E-Wire Evening Edition

Greetings PTA Friends,

The E-Wire was hunkered down this morning in the Pritchard Building drafting a few messages to legislators to release the Breakfast After The Bell Bill which is currently stuck in committee in the Senate.  After which, we joined Director Krainick at the Ways and Means hearing on the Supplemental Budget.  The Senate Democrats have offered their answer to the McCleary question with the bill SB 6574.  It won’t get a hearing, but it jump-starts the debate for 2015.  

As we are in a budget mood, here is more on the Senate Budget here, here, here, and here.  And a little more here and here on those tax breaks baked into the budget. 

The House Education Committee will be holding executive session (voting) on a plethora of bills tomorrow, including SB 6552, the Omnibus Education Reform Bill.  Last we heard, there were a ton of amendments – so this has got us, and everyone else, very curious to see where the House members are going and if the Senate will accept the changes.  Time will be of the essence, as they are trying to exec (vote) out 13 bills. Check out the list below:

1. 2SSB 5958 - Concerning accountability in providing opportunities for certain students to participate in transition services.
2. SB 6013 - Making a technical correction to school law governing the use of epinephrine autoinjectors (EPI pens).
3. SSB 6074 - Enacting provisions to improve educational outcomes for homeless students.
4. SSB 6431 - Concerning assistance for schools in implementing youth suicide prevention activities.
5. SSB 6105 - Concerning school library information and technology programs.
6. SB 6128 - Concerning the delivery of medication and services by unlicensed school employees.
7. SB 6424 - Establishing a state seal of biliteracy for high school students.
8. ESSB 6242 - Concerning waivers from the one hundred eighty-day school year requirement.
9. SB 6093 - Allowing valid portable background check clearance cards issued by the department of early learning to be used by certain educational employees and their contractors for purposes of their background check requirements.
10. 2SSB 6062 - Requiring internet access to public school data and expenditure information.
11. 2SSB 6163 - Concerning expanded learning opportunities.
12. SSB 6129 - Concerning paraeducator development.
13. E2SSB 6552 - Improving student success by modifying instructional hour and graduation requirements.

For a two hour time-frame, that's a lot.  Some may get left on the table...

More to come tomorrow.

Yeah, and you might want to read this – not likely to get your hopes up on McCleary after that read…

Peter Callaghan dives into teacher evaluations.

The Olympian explores the link between civil literacy and STEM while the Columbian looks to expand access.

Parents testifying in Olympia explore access to involuntary mental health care for their children.

Something that is lacking in many health plans – quality dental care.

Hazy budgeting… Dazed and Confused Numbers… “whoa, dude, where’s my tax revenue…”

So, tomorrow morning check your inbox as the E-wire tries to live blog the House Education Exec Session.

Should be fun.

The E-Wire is written by staff and edited by Legislative Director Sherry Krainick.