Leg. Update: School directors and administrators share messages with legislators

Splashes of yellow were a sharp contrast to the snow falling in Olympia today as school directors and administrators from across the state met with their legislators to share how cuts to K-12 education are affecting and will continue to affect their schools and students.

About 300 WSSDA and WASA members braved the wintry conditions to travel to the annual legislative conference which started Sunday, February 27th with committee meetings that were followed by a jam-packed afternoon program for all.

A trio of legislators offered insight into caucus priorities and answered questions for nearly an hour as part of a panel discussion on the 2011 legislative session.

Read the full update.

Leg. Update: Bills languish in fiscal committees, others advance

The Senate Ways & Means finished up work around 4 p.m. today, Friday, leaving many bills in the budget committee, including the substitute proposed for SB 5612 which would have created a work group to make recommendations on health insurance for school district and ESD employees.

Also left on the list was the Governor's education restructuring bill, SSB 5639. WSSDA had learned this morning that the bill was going to be "held" so that a new substitute bill could be drafted and considered. The bill and several of the other restructuring or consolidation bills are being held as "necessary to implement the budget" and will continue to be worked over the next few weeks.

Read the full update.

Bills "die" as Senate W&M finishes work, House W&M still meeting

The Senate Ways & Means finished up work around 4 p.m. today, leaving many bills languishing in committee, including the substitute proposed for SB 5612 which would have created a work group to make recommendations on health insurance for school district and ESD employees.

Also left on the list was the Governor's education restructuring bill, SSB 5639. WSSDA had learned this morning that the bill was going to be "held" so that a new substitute bill could be drafted and considered. The bill and several of the other restructuring or consolidation bills are being held as "necessary to implement the budget" and will continue to be worked.

The committee took action on a handful of bills, including amending 2SSB 5427, which would require school districts receiving state funding for all-day kindergarten to begin using a standard kindergarten readiness assessment. The amendment added the phrase "to the extent funds are available" to the bill.

The House Ways & Means Committee is still working through a list of some 26 bills, although it took action on SHB 1510 earlier today, adding a null and void clause if funding is not provided. This action is similar to the amendment to the kindergarten readiness bill mentioned above.

Another bill that passed out of committee is SHB 1412, which would allow students in the classes of 2013 and 2014 to take only one math test. Voting no were Reps. Bob Hasegawa and Reuven Carlyle.

Leg. Committee Meetings of Interest: Week of Feb. 28–March 4

The action moves to the full House and Senate in the coming week.  Only one committee meeting (House Education) is on the schedule.

Senate Ways & Means to act on bills this afternoon

The Senate Ways & Means Committee will be acting on several education-related bills this afternoon. These bills include:

• SB 5612 - the original bill would have required schools districts and ESDs to purchase health insurance from the state Health Care Authority. The bill is signficantly different from the recommendations offered by the State Auditor's Office, which released a report that called for a separate, self-insured entity to offer health insurance for school districts. A proposed amendment being considered this afternoon would dramatically change the bill, turning it into a study with a report due December 15, 2011.
• SB 5639 - the Governor's education restructuring bill. The bill is scheduled to move from committee without amendment; we've been informed a substitute bill will be drafted for the floor action.

The House Ways & Means Committee is also acting on bills this afternoon, including SHB 1815, which would allow school districts to use 2009-10 funding levels in their levy base. A similar bill, SHB 1814, which include the federal EduJobs is not being passed from committee at this time. Proponents say the fiscal impact might be too rich, and the bill might need to be capped at one-year's worth of support. Stay tuned!

5 p.m. is the cutoff for bills with fiscal impact.

Leg. Update: Many bills still under consideration after first cutoff

Many bills have failed to make the House February 17 policy cutoff and the Senate February 21 policy cutoff. The next deadline is for bills to be passed out of fiscal committees (e.g., House and Senate ways and means, capital budget, transportation) unless the bill is deemed “necessary to implement the budget” or NTIB, and is not subject to any cutoff. WSSDA has compiled a list of bills that are still under consideration, including a short title and their status.  The list is available here.

Leg. Update: House education budget committee acts on bills

To meet a self-imposed deadline for House appropriations committees, the House Education Appropriations & Oversight Committee took action on 17 bills today, including keeping a conversation going on education system restructuring.

The following bills passed out of committee with no changes...
Read the full update.

Leg. Update: House and Senate pass supplemental budget

The House and Senate passed an agreed-upon supplemental operating budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011. The spending plan includes $242 million in cuts, including $25.4 million in K-4 staffing ratio reductions that are retroactive to the start of the 2010-11 school year. ESHB 1086 moves to the governor’s office for signature.

Read the full update.

Leg. Committee Meetings of Interest: Week of Feb. 21-25

Just posted our Friday list of legislative committee meetings of interest for the coming week. Click here to open the file. 

School directors rock Olympia!

A huge shout out to Tukwila School Director Mary Fertakis, South Kitsap Board Chair Kathryn Simpson, and Chris Marks, President of the Bellevue School Board, for their amazing testimony at today's Senate Ways & Means Committee.

Speaking against the various bills that would suspend class size funding (SB 5471) and bonuses for national board certified teachers (SB 5470), Fertakis and Simpson then fielded about 30 minutes of questions from engaged committee members. The school directors were unfazed by any question posed, and stressed the importance of funding, resources, and the bonuses as key to helping children succeed.

Marks spoke in favor of SB 5652 and SB 5651, bills which would preserve a school district's levy base, in the face of cuts in this school year. She explained how levies are used in Bellevue and told the committee it was important to allow districts to capture the funds approved by their voters.

Catch their testimony on TVW - look for Senate Ways & Means, February 17, 3:30 p.m. You'll be glad you did!

Substitute proposed on education restructuring

A quick heads up that Rep. Kathy Haigh, D-Shelton, will be offering a proposed substitute bill for HB 1849, her verision of education restructuring/governance at today's 1:30 p.m., House Education Appropriations & Oversight Committee meeting.

The bill calls for the convening of a 22-member group that would include representatives from school directors and administrators, parents, principals, teachers, classified staff, CTE, higher education, early learning, OSPI, the Governor's office and 4 legislators representing each chamber and both parties. The council would be staffed by OSPI, and the chair and vice chair would be selected from the appointed members.

The group is tasked with reviewing the current education system and related "silos," and with delivering a preliminary report by January 2012, and a final report, implementation plan and bill by December 2012, with transition to occur sometime after the 2013 session.

Leg. Update: House and Senate reach FY11 budget agreement

It appears that the House and Senate have reached an agreement on a spending plan to close $242 million of the projected $566 million shortfall in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011. A conference committee was created today, and a comparison budget summary was released this morning.

Of note to public schools proponents is a $25.4 million retroactive cut to K-4, along with some funding adjustments. The K-4 reduction is on top of a $39 million cut in the early action supplemental, HB 3225, adopted last December. Cuts took effect February 1, 2011.

On the positive side, local effort assistance (LEA) and program funding for highly capable students and readiness to learn were spared in the supplemental operating budget.

Read the full update.

Funding bills offer opportunity to speak up

At tomorrow's Senate Ways & Means committee meeting, 3:30 in the Cherberg building, school directors have an opportunity to speak out on funding issues.

Two bills “ghost money” in the levy base. That means that if a school district's levy is approved by April 30, 2011, districts can include what they would have received from the federal Education Jobs money in their levy base as if it hadn’t been used as backfill. This means the levy base wouldn’t take a hit. The second bill would use 2009-10 funding levels and levy base year, so the levy base wouldn’t reflect cuts from this year. Patty Wood testified in favor, and explained that even though these wouldn’t help Kelso, they do help some districts that can go to voters for a higher level of tax collection. There are a couple of technical issues raised by OSPI, but I have a sense these will be worked out.

Another bill is the one that delays 2776 and 2261. This is SB 5475. What came out of the Senate Early Learning and K-12 committee this morning removes all the dates and punts to the QEC to determine an implementation plan and funding phase in. So 2018 is off the table as far as the Senate is concerned. Are you concerned about this? If so, it’s a good time to speak out.

The last two bills would suspend I-728 and I-732 again, and the one around I-732 would suspend national board certified teacher bonuses for 2011-13. I know this is a hot button for some members, so if it's important to you, it’s time to speak out.

Leg. Update: Committee hears bills on teacher RIFs, alternative routes for principals

Emotions ran high for the crowd that packed a House hearing room today, with teachers, parents, principals, and education advocates sharing their thoughts, opposition and support for bills that would change the way reductions in force are handled in school districts and would create an alternative route for school principals with no classroom experience.

Read the full report.

WSSDA Podcast: Report on the 2011 FRN Conference

We just posted a 10-minute interview with WSSDA Federal Relations Network Chair Patty Wood (Kelso) on the WSSDA FRN Delegation's visit to Washington, D.C.  The audio is available for listening/download on the WSSDA Podcast Page.

Leg. Update: The week ahead

Thursday, February 17 marks the deadline for policy bills to be passed out of House committees; February 21 is the deadline for Senate policy bills.

Due to the compressed schedule in the House, the Education Committee will be hearing and acting on bills in only two committee meetings this week. The result will be that public testimony will be severely limited to 10-15 minutes per bill, in most cases, with those traveling the farthest from Olympia getting the first opportunity to speak.

The next set of deadlines is February 25 for bills with fiscal impact to move from budget committees, and March 7 to pass bills out of the chamber where they originated.

Read the full report.

Leg. Update: No agreement yet on supplemental budget

While both the House (page 2) and Senate (page 10) have passed versions of a supplemental budget designed to chip away at the projected $566 million shortfall (originally $1.1 billion last November) in the fiscal year that ends this June, budget negotiators are still grappling with proposal differences.

House and Senate Ways & Means chairs and ranking members met with the governor’s office for a “five-corners” meeting late Friday afternoon and appear to be getting close to an agreement.

Read the full update.

Legislative Meetings of Interest: Feb. 14-18

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

Leg. Update: Dozens turn out for hearing on “consolidation” bill

Opponents to HB 1325 nearly filled hearing room A in the John L. O’Brien building for the House Education Committee public hearing today.

While only six people were given time to speak on the bill due to a packed agenda, at the request of Jim Kowalkowski, Davenport schools superintendent, those in opposition stood to show committee members how many had journeyed to Olympia to voice their concerns about the efficiencies and “consolidation” bill...

Read the full update.

Leg. Update: Washington FRN delegation returns home

Nearly 30 school directors from across the state gathered in Washington, D.C. this week to meet with their congressional members, and learn about national education issues and how those issues might affect Washington state’s school districts.

Yesterday, school directors met with U.S. Senator Patty Murray, six of the nine congressional members, and education analysts for U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell and the other three congressmen...

Read the full update.

WSSDA meets with US Dept of Education

A Washington delegation of school directors are in Washington, DC for an annual meeting with congressional members. Formally called the Federal Relations Network, the event brings together school directors from across the country. Prior to meetings on the hill, school directors hear about federal issues, including common national standards, funding, the new political environment, consolidation, vouchers, and much more.

In a meeting this morning with representatives from the US Department of Education, school directors shared information on reauthorization of ESEA, changing the Title I allocation formula, our concerns about competitive grants to states rather than traditional funding processes, and STEM initiatives.

During the meeting, we learned that Gov. Chris Gregoire is meeting with USDOE Secretary Arne Duncan today to discuss her proposed education restructuring plan. WSSDA board members and executive director Jonelle Adams expressed our issues and concerns with the proposal, particularly our concern about the lack of independent voice on education issues.

Duncan is the keynote speaker at lunch today - about to start in 15 minutes.

Leg. Update: Senate passes supplemental budget, negotiations begin

In an unusual show of bipartisan support, the Senate passed the 2011 supplemental budget 38-9 on Friday, February 4th. Conversations on budget differences between the Senate and House have started, and there is an expectation that ESHB 1086 will be voted on and delivered to the Governor’s desk sometime next week.

On K-12 funding, the Senate spending plan would protect local effort assistance, but would make retroactive cuts to K-4 class size enhancement of about $25 million. The bill that passed the House cut $42 million from K-4 and included a $5 million contingency fund for districts that experienced financial issues during this school year – the Senate keeps a $2.5 million contingency fund.

Read the full update here.

Legislative meetings of interest: Feb. 7-11

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.

Leg. Update: Supplemental budget moves closer to final passage

The Senate Ways & Means Committee adopted a few amendments during executive session today, including removing a restriction on summer school vocational programs – a request made by OSPI, the Washington Center for Career and Technical Education, and WSSDA at the Feb. 2nd public hearing.

Read the full update here.

Budget committees discuss supplemental budget proposals

After hearing public testimony this afternoon, the Senate Ways & Means will take up any amendments to what has been touted as a "bipartisan approach" to reduce the funding gap for this fiscal year. The hearing is live on TVW.

Meanwhile, the House Ways & Means is getting a briefing on how the Senate budget proposal differs from what passed the House last month.

The biggest difference in K-12 is the reduced amount of K-4 class size funding (House cut by $42 million; Senate proposes $25 million). No real changes to the early learning department's budget, but some more significant changes to the higher education system, including cutting state-funded research and making a tuition transfer of $25.3 million for financial aid.

In addition, the House proposed a $5 million contingency fund for school districts that might have a challenge meeting financial obligations in this school year; the Senate reduces that fund to $2.5 million.

Senate education committee considers advertising on school buses

Sen. Paull Shin, D-Mukilteo, has introduced SB 5220, which would allow advertising on school buses. WSSDA testified with some concerns, asking the legislature to put some "side boards" around what might be appropriate advertising. Some states have authorized advertising (and some states have made decisions NOT to advertise).

If the committee wants to move the bill forward, WSSDA asked that the bill include specific prohibitions, as well as whether advertising should be allowed on the outside or inside buses, or both. In addition, the bill needs to make adopting a policy on advertising optional, and should not include any dates for roll out to allow school districts to take advantage of lessons learned in other states to be applied in Washington.

Leg. Update: Senate Democrats release budget proposal

The Senate Ways & Means Committee heard comments on its version of HB 1086, the supplemental budget proposal for this fiscal year. A side-by-side comparison was created by Senate budget staff to help members see the differences between the various proposals, and a detailed summary of the bill is available for review.

Read the full update.

TVW Video: WSSDA testifies on the governor's education restructuring proposals

Here is the video of WSSDA's testimony to the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee this morning on the Governor's proposal for restructuring the state's education system. (Note: the video begins with WSSDA's Marie Sullivan, followed by WEA's Lucinda Young, followed by WSSDA President-elect Mary Fertakis.  Total running time is nine minutes.  To view video of the full hearing, visit the TVW website.

Live on TVW: Education restructuring hearing

The Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee is currently hearing testimony on Gov. Gregoire's education restructuring proposal and other bills that would eliminate the Superintendent of Public Instruction as an elected position. The hearing is being carried live on TVW, with web streaming available at http://www.tvw.org/.

Senate committee to hear Governor’s education restructuring bill

The Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee will hear SB 5639 at its 8 a.m. hearing Wednesday, February 2nd in Senate hearing room 1.  Stakeholders received a copy of the bill and a “structure summary” this afternoon.

As Gov. Chris Gregoire announced last month, her proposal would create a Department of Education, and would move early learning, K-12, community and technical colleges, and the Higher Education Coordinating Board into the new department, among other changes.

Read the full update.

Governor's education restructuring bill posted

The Governor's education restructuring bill is out and scheduled for public hearing Tuesday morning before the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education committee at 8 a.m. Unfortunately we didn't have a heads up that this would be heard tomorrow, but know that many of you have concerns about the proposed structure. A copy of the draft bill is available on the WSSDA website..

House Education Appropriations Committee chair Kathy Haigh, D-Shelton, plans to introduce her own proposal for education reform Tuesday, February 2nd.