Leg. Update: Committees hear bills this week

How far and how much to continue the phase-in of education finance reforms adopted in the 2009 and 2010 legislative sessions was the topic of SB 5475 in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee today. The Governor-request bill would delay the funding phase-in of all-day kindergarten, start highly capable programs in the 2013-14 school year, make changes to MSOC, and other changes ...

Read the full update

Leg. Update: Week in review/The week ahead

The House of Representatives passed a supplemental budget designed to close about half of the projected shortfall in the fiscal year ending this June. HB 1086 passed mainly along party lines, with only one Democrat voting with Republicans against the measure.

Among the many program eliminations and reductions, the spending plan preserves local effort assistance, the highly capable students program, and readiness to learn. However, the “no joy” budget also makes K-4 class size enhancement cuts retroactive to the start of the school year and eliminates the summer vocational skills centers.

Read the full report here.

Legislative meetings of interest: Jan. 31–Feb. 4

We've just posted a list of the coming week's House and Senate Committee meetings that will involve education-related bills and topics. Get the full list here.

House Education Committee chair explains bill hearing process

In a meeting today with House Education Chair Sharon Tomiko Santos, D-Seattle, WSSDA learned how the chair will conduct business over the next few weeks as the committee works to meet a Feb. 17 deadline to act on policy bills. More information will be available in the week in review, but here's the basic gist:

Fiscal notes for school districts proposed

Rep. Bruce Dammeier, R-Puyallup, plans to introduce a bill that would put in place a requirement that bills with a unique impact on school districts have a fiscal note written and submitted along with any state impact. (WSSDA has been raising this issue with legislators this session, and we appreciate Rep. Dammeier bringing this bill forward.)

Leg. Update: Next week offers opportunity for school directors’ testimony

As education committees conclude their work sessions designed to bring members up to speed with the latest education issues and efforts, school directors will have an opportunity to share their views next week at a series of public hearings. House committees meet in the John L. O’Brien building in hearing room A; Senate committees meet in the Cherberg building in hearing room 1.

A full list of next week’s schedule will be posted on the WSSDA website by Friday, January 28 at noon, but here is a quick look ahead... Read the full report here.

Leg. Update: Summary for recently introduced bills

Becca suspended for current fiscal year
A couple of bills introduced this session address making the state’s truancy law voluntary, including HB 1530. This bill would suspend the requirement for school districts to file civil action against children who exceed unexcused absences that trigger such an action between March 1, 2011 through July 1, 2011.

During testimony before the House Ways & Means Committee January 17th, WSSDA pointed out the suspension of funding for Becca with the courts and asked that a similar provision be granted to school districts. Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina, agreed, saying their intention was to provide some relief from Becca requirements to school districts due to the funding cuts in this school year. This bill supports our request.

Full update...

Leg. Update: House passes budget; assessment bills heard in Senate

With the addition of two amendments, the state House passed SHB 1086, the supplemental operating budget bill designed to close a little over half of the state’s nearly $588 million shortfall this fiscal year. Read the full update here.

Leg. Update: Week in review/The week ahead

Week two of the 2011 session included committee action on the supplemental budget, informative presentations in both the House and Senate education committees, and the introduction of bills of interest to school directors. Here’s a quick summary of the action ...

Legislative Meetings of Interest: Jan. 24-28

We've just posted a list of the coming week's House and Senate Committee meetings that will involve education-related bills and topics.  Get the file here.

Leg. Update: Legislators encourage school boards to speak out

House Democrats and Republicans have shared with education advocates their concern that K-12 advocates (i.e., school boards, school administrators, school staff and parents) haven’t been more vocal in their opposition to education cuts in the supplemental budget ... especially the notion of retroactive cuts.  Read today's full report.

Leg. Update: Consolidation issue returns

A bill promoting school district reorganization as a way to “increase efficiency, costs savings and an improved learning environment for students” has been introduced by Rep. Sam Hunt, D-Olympia.  Read the full update here.

Leg. Update: House Democrats' budget proposal

Local effort assistance (LEA) is preserved in the most recent version of the FY11 supplemental budget, HB 1086. The proposal rolled out today by House Ways & Means Committee Chair Ross Hunter also does not include the June apportionment shift to July 2011, although it is still under consideration for the future.  Read our full report.

Hearings scheduled on proposed rules prohibiting discrimination in schools

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has scheduled a series of public hearings—most via videoconference—on proposed rules designed to implement a 2010 state law that prohibits discrimination in Washington public schools "based on race, creed, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, veteran or military status, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability." A hearing will be held in Olympia Jan. 25 and by videoconference Jan. 26 via the state’s nine Educational Service Districts. For more information, including locations and the full text of the proposed rules, see the OSPI website.

Register now for the WSSDA/WASA Legislative Conference

The annual WSSDA/WASA Legislative Conference is just a few weeks away—be sure to sign up by Feb. 18 to save on your registration fee. The conference takes place Feb. 27-28 at the Olympia Red Lion Hotel and at the State Capitol. This is your opportunity to get first-hand information on legislative issues and carry your education concerns directly to your legislators as they meet in Olympia. For information and registration links, visit the WASA website.