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.

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.)