tax exemptions. Our Fund Education First position extends to funding education before granting tax breaks. And going forward, as the next level of funding needs to be implemented, we ask you to seriously consider fundamental tax changes to ensure our state’s essential services have a stable revenue source.

Many thanks for your work on the budget. You have a particularly complex job and our members appreciate all that you do.
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Note on the Senate approach: Various groups requested certain budget strategies, such as fully fund all-day kindergarten, or put more money into class size reduction. Washington State PTA did not ask the state to take a particular approach, but in all our budget advocacy we emphasize the importance of an integrated pre-K to grade 3 approach: more pre-school; more full-day kindergarten; small K-3 class sizes; and more family engagement. And we have long lobbied the state to pay for a full six periods in middle and high school so that we can roll out the career-and-college-ready graduation requirements.

But ultimately, school budgets are drafted locally. Money allocated for one purpose can be diverted to cover other pressing costs. The Senate approach arguably gives districts the most flexibility. It stops the back filling for maintenance essentials that districts were forced into. This then frees up local funds to be used however the local community chooses. They can lower class size, roll out more full-day K, add instructional time, or offer more professional development.

The downside -- and it is a big one -- is that the rate of investment is too slow to satisfy the McCleary requirements by 2018. The League of Education Voters estimated full funding at the Senate rate wouldn't come until 2028. Fully funding K-12 education without raising revenue means either K-12 will never be funded at the levels committed to in legislation from 2009 and during state testimony in the McCleary case, or that other essential services could be cut substantially.

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Washington State PTA supports revenue for kids. Click here to read why. Click here to send an action alert to your legislators.

-- Ramona Hattendorf, Government Relations Coordinator, WSPTA

Testimony - Academic acceleration and career learning

Tell your legislators what you think:
Comment on 5243, academic acceleration
Comment on 5754, career learning
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To: House Appropriations Committee
Re: PRO, 5243- academic acceleration;  5754 - career learning

Dear Chairman Hunter and committee members,

There are two bills before you today that focus on kids often overlooked in our K-12 system: Students of color or low income who are under-represented in both advanced classes and college completion, and students in danger of dropping out without a defined skill set to help them land a decent-paying job. Both bills address the high school experience.

Washington State PTA supports taking a proactive approach to enrolling more children in advanced classes, and particularly in helping them take advantage of earning college credit while in high school. We also support building bridges between high school and the world of work and getting more kids – particularly those at risk of dropping out – engaged in apprenticeship programs or internships.

In both cases, the investment is in the future of these kids, and the payoff is in their contribution back to society.  (Read: Future revenue.)

As you are weighing fiscal impact, we ask you to please keep in mind that the state underfunds middle and high school, and this affects the type and variety of courses that schools are able to offer. Schools shouldn’t have to decide between helping kids retake biology and offering AP Computer Science. Both are necessary. The success of these bills hinges on basic education funding, and we ask you to fund the 1080 hours of instructional time in grades 7-12.

The time will cover a full six-period day plus a little buffer room for kids who need to retake a class or enroll in study-skills course. If we are serious about creating a meaningful high school experience that prepares kids for career and college, then we need to commit to the necessary basic education funding. Additional comments:

E2SSB 5243 - Establishing policies to support academic acceleration for high school students.

Teens who earn college credit in high school can save substantially in college. Help kids who most need the boost realize the savings.

SSB 5754 - Concerning integrated career learning opportunities and employment training for at-risk youth.

Bridging the career and K-2 worlds helps transition kids into jobs that will give them marketable skills.

Thanks so much for your support for all students – including those in grades 7-12. By grade 7, the state has already invested about $56,000 into a student’s K-12 experience. By grade 11, that’s $88,000. Make the money matter and give them a secondary education that prepares them for life. We’ll get repaid in tax revenue (and maybe even job creation!)

 

Cheat sheet on K-12 finance and budgeting

• Class size is a local decision.
• Governor's choices align with Washington State PTA's Top 5.
• About those tax breaks.
• Covering public employee contracts.

Take Action: "Pay for a full school year"

 

Beyond  class size: Other essential funding

When it comes to basic education, many in the media talk about salaries and class sizes. That's because salaries and benefits make up about 80 percent of school costs, and the number and size of classes drive staffing levels.

But for years, Washington State PTA has been calling attention to other necessary costs. That's because if the state doesn't fund it, local communities need to pass an excess levy, and PTAs tend to run the levy campaigns. And if the local levy doesn't cover it, then neighborhoods need to fund-raise, and PTAs tend to do the fund-raising. And finally (this is a big one that "think groups" and academics usually overlook), when the money doesn't come through, PTAs find volunteers to work for free.

After working inside schools to supplement and improve delivery for 100-plus years PTA knows a few things about funding, and longitudinal studies back us up. The essential components for successful schools are school leadership, parent and community ties, professional capacity of the faculty, school learning climate, and instructional guidance. All of these are essential. Lose one, and success of all the others drops off.

And decades of data show unequivocally that our school system does a decent job -- sometimes an outstanding one -- with typical students. The issue that needs to be addressed is how to meet the needs of the atypical student, especially in a state like Washington where "atypical" students make up the fastest growing subgroups: English language learners; special education students; students in poverty; students of different ethnic and cultural heritage.

Class size matters -- it sets a teacher's caseload. But funding must support and drive those essential components noted above. We need a funding framework that covers nuts and bolts essentials; and we need an accountability framework that helps us identify additional investment needs.

Inslee budget proposal a good opener

It covers recent K-12 cuts, but leaves heavy lifting around McCleary school funding ruling for another day

Governor Inslee's 2013 Operating Budget Proposal is now available on fiscal.wa.gov
Press packet from the governor’s office
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Statement from Novella Fraser, Washington State PTA president, on Gov. Inslee’s budget proposal:

Washington State PTA would like to thank Governor Inslee for advancing the budget conversation. We like some of his ideas around targeted investment and look forward to engaging with the Senate and House appropriation committees about funding levels for K-12 education.

We would like to note, however, that the $1.2 billion – as welcome as it is – essentially covers the cuts to K-12 schools made during the recession. It does not address the significant underfunding that led to the McCleary lawsuit and that dates back a decade or more. Washington State PTA is committed to full implementation of the basic education funding reform adopted in 2009 with passage of ESHB 2261, as well as to supporting our educators in their work to meet the diverse learning needs of Washington youth.

For years, our volunteers have seen an overwhelming need to re-invest in and re-commit to our public schools. These days, our members are fund-raising for science materials, PE equipment, reading and math specialists – even professional development for staff. And the need keeps growing.

A school’s ability to teach its students should not hinge on whether a local excess levy passes, or the amount of fund-raising a community can sustain. For years, our schools have been severely underfunded, from gaps in allocations for transportation, maintenance and supplies, to gaps in operating costs. The state pays for about 3 out of 4 teachers and only partially covers a basic middle and high school day. Textbooks are on an 18-year funding cycle.

The governor’s plan addresses some of those gaps, while also keeping an eye on overall revenue needs. We like his investments in early learning and the additional instructional hours for middle and high school. We also appreciate his support for professional development, mentor programs for new teachers and principals, and for additional funds put into learning assistance. We care deeply about literacy and drop out prevention and appreciate the governor’s focus on those areas.

Washington State PTA advocates for the well-being and education of all children, and we will be watching budget proposals to make sure they address basic food, health and safety needs of children, as well as the significant reinvestment in their schools. We also are committed to making sure ongoing K-12 investments are tied to a stable funding source.

You can learn more about our legislative priorities here.

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About Washington State PTA:  We are the state’s largest child advocacy association, with about 140,000 members and over 900 local PTAs in communities across Washington. We provide leadership training and encourage communities to build non-profits that support children. Our vision? Make every child’s potential his or her reality. We have been supporting youth and empowering families since 1905.

 

Testimony - SB 5330, Student Achievement

Staff handout for E2SSB 5330, Comparison to Current Law & House Bills

To: House Education Committee

Re: E2SSB 5330, Improved Student Achievement and Outcomes

(To comment on this bill, click here)

WSPTA position: Pro. This bill advances a number of our association’s priority issues, including WaKIDS, K-3 class size, parent involvement coordinators, mentors for teachers, and behavior interventions

Dear Chairwoman Santos and committee members,

Washington State PTA is supportive of Engrossed Secondary Substitute Senate Bill 5330; it is an integrated, directive approach that attempts to make best use of limited resources. We appreciate its emphasis on closing the gaps in achievement and we agree with the underlying premise that money alone is not the answer; rather, it is how we direct additional resources to support programs and practices that best help our students, in particular our struggling atypical students. 

Following is feedback on the bill’s separate provisions, in the order your staff presented them in its handout for E2SSB 5330.

Testimony - Reading bill doesn't address dyslexia

To: House Education Committee

Re: E2SSB 5237 - Establishing accountability for student performance in reading.

(To comment on this bill, click here)

WSPTA position: Mixed support, with mixed feelings

Dear Chairwoman Santos and committee members,

Washington State PTA absolutely supports investments in preschool, full-day K, and professional development, particularly if that professional development educates staff on instructional strategies for children with reading disabilities.

Likewise, making sure “the system” gives children necessary reading remediation before they move onto the middle school years is laudable, and we support that.

But fundamentally, passing a reading bill that doesn’t address dyslexia is an odd thing. For many children, if not most, learning to read is neither easy nor natural. But rather than make adjustments, we wait until kids fail before stepping up. This isn’t a Washington thing, it is nationwide. Thirty-six percent of fourth-graders register below basic on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Imagine, struggling and failing for five years. A child’s reading disability is not related to her cognitive ability, but try telling a third-grader who can’t decipher a Biscuit book that she isn’t dumb.

About one in five children are dyslexic or have a related difficulty with reading and language.  Educators, whether they realize it or not, have these children in their classrooms. The heartbreaking reality is that too often, they do not realize it. These children are not being identified and are not being taught appropriately – and how they are taught to read is absolutely critical to these children’s academic success. For these children, phonological awareness and emphasis on phonemics is critical. They struggle to differentiate sounds and this greatly impacts their ability to recognize symbols and learn to read with fluency. And just to set the matter straight, many children who struggle with reading, including dyslexic children, will not qualify for special education. They depend on instruction in the regular classroom.

So while this bill has great components for general education (early learning and professional development) it remains reactionary to the status quo and makes the child fail before we intervene. We could do so much more for these children.

So, our recommendations for a reading bill remain:

State funding ends today (symbolically)

From here on out, funding for K-12 public schools falls to local levies, private fund-raising and federal Title 1 and special education dollars – symbolically, at least

 

Ad in March 18's Olympian

Take Action: Tell the Legislature to pay its bills, so you don't have to pay twice (or three times)

 

Legally the state is supposed to cover basic education. In reality, it covers about 2/3s of the cost. The Washington State PTA, League of Education Voters, Washington Education Association, Washington Association of School Administrators, Washington State School Director Association and the Superintendent of Public Instruction unite to tell the Legislature: Pay up. Following is our press release. A link to a coalition ad is above.

In their words: Kids focus on funding

“We, the future of America, need you to care about paying for our schools and teachers.”

 Students shoot video clips to focus attention on school funding

• Dorothy, Mia and Sonia 
• Bettiann and Emi
• Hannah

Here is what the adult volunteers asked at this year’s Focus Day in Olympia:

• Refocus Olympia on our youth. Pay for basic education and fully implement the K-12 funding plan adopted in 2009 (House Bill 2261)
• Support children in their foundational years (up to grade 3)
• Meet students where they’re at and align resources to their learning needs
• Prepare teens to transition into work, college or training, and pay for a full six periods (for all kids) in middle school and high school
• Stop practices that drive kids to drop out, and adopt proven ones that keep kids in school, learning and thriving
• Attract, prepare, and support educators; hold districts accountable; and partner (truly) with families and the local community
• Make education paramount and raise stable, ample revenue for both schools and programs that keep children healthy and safe

Here’s what the kids had to say:

There are no art classes (unless the PTA pays). .. We need help getting to and paying for college. … Teachers need to be paid more. Classes are overflowing. …

“The question isn’t what impact it would it have on me if I couldn’t go to the necessary classes to graduate and attend college, but what impact that would that have on you, on society.”

Many thanks to students in Everett, Bothell and Kirkland for sharing their thoughts and speaking up for all children.

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Now available: FOCUS DAY PHOTO ALBUM 

Many thanks to the legislators who took time to share their insights and listen to what we had to say.

Small-group discussion/K-12 funding:

• House Appropriations Chairman Rep. Ross Hunter
• Senate Ways and Means Chairman Senator Andy Hill

Small-group discussion/policy (focus on opportunity gaps)

• House Deputy Majority Leader for Education and Opportunity Rep. Marcie Maxwell
• House Education Chairwoman Rep. Sharon Santos
• Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education ranking member, Senator Rosemary McAuliffe

Rotunda speakers:

• State Superintendent Randy Dorn
• House Majority Leader Rep. Pat Sullivan
• Senator Majority Coalition Leader Senator Rodney Tom
• House Majority Caucus Chair Rep. Eric Pettigrew
• Senate Ways and Means Chair Senator Andy Hill
• House Appropriations Chair Rep. Ross Hunter
• House Deputy Majority Leader for Education and Opportunity Rep. Marcie Maxwell
• Gov. Inslee's chief of staff (and former Renton schools superintendent), Dr. Mary Alice Heuschel

Thanks also to the legislators who participated during the day: Rep. Chad Magendanz, Rep. Steve Bergquist, and Senator Bruce Dammeier.

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Action Alerts sent so far this session: 5,346

Please, encourage members to engage with their legislators. Click here for current alerts.

- Ramona Hattendorf, Government Relations Coordinator, Washington State PTA

Time to fund schools

Court strikes down the two-thirds requirement for revenue

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Washington State PTA looks forward to stable and equitable funding for schools

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TAKE ACTION
 

The Washington State Parent Teacher Association opposes placing “super majority” barriers to funding that kids rely on, and the association welcomes the state Supreme Court ruling this week that strikes down the two-thirds majority requirement for state revenue increases. This ruling gives policymakers the flexibility they need to make practical and balanced choices for children.

The association has long opposed budget policies, deficit reduction efforts, and other legislative proposals that negatively impact funding for child-related programs. We support tax policies that are fair and equitable, and that provide stable, adequate revenues for public education and for programs that benefit youth.

Initiative 1053 required a two-thirds majority to raise state revenue. This included closing tax loopholes and created a situation in which by a simple majority vote the legislature could grant a tax exemption and give away revenue. But to get that revenue back – say to fund a higher priority -- they needed a two-thirds majority. This exacerbated an already inequitable and unstable system of funding schools as state costs were increasingly pushed down to local communities to pick up. Taxes passed at the local level are neither stable nor equitable.

Last fall’s Initiative 1185 promised to do the same, and Washington State PTA opposed it for these reasons. The association also opposes SJR 8205, which seeks to embed the two-thirds requirement into the state constitution.

Bills we are tracking - Feb. 27 update

Sick and family leave, foster care, troubled youth, CPR, after-school use of facilities, dropout prevention, compulsory attendance, sex education, math and science, online learning ... and graduation tests

Read on for bill information and links to comment on them. Click here for Action Alert on testing feedback

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BUDGET ADVOCACY:
http://waschoolexcellence.org/

NEWS, the group that sued – and won – over school funding, has updated its website (above). Links of interest:

• What is “McCleary”? 
• What real and steady progress should look like (based on state’s testimony in McCleary):

Washington State PTA is a member of NEWS. You should feel free to share these resources with your PTAs and members.
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The Legislature is always busy when in session, but activity has picked up significantly. Last week, bills needed to move out of policy committees. This week bills need to move out of the money committees. This means bills are starting to come up for floor votes and your legislators need to hear feedback on the bills with traction.

“It’s Basic” four years later …

Passing “HB 2261” was about a vision for kids. Will it survive?

Bills this session could either advance or undermine PTA’s goal of redefining basic education to give every child a strong foundation. Early bills looked at walking away from full-day kindergarten and extra science and arts; and pulling 24 credits out of the definition of basic education. Other bills took on discipline issues; opportunity gaps around communication and cultural competence; and dropout prevention, intervention and re-engagement. And rumor is a mystery "big bill" is in play in the Senate. But there has been no hearing. We’ll know this weekend what’s still in play.

So what was the grand push for, back in 2009, when education advocates swept into Olympia and rallied to pass the funding reform bill, ESHB 2261?

Smaller K-3 class sizes and full-day kindergarten were certainly part of the equation. But more fundamentally, 2009’s Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2261 was about implementing a K-12 structure and supports to ensure all children have the opportunity to meet rigorous learning standards, and all children graduate having completed a course of study that aligns to their personal goals and prepares them for career or college.

Students need a solid foundation. They need attention and support. They need adequate instructional time. They need a variety of courses to prepare them for life after high school. Students are diverse – culturally, linguistically, economically and developmentally. Our system of schools needs to accommodate all of this.

Our motivating concern in 2009 was that while educational excellence could certainly be found, it was not systemic and it was not financed in a stable and equitable manner. Fundamentally, what the state allocated for did not align with what our educators and schools needed or were trying to do. Some of our children struggled to achieve, and had for decades. In some cases they started behind and stayed behind. In others, they didn’t receive the supports promised and needed.

Other kids did fine, but only with thousands of volunteer hours donated to their schools, and in some cases hundreds of thousands in cash, annually.

We wanted to fix that.

Testimony - Fiscal impact of reading bill

To: Senate Ways and Means Committee

Re:  SSB 5237 - Establishing accountability for student performance in reading 

 

Position: CONCERNS; recommendations; supportive of intent

Attached: Letters of testimony

Dear Chairman Hill and Senators,

Screening and Support for Struggling Readers is one of Washington State PTA’s legislative priorities, and I wanted to thank you for hearing this bill and considering the tremendous financial implications surrounding our failure to reach and teach all of our potential readers.

We do have concerns with the bill as written, especially any sort of forced grade retention. Our understanding of the intent, however, is to assert accountability around intervention. That is, schools need to be held accountable for understanding the learning needs of their students and providing appropriate instruction and interventions.  We strongly support this concept and we assert the state has a fiscal interest in ensuring schools use research- and evidence-based literacy curriculum and interventions.

Every high-schooler deserves enrichment

Please - no to HB 1656; how is “less science and no electives” a win for kids?

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Graduation requirements that Washington State PTA supports:

• Career- and college-ready plan developed by the State Board of Education and embedded in the program of basic education; currently on hold pending funding
• 17 core academic credits
• 7 flexible credits
• Students must attempt 24 credits; complete 22 to graduate
• This brief video explains the plan we support

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TAKE ACTION

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For years, Washington State PTA has been working to improve basic education and get the state to pay for the foundation kids need to pursue paths after high school. We thought we did it when we helped pass House Bill 2261 in 2009. Key to that reform effort was embedding the 24-credit career- and college-ready diploma into the program of basic education.

Fast forward four years and this state still doesn’t pay for a basic six-period day. And not only are the promised 24-credit career- and college-ready graduation requirements on hold, every year legislation is introduced to knock a few classes out of the mix.

This year’s effort takes aim at arts, science, world languages and electives.

House Bill 1656 has good intent in that it wants to promote career and technical education.  But the State Board of Education's requirements ALSO promote career and technical education, plus they build in room for kids to explore. Some teens know exactly what they want; many need time.

Changing state assessments

To: House Education Committee

Re: State assessments and graduation requirements;
(HB 1450 heard 2/8/2013. Others bills are expected)

Dear Chairwoman Santos and committee members,

At this point, Washington State PTA does not have a position on the various proposals about assessments. But I wanted to share our perspective as you sort through bills this session.